In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)
complete verse (2 Samuel 19:29)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 19:29:
- Kupsabiny: “The king said to Mephibosheth, ‘Do not add another word. I have decided that you and Ziba will divide/share together the land of Saul.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “The king replied, "Sit down, I have certainly decided, you and Ziba will share the land."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “David said to him, ‘That is enough. I had- already -decided that you (plur.) and Ziba will-divide-into-half the land of Saul.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “The king replied, ‘You certainly do not need to say any more. I have decided that you and Ziba will divide equally the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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).
Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 19:29
Why speak any more of your affairs? This is not really a question but a way of telling Mephibosheth that he had no need to speak further about the matter. The Hebrew word translated any more is the same as rendered “further” in the previous verse. As in that case, languages having habitual verb forms may translate this idea as a part of the verb itself. One possible model is “Let’s not keep on talking about these problems of yours.”
The verb translated I have decided is the word often translated “I have said.” Compare New American Bible, “I say, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the property.’ ” In this context it means something like “I have ordered” or “I have decided.” In order to avoid the embedded quotation, some translators may wish to do something similar to the model provided by Revised English Bible, “My decision is that you and Ziba are to share the estate.”
Divide the land: that is, the land that once belonged to Saul and had been given to Ziba in 16.4. The Hebrew noun translated land refers to “fields” or “plots of land.” The word “property” (Good News Translation, New American Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) is probably too general. A more precise translation is the land (Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version) or “the lands of Saul” (Bible en français courant). The division of the land between the two adversaries is seen by some commentators as an indication that David did not know whom to believe and that he was uncertain what to do. But others feel that it was simply an attempt to bring about reconciliation within his kingdom. Either way the translation will not be affected.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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