cupbearer

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated in English as “cupbearer” is translated in Newari as “new wine vessel holder.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)

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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Tobit 1:22

Ahikar interceded for me: Good News Translation expresses this simply as “he put in a good word for me.” Ahikar is in a position to intercede in Tobit’s behalf, so that Tobit can return to Nineveh. Another way to express this clause is: “Ahikar talked to the emperor on my behalf and he let me return to Nineveh.”

Now Ahikar was chief cupbearer, keeper of the signet, and in charge of administrations of the accounts: Ahikar is identified by a series of titles. The chief cupbearer (Good News Translation “wine steward”) was a royal official and advisor who served the king his wine (compare Neh 1.11). In some languages this may be expressed as “responsible for his wine.” The keeper of the signet had custody of the royal seal, making documents official. He was perhaps like the American Secretary of State, keeper of the Great Seal. The signet or “seal” was usually an object such as a small, semiprecious stone (often part of an official ring) that had writing cut into its surface. It was used to make an impression on some soft material such as clay or wax. In cultures where “seals” are unknown, something like “official ring” or “the emperor’s ring” is possible. As the one in charge of administrations of the accounts (Good News Translation “treasurer, and accountant”), Ahikar would have acted as Minister of Finance or Secretary of the Treasury. Good News Translation rearranges the material in this verse to sort out the complicated sequence of events. New Revised Standard Version would be clearer if it rendered the text “Now Ahikar had been chief cupbearer….”

It is a bit strange to have Ahikar identified first as a nephew and then as a close relative. Good News Translation omits the second expression. The New Revised Standard Version construction is helpful: He was my nephew and so a close relative. New American Bible is clever: “He was a close relative—in fact, my nephew.”

This concludes the first chapter, which provides the background that the writer wishes us to understand. The story itself will begin in chapter 2.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Tobit. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.