In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)
sparrow
While the Greek word strouthion is certainly the name for the sparrow, the Hebrew tsippor is actually an inclusive word that refers to sparrow-sized birds in general. These small birds, especially sparrows, were caught in nets and traps and were an important part of the diet of poor people.
There are three types of sparrow that are common in Israel, the House Sparrow Passer domesticus, the Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis, and the Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus. All three are small speckled brown birds. Additional small birds that abound around towns and settlements are members of the bunting, finch, and tit families. Sparrows in particular are usually found in fairly large numbers roosting and nesting together. All are seed eaters and live mainly on grass seeds and grain.
Sparrows were considered clean birds and were associated with the poor.
Sparrows or sparrow-like small birds are found all over the world. Finding a local word is not usually difficult. The reference to “a lonely bird on the housetop” in Psalms 102:7 takes on additional meaning if the sparrow was intended, since it is a bird that is seldom seen alone. It would then indicate the psalmist’s sense of loneliness at being separated from those with whom he belongs.
Source: All Creatures Great and Small: Living things in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)
complete verse (Numbers 22:16)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 22:16:
- Kupsabiny: “They went and said to Balaam, ‘Balak son of Zippor says, ‘Please, let there be nothing to prevent you from coming to me!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “They came to Balaam and said,
Balak, son of Zippor has spoken like this — What! May nothing prevent you from coming to my place!” (Source: Newari Back Translation) - Hiligaynon: “They went to Balaam and said:
‘This is what Balak the child of Zippor causing- (us excl) -to-say: ‘Do- not -allow that there (is someone) to-hinder you (sing.) in coming here.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation) - English: “They went to Balaam and told him this:
‘This is what King Balak says: ‘Please do not allow anything to hinder you from coming here.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Japanese benefactives (-naide)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, -naide (ないで) or “do not (for their sake)” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
respectful form of "say/speak" (mōsu)
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.
In these verses, mōsu (申す), the respectful form of iu (言う) or “say / speak” is used. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Translation commentary on Numbers 22:16-17
And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: Good News Bible uses indirect speech here by saying “They went to Balaam and gave him this message from Balak.” While this model may work in a number of languages, there is no reason to omit the phrase the son of Zippor since Zippor may have been better known than Balak at that time. Bible en français courant and PV also use indirect speech here, but they keep this phrase in Balak’s message by beginning it with “I, Balak, son of Zippor….” However, what Good News Bible, Bible en français courant, and PV do not take into account is that the expression Thus says Balak … mimics the so-called “divine messenger formula,” which is frequently used in the prophetic literature to indicate the beginning of an oracle from the LORD (see, for example, Jer 2.1; Ezek 16.3; Amos 1.3). Thus there may be an element of ironic usage here.
Let nothing hinder you from coming to me: Revised Standard Version omits the Hebrew particle meaning “please” (naʾ) here, as in verse 6 (see the comments there). Good News Bible keeps it by rendering this clause as “Please don’t let anything prevent you from coming to me!” The use of the word “Please” marks this request as urgent.
For I will surely do you great honor renders an emphatic Hebrew expression, which is literally “for to honor I will honor you greatly.” The Hebrew verb for “honor” is repeated, first as an infinitive absolute and then as a finite verb. This verb comes from the same root as the word translated “honorable” in verse 15. This clause does not specify what the honor will be, although it hints at material rewards or perhaps a position among Balak’s high court officials. Good News Bible says “I will reward you richly.” The sense of this rendering is wide enough to fit the context. Contemporary English Version has “I’ll pay you very well,” which narrows the meaning down too much to some monetary benefit and anyway is too explicit in the context of this diplomatic encounter.
And whatever you say to me I will do may be rendered “and I will do whatever you ask me to do.”
Come is better rendered “Please come” (Good News Bible), since the Hebrew particle naʾ occurs here again (see the comments above). Other possible models are “Do come” or “Just come” (Contemporary English Version).
Curse this people for me: See verse 6.
Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Translation commentary on Numbers 22:16-17
And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: Good News Bible uses indirect speech here by saying “They went to Balaam and gave him this message from Balak.” While this model may work in a number of languages, there is no reason to omit the phrase the son of Zippor since Zippor may have been better known than Balak at that time. Bible en français courant and PV also use indirect speech here, but they keep this phrase in Balak’s message by beginning it with “I, Balak, son of Zippor….” However, what Good News Bible, Bible en français courant, and PV do not take into account is that the expression Thus says Balak … mimics the so-called “divine messenger formula,” which is frequently used in the prophetic literature to indicate the beginning of an oracle from the LORD (see, for example, Jer 2.1; Ezek 16.3; Amos 1.3). Thus there may be an element of ironic usage here.
Let nothing hinder you from coming to me: Revised Standard Version omits the Hebrew particle meaning “please” (naʾ) here, as in verse 6 (see the comments there). Good News Bible keeps it by rendering this clause as “Please don’t let anything prevent you from coming to me!” The use of the word “Please” marks this request as urgent.
For I will surely do you great honor renders an emphatic Hebrew expression, which is literally “for to honor I will honor you greatly.” The Hebrew verb for “honor” is repeated, first as an infinitive absolute and then as a finite verb. This verb comes from the same root as the word translated “honorable” in verse 15. This clause does not specify what the honor will be, although it hints at material rewards or perhaps a position among Balak’s high court officials. Good News Bible says “I will reward you richly.” The sense of this rendering is wide enough to fit the context. Contemporary English Version has “I’ll pay you very well,” which narrows the meaning down too much to some monetary benefit and anyway is too explicit in the context of this diplomatic encounter.
And whatever you say to me I will do may be rendered “and I will do whatever you ask me to do.”
Come is better rendered “Please come” (Good News Bible), since the Hebrew particle naʾ occurs here again (see the comments above). Other possible models are “Do come” or “Just come” (Contemporary English Version).
Curse this people for me: See verse 6.
Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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