The Hebrew that is translated as “the light of a king’s face” or similar in English is translated in Mbaï as “the king’s laughter.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
complete verse (Proverbs 16:15)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 16:15:
- Kupsabiny: “The love/acceptance of a king makes people happy,
just like rain that falls for a long time on crops in the farm.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation) - Newari: “When the king is pleased, there will be life.
As for the king’s favor, it is like clear skies after a rain.” (Source: Newari Back Translation) - Hiligaynon: “If a king is pleased with a man, he will- not -kill him; he will-show him kindness/goodness like rain in times of the growing-season of the plants.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “If the king is happy and he is pleased with you (sing.), he will-be-merciful/kind to you (sing.) and it-may-be that that will be your (sing.)-means-of-living.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- English: “If a king has a smile on his face, he will enable people to have a long life (OR, he will not order people to be executed);
his being pleased with people is as delightful as rain in the springtime when seeds are planted.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Translation commentary on Proverbs 16:15
“In the light of a king’s face there is life”: In contrast with verse 14, where the king’s anger can cause death, in this line the happy face of the king gives life. “The light of a king’s face” is an expression more commonly used in regard to the Lord. For examples, see Psa 4.6 (Hebrew verse 7); 44.3 (Hebrew verse 4); and 89.15 (Hebrew verse 16). The sense is a happy, smiling, pleasant face disposed or ready to grant favors. “Life” refers to a long and happy life or even prosperity. Bible en français courant says “A smile on the face of the king is the promise of life.” In some languages the relation between the king’s pleasant face and “life” must be expressed with an active verb, for example, “When the king’s face shines with happiness, he gives life to the people.” Good News Translation has dropped the image of the bright face, but in many languages it may be desirable to keep this image.
“And his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain”: For “favor” see 8.35 and 11.27. The king’s goodness is compared to “clouds” that cause it to rain in the spring, that is, during the months of March and April when the crops have been planted and depend on the rain to start their early growth. For another reference to the “spring rain” see Job 29.23. In some areas the equivalent of the “spring rain” is “the small rain,” “the rain from the west,” or “the rain after planting.” The meaning of the image of “the clouds” is that they bring life, growth, and refreshment. This may need to be brought out in translation; for example, “his favor refreshes like a gentle rain” (New Living Translation).
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
king
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).
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