drink

In Telugu different verbs for humans drinking (tāgu / తాగు) and animals drinking (cēḍu / చేడు) are required.

complete verse (1 Kings 20:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 20:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “Ben-hadad was brought these words as he was drinking with other rulers in his tent. Then he said to the leaders of soldiers, ‘Hey, get ready.’ Then those people got ready to go and fight Samaria.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Ben-hadad heard Ahab’s message while he and the other kings were getting drunk in their tent. He ordered his men, "Get ready to attack!" So they got ready to attack that city.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Ben Hadad received the answer of Ahab while he and his fellow kings were-drinking there in their tents. Then he commanded his men to prepare to attack Samaria. And they obeyed this.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Ben-Hadad heard that message while he and the other rulers were drinking wine in their temporary shelters. He told his men to prepare to attack the city. So his men did that.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

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 1 Kings 20:12

In Hebrew this verse begins with the verbal transition meaning “And it happened.” When Ben-hadad heard is literally “And it was when to hear.” Hebrew does not have an explicit agent for the infinitive “to hear,” but the context clearly shows that Ben-hadad is the subject. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation insert his name for the sake of clarity. In fact, even King James Version does so.

Some languages require that the verb drinking have an explicit object. Verse 16 says that the king became drunk, which clearly indicates that they were drinking alcohol.

The kings are the thirty-two vassal-kings mentioned in verse 1. Regarding the translation of the word kings in this context, see the discussion at verse 1.

Booths were temporary dwellings made of branches and mats. They were used in military campaigns (2 Sam 11.11). The Hebrew noun rendered booths is spelled the same as the place name Succoth, which is mentioned in 1 Kgs 7.46. So in the booths is translated “in Succoth” by Gray and “at Succoth” by Anchor Bible, although most interpreters prefer the interpretation found in Revised Standard Version. The city of Succoth was around 48 kilometers (about 30 miles) from Samaria, and it seems unlikely that Benhadad would have camped so far from Samaria. So translators are advised to translate the idea of temporary dwellings. This has been rendered “under the awnings” (New Jerusalem Bible), “in their quarters” (Revised English Bible), and “in their tents” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation). It is, however, not advisable to follow New Century Version, which reads “in his tent.” See also the comments on verse 16.

His men is literally “his servants.” In this context the sense is most likely “his officers” (New Living Translation). Compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, which says “his commanders.”

Take your positions translates a single Hebrew verb that means “to put” or “to place.” In this context it may be rendered “Position yourselves for an attack on the city” (similarly Revised English Bible). Certain languages may prefer to present this idea in the form of indirect speech rather than as a direct quotation. In such cases Good News Translation provides a possible model.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .