scepter

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “scepter” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “stick of ruling” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin) and in Cherokee as “walking stick of chief” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 17).

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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Wisdom 10:13 - 10:14

When a righteous man was sold, wisdom did not desert him: See Gen 37.25-36. Good News Translation helpfully indicates that Joseph was sold “into slavery.” In languages that do not have a passive, we may say something like “Once they sold a good man as a slave, but Wisdom….”

But delivered him from sin: It is possible to interpret this as referring to deliverance from the situation his brothers’ sin had put him in; the Latin version takes it this way. More likely, however, the author is thinking of the episode involving Potiphar’s wife in Gen 39.7-18. Good News Translation is thus correct in saying “She kept him safe from sin,” that is, Joseph resisted the temptation that Potiphar’s wife offered. Contemporary English Version is clearer with “Wisdom kept him from committing a terrible sin.”

She descended with him into the dungeon, and when he was in prison she did not leave him: The two lines are not exactly the same in meaning. The first line says that Wisdom went with Joseph when he was sent to prison; the second says that she never left him while he was there. For practical purposes, however, dungeon and prison are similar in meaning, and Good News Translation is not wrong by leaving in prison understood in verse 14a: “and never left him.”

Until she brought him the scepter of a kingdom: The scepter is a symbol of royal power; see the notes on 6.21. Good News Translation focuses on the power itself rather than the object: “until she had given him power over an empire.” Joseph, of course, never actually became a king or pharaoh; he was what would be called today a prime minister. “Empire” (Good News Translation) probably gives the idea of too extensive a territory; the sense for this line is more likely “until Wisdom had given him power over the whole land [or, country].”

And authority over his masters: Good News Translation expresses authority as “made him the ruler.” His masters could be rendered “the people who had once had absolute power over him [or, had persecuted/oppressed him].”

Those who accused him she showed to be false: This is a reference to the accusation made by Potiphar’s wife; this is what Good News Translation means by “a false accusation.” Another approach for this line is “She showed that those who had accused him were liars.”

And she gave him everlasting honor may be rendered “and brought him honor that will last forever” (Contemporary English Version).

An alternative model for verses 13-14 is:

• Once they [or, people] sold a good man as a slave, but Wisdom kept him from committing a terrible sin. She went down into the prison with him, and stayed with him until she had given him power over the whole land and the people who had once oppressed him. She showed that those who had accused him were liars, and she gave him eternal honor.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Wisdom of Solomon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2004. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.