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)

complete verse (Esther 4:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 4:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “‘All the people in this empire know that if a person returns to the inner court/private room of the king without being accepted/invited, wanting to see (him), then that person deserves death. The only one who might escape from that suffering/problem is the one whom the king hands (the) golden stick/rod showing that he has forgiven (him/her). Furthermore, only one month has elapsed since the king called me to go where he is. ’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The courtiers and all who live here know this order of the king, if anyone comes before the king without being called to the king’s place within the palace, he will be killed. However, if the king holds out his golden scepter towards him, he will be spared. I myself have not had a chance to go to the king’s place for 30 days.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘All the officers of the king and all the people of the entire kingdom knew that whoever would-come-near to the king inside the yard, male or female, who was- not -called-for will-be-killed, unless the king stretch-out/extend his golden cane-/staff-like to that person. And I myself has- not -been-called-for by the king for a month already.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “All the servants (hands and feet) of the king and all the common people in every village know the custom of the king. If an man or woman goes into the house of the king but the king hadn’t summoned, that person will be punished with death. But if the king takes his golden rod and shows it to whatever person, that person can live. But now the king hasn’t summoned me to meet him for a month already. ” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • English: “‘There is a law about people going to talk to the king. All the king’s officials and all the people in the empire know this law. In that law it states that anyone who goes to the king in his inner court without having been summoned by the king must be executed. Only those to whom the king has extended his scepter/staff will not be executed. And a month has passed since the king has summoned me, so what will happen to me if I try to see him and he doesn’t want to see me?’” (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 Esther 4:11   

Good News Translation restructures this verse breaking it into four sentences. This makes reading easier, but it may also change the focus of the original text, which reads All … know that … there is but one law; … to be put to death, except the one …. Focusing in this way on the law, dat, Esther’s words again emphasize the importance of the law in Persian culture and in the author’s story. This is one of the artist’s methods of building the drama of the story (see 1.15, 19 above).

The inner court of the palace is the place where one could see the king on his throne (5.1), in contrast to the outer court (see 6.4), where the king could not be seen.

There is but one law: literally “one law of him.” New International Version says “the king has but one law.” That law is that anyone who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned by the king is to be killed.

Holds out the golden scepter: Biblia Dios Habla Hoy makes explicit the meaning of this gesture by adding the words “as a sign of clemency.” The golden scepter, a symbol of the king’s authority, was a long, slender staff made of gold, with an ornamented head. Where scepters are unknown, one may say the “king’s stick,” the “stick of kingship,” or the “object in the king’s hand showing authority.” It may be described as a “staff [made, or forged] of gold.”

That he may live: this may be restated as “so that that person will not be killed” (compare Good News Translation).

At the beginning of the last sentence, the Hebrew contains the first person singular pronoun, which has an emphatic function. Neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation represents this, but Traduction œcuménique de la Bible reproduces the force by saying “As for me, it has been thirty days since….” Translators should follow the example of Bible en français courant or Traduction œcuménique de la Bible if possible.

These thirty days: no reason is given in the story to explain why the king has not called for Esther for an entire month, but such a detail heightens the dramatic tension, as Esther must now risk her life to enter the inner court to speak to him. Depending on cultural practice, the length of time may be indicated by days, as the Hebrew does (so Revised Standard Version), or it may be represented as a month, or even as weeks, if that is more natural.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Esther 4:11

4:11a

All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces: That is, everyone throughout the kingdom.

royal officials: See note on 1:3a.

the inner court: This was the part of the palace where the king met with people.

without being summoned: That is, without the king inviting them to come.

4:11b

the gold scepter: This was the special stick that the king often held in his hand. It indicated the king’s authority to rule. It was made of gold.

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