39But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. When it was told Shimei, “Your slaves are in Gath,”
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 2:39:
Kupsabiny: “After about three years had passed, two servants of Shimei fled and went to the home of Achish son Maacah who was the king of the city of Gath. When Shimei was told that his servants were in Gath” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “But three years later two of his slaves ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. Shimei heard the word that his slaves were in Gath.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But on the third year, the two servants of Shimei ran-away and went to the king of Gat which is Akish, the child of Maaca. When Shimei heard about-it,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away. They went to stay with Maacah’s son Achish, the king of Gath city. When someone told Shimei that they were in Gath,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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.”
But it happened represents the common verbal transition that is sometimes translated “And it came to pass” (Jewish Publication Version). See the discussion on this discourse marker in “Translating 1–2 Kings,” pages 14-15. While it may not be necessary to represent the Hebrew verb for “to be” explicitly in translation, some kind of contrasting conjunction such as But (Revised Standard Version) or “however” (Good News Translation) is important. The events that follow stand in contrast to what the king had ordered and what Shimei had clearly agreed to do.
Although the text does not say so directly, it seems clear that Shimei’s slaves were living on the property or land that Shimei owned. Along with other slaves, they were probably working his land while Shimei himself was forced to stay within the city of Jerusalem. For slaves see the discussion on “servant” in “Translating 1–2 Kings,” page 12.
Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath: The Philistines lived mostly in five independent cities: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron. Each city was ruled by a lord, that is, someone who ruled with the authority of a king. Gath was about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Jerusalem and was the closest of these cities to the territory of Judah. The information that Gath was a city may be made explicit in translation (so Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie). The name of its ruler, Achish, appears for the first time in the Old Testament in 1 Sam 21 and reappears again in 1 Sam 27–29. In 1 Sam 27.2, King Achish is said to be the son of “Maoch.” It is not certain whether “Maoch” and Maacah are different names for the same person or whether the Achish here in 1 Kings is the grandson of the King Achish who is prominent in 1 Samuel. Since it is possible, if not likely, that Maacah and “Maoch” refer to two different persons, translators should not harmonize the spellings of the two names. Neither should the words son of Maacah be omitted, as Contemporary English Version and New Living Translation have done.
When it was told Shimei is literally “and they told Shimei.” The Hebrew verb in this expression is third person plural, but the subject is left implicit. Others may find it more natural to translate “When Shimei learned about this” or “When Shimei found out what had happened.”
Behold, your slaves are in Gath: The Hebrew focusing particle rendered Behold serves merely to draw the attention of the reader to the quotation that follows. Good News Translation omits the particle since it transforms the direct quotation here into indirect speech.
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 .
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