bronze

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is translated as “bronze” in English is translated in Newari as “bell-metal,” since bells are made of bronze in Nepal (source: Newari Back Translation).

See also bronze vessel.

complete verse (2 Samuel 8:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 8:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then/At that point, he sent his son who was called Joram to take to David many things which were made from gold, silver and bronze, congratulating him because he defeated Hadadezer. Tou and Hadadezer had fought for many days.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So he sent his son Joram to David to greet him and congratulate him for defeating Hadadezer. Tou had already fought battles many times with Hadadezer. And Joram came bringing many kinds of gold, silver and bronze articles.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So he sent his child Joram to King David to greet and honor him on his victory against Hadadezer in battle. (This Tou and Hadadezer were against-each-other from the very beginning/time-past.) Joram brought (him) gifts made of silver, gold, and bronze.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “he sent his son Joram to greet King David and to congratulate him/say that he was happy about his army defeating Hadadezer’s army, which Toi’s army had fought many times. Joram brought to David many items/gifts made from gold, silver, and bronze.” (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).

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).


“David” in German Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: David .

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 8:10

Toi: it may be unnecessary in many languages to repeat the name at this point. As in Good News Translation, the pronoun may be sufficient.

His son Joram: some textual evidence has “Hadoram his son” at this point, and this is adopted by New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt, and An American Translation. Joram means “Yahweh is exalted,” while Hadoram (probably a shortened form of Hadadram), which is found in 1 Chr 18.10, signifies “Hadad is exalted” (concerning the name “Hadad,” see the comments on the name “Hadadezer” in verse 3). It is unlikely that the original name of this non-Israelite was in praise of Yahweh, so Hadoram was probably original. It may have been changed out of gratitude for the Israelite victory over Hadadezer and the subsequent protection provided by the Israelites. But the translation here should be based on the best available textual evidence, which has Joram. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the Masoretic Text and recommend that the name Joram be used.

Congratulate: this verb may have to be rendered “praise” or “honor” in some languages. The Hebrew word is, in fact, the one usually translated “bless,” as indicated in King James Version and New American Standard Bible. Another possible translation is “transmit greetings” (La Bible du Semeur).

Articles: the Hebrew term used here is a very general one that may refer to anything man-made. It sometimes refers to containers of liquid (Ruth 2.9), or figures (1 Sam 6.8), or weapons (1 Sam 8.12). Probably in this context it refers to a number of different types of objects. So it will be advisable to use a general term, such as “objects,” “items,” or “things” in the receptor language.

Of silver, of gold, and of bronze: these three metals were the material used to make the objects. The most probable meaning is that some objects were made of one metal and others of another—not that each object was made of a combination of the three metals. As indicated in the comments on 8.8 and 1 Sam 17.5, the word rendered bronze may also be “copper.”

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 .