king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 26:19

Having quoted from the prophet Micah, these elders now continue with their own words. For some readers it is helpful to begin this verse with “The elders continued….”

Did Hezekiah…?: The elders ask rhetorical questions to emphasize their points. It may be best to shift to statements, as in Good News Translation.

Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah is more simply stated as “King Hezekiah and the people of Judah” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant). Since Hezekiah is mentioned by name in verse 18, it is possible also to follow Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch with “the king and the people of Judah.”

The object him in put him to death is Micah. In many languages it will be helpful for readers to make this clear.

Did he not fear the Lord: He refers to Hezekiah, not Micah. Using the name instead of the pronoun can help avoid misunderstanding. Fear is difficult to translate with the proper emotional value; Good News Translation has “honored” and Revised English Bible “show reverence for.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch prefers “obey” and Bible en français courant “acknowledge the authority of.”

Entreat the favor of translates the idiomatic expression “appease the face of,” which is expressed in New Jerusalem Bible as “plead with.” It occurs twice in 1Kgs 13.6 (with the LORD as object), and once in Psa 45.12 (with a princess as object, where Revised Standard Version has “sue … favor”). The rendering of Revised Standard Version is also found in An American Translation and New American Bible. Revised English Bible has “seek to placate” and New International Version “seek his favor.” Another common way of expressing this is “tried to gain his good will.” Moffatt combines this verb with the previous verb fear and renders “reverently appease.”

Repent of the evil: See verses 3, 13 and 18.8.

Great evil must be here understood in the sense of “terrible disaster” (Good News Translation) or “great disaster” (Revised English Bible).

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .