Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the nobleman).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 19:14:
Noongar: “Now, people of his country, they did not like him, so they sent messengers following him saying, ‘We don’t want this one to become our king’.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “But in the town of that nobleman, there were also people who hated him. As soon as that nobleman left, they sent messengers going to follow him and say: ‘We (excl.) refuse that nobleman as our king!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But those people in his country hated him, so after he had left, they sent some after him to say that they did not want that person to be-king/rule over them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, the inhabitants of the town of this prince, they were disgusted with him, and when he left, they sent someone after him to tell the high king there where he was going, that they did not want that that prince should be their king.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘But his townmates/countrymen hated him, so they sent-some (partitive prefix = some from among them) to follow him to go say to the one-who-appointed, ‘We (excl.) don’t-want this person as our (excl.) king.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Well since he was hated by some of his fellow countrymen, that’s why immediately after he had left, they caused some to race there to that one who would put-him in-office of kingship. They would say, ‘We don’t want that person to reign over us here!'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
hoi de politai autou emisoun auton ‘but his citizens hated him,’ again an allusion to contemporary events. politai refers to the people of the country over which he was to be appointed king.
apesteilan presbeian opisō autou legontes ‘they sent a delegation after him, saying,’ i.e. ‘to say,’ implying that the delegates were to transmit what the citizens had said. For presbeia cf. on 14.32.
ou thelomen touton basileusai eph’ hēmas ‘we do not want this man to become king over us.’ touton is slightly contemptuous. basileusai is ingressive aorist.
Translation:
His citizens, or, ‘the people of (or, living in) his country’ (Shona), ‘those of the same land as he’ (Tzeltal).
Hated, see on 1.71; Sranan Tongo has here, ‘did not like him at all.’
Sent an embassy after him, ‘ordered messengers to go after him, or, to follow him (several Indonesian languages), or, to go to that country also.’ To send an embassy, see on 14.32; Fulah shifts from messengers to a message (lit. ‘a sending’); the Tzeltal rendering of “embassy” is coloured by the contents of the message, ‘those-who-make-a-complaint.’
Saying is often better taken with the messengers, e.g. ‘who were to say’ (cf. Bible de Jérusalem), ‘with the message’ (Nieuwe Vertaling). Some further qualification may be necessary, cf. e.g. ‘who were to go and on arrival say’ (Shona 1966), ‘to say there (i.e. in the far country),’ ‘to inform the emperor/ruler/government (there).’ Since the message is to be addressed to persons of high rank languages such as Javanese and Balinese use honorific forms.
Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.
But: In Greek this verse begins with a common conjunction that is often used to introduce a new event. The Berean Standard Bible translated it as “Beforehand” in 19:13. Here the Berean Standard Bible probably translates it as But because in this context it introduces a fact that is unexpected.
In some languages a conjunction such as But may imply a wrong contrast here. Introduce the event in a natural way in your language. A conjunction may not be necessary. For example:
The citizens of his own country hated him. (God’s Word)
his subjects: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as his subjects is more literally “his citizens.” It refers here to the people in his own country. The nobleman was not yet ruling over them, but he was seeking to be their king. Refer to them in an appropriate way in your language. Some ways to translate this phrase are:
His fellow-citizens (Revised English Bible) -or-
his own people (Good News Translation) -or-
the people of his country (Contemporary English Version)
hated him: Here the word hated probably refers to rejecting the nobleman as king. The citizens did not want the nobleman to rule them, so they opposed him. In this context the word hated probably does not refer mainly to personal feelings of dislike. Other ways to translate it are:
rejected him -or-
opposed him
19:14b
and sent a delegation after him: The phrase and sent a delegation after him indicates here that after the nobleman had left, the nobleman’s countrymen told a group of people to also go to the emperor to give him a message. The content of the message is in 19:14c. Some other ways to say this are:
and sent a group to follow him (New Century Version) -or-
They told messengers to also go to that same distant country
delegation: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as delegation refers to a group of people who have been given an official message to deliver on behalf of others. Some other ways to translate this are:
messengers (Contemporary English Version) -or-
representatives (God’s Word) -or-
people to give ⌊the emperor⌋ a message from them
19:14c
to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us’: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to say is literally “saying.” It introduces the message that the citizens wanted to give to the emperor. Here is another way to translate this:
…saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ (Revised Standard Version)
This message functions as a request. The citizens were indirectly asking the emperor to not appoint the nobleman as their king. The emperor had great authority and status. In many languages it may be necessary to use very polite language to introduce the request and to express it. For example:
…to beg him saying, “⌊Great Emperor⌋, ⌊please consider⌋ our request that this man not be made our king/chief.”
This example is a direct quote of what the citizens wanted to say. In some languages it may be more natural to use indirect speech. For example:
…to say that they did not want that man to be their king. -or-
…to beg ⌊the emperor⌋ not to appoint that nobleman to rule them.
We: The word We refers to the messengers and their fellow citizens. This group did not include the nobleman.
this man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this man is literally “this-one.” It is probably a disrespectful way to refer to him. Consider whether you have a slightly disrespectful term that would be appropriate in this context.
to rule over us: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to rule over us is literally “to-reign-as-king over us.” Another way to translate it is:
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