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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Numbers 23:7a

And Balaam took up his discourse, and said: This quote frame introduces the first prophecy Balaam received from God. Took up his discourse is literally “lifted up his oracle.” New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, and Revised English Bible say “uttered his oracle,” while Good News Translation and SPCL translate “uttered this prophecy.” The Hebrew term for discourse is mashal, which normally refers to a brief proverb, wisdom saying, artistically structured poetic expression (formulated in parallelisms; see 1 Kgs 4.32). It can also refer to a longer discourse (see Job 27.1). Here in Num 23–24 it may be rendered “prophecy,” “oracle,” or “oracle speech” (De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling, Willibrordvertaling). See the discussion on its root m sh l at 21.27.
As mentioned in the introductory comments on 22.1–25.18, Balaam’s oracle in verses 7b-10 and his other oracles should be translated in a distinctive manner, that is, in a style (or genre) that highlights and reproduces their prophetic function. In Hebrew there is parallelism throughout these oracles. In each pair of lines the second line restates, contrasts with, qualifies, augments, embellishes, and/or intensifies the first line. For example, in the first two lines of verse 7b From Aram is parallel to from the eastern mountains, while Balak and the king of Moab are parallel as well. The verb phrase has brought me is implied in the second line. Good News Translation combines these two lines into one natural sentence that clarifies the parallel connections between them. Many listeners/readers will find such restructured sentences easier to understand. However, translators should take care that such a restructuring does not diminish the overall solemn sense of the text or make the translation less distinctive in style. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is a good example of a translation that has a functionally equivalent poetic text.

The Hebrew of the first oracle consists of seven parallel couplets. In addition, it seems to divide into two parts (verses 7b-8 and 9-10), with constituent segments that are also roughly in parallel: verses 7b and 9a focus on location; verses 7c and 9b-10a focus on Israel; and verses 8 and 10b focus on Balaam’s personal reaction.

From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: As mentioned in 22.5, Balaam came from Pethor, which was probably located in the most northern part of present-day Syria. Good News Translation renders Aram as “Syria,” which is the contemporary term for it. However, since the second line indicates that Balaam came from the eastern mountains, it may not be necessary to use this contemporary term. However, it may be helpful to make explicit that he came “from afar.” Revised Standard Version places From Aram at the beginning of the oracle as in the Hebrew text, while Good News Translation places “from Syria” later in the sentence. In English Good News Translation‘s placement of this phrase makes for a more natural sentence structure, while Revised Standard Version is stylistically more distinctive. These opening lines seem to be a formula for the seer to identify himself and the occasion for the oracle (so NET Bible footnote), and a similar pattern is observed in the oracles that follow.

Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!: These two parallel lines are an embedded quote since Balaam quotes Balak here. Good News Translation inserts “he [Balak] said” to make this clear. For the verb curse, see 22.6. The Hebrew words for curse and denounce have almost the same meaning, except that the second one refers more explicitly to anger, so New Living Translation renders it “announce … doom,” and New Century Version has “call down evil on.” Both Jacob and Israel refer to the Israelite people. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch makes this clear by saying “the people of Jacob,” and then “this Israel.” Bijbel in Gewone Taal has “the descendants of Jacob,” followed by “Israel.” Bible en français courant reverses this order, saying “the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob.” Good News Translation says simply “the people of Israel.”
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 .