complete verse (Esther 9:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 9:26:

  • Kupsabiny: “This Feast of Purim means/shows lots that were called ‘pur.’ So, according to that letter which Mordecai wrote to them and the hardship (he/they) went through,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “(That is why that day, "Pur", is referred to as "Purim.") Because of what was written in that letter, and what they had seen and what had happened to them,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So the celebration of that time was-called Purim, from the word ‘pur.’ And because of Mordecai’s letter and because of what they had-experienced,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “So they called that holiday ‘Purim’ because of what Mordecai wrote in that letter and because of all the things they had experienced.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • English: “Because the lot/small marked stone that Haman threw was called Pur, the Jews called these days Purim. And, because of everything that Mordecai wrote/was written in that letter, and because of all that happened to them,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Esther 9:26   

Verse 26 explains the reason these days are called Purim. Purim is the plural of the word pur (see comment on 3.7). Since the words Purim and pur are words with no meaning for most readers today, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates the beginning of this verse as follows: “That is why these days are called ‘Fate,’ from the word ‘Fate,’ ” and then it places an explanation of the word “Purim” in a footnote. Most versions, however, retain the original names. Since this festival is still celebrated in Jewish communities to this day, and since it is still known by the same name, it is best to retain Purim in the translation.

Good News Translation restructures the second part of the verse by combining and shortening some of the apparent repetition to make a more simple sentence. In doing this it also eliminates some of the author’s emphasis that is achieved by restating an essentially similar idea three different ways. The author refers first to “all the words of the letter,” then he refers to what the Jews “had seen,” and lastly to “what had happened to them.” The translator may need to restructure the syntax of this and the following verse, but details that were included by the author should not be omitted.

In the words because of all that was written in this letter, this letter does not mean the biblical book of Esther but the letters that Mordecai wrote to all the Jews (verse 20 above). Translators may want to make explicit, as Good News Translation does, that the letter mentioned was the letter written by Mordecai.

The second occurrence of the word therefore connects to the beginning of verse 27 (“therefore … the Jews ordained…”). The words because of all … and of what had befallen them form a parenthetical statement.

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 9:26

9:26a

Therefore: This part of the verse is a parenthesis and refers back to 9:24b. You may need to state this reference explicitly. The Display shows one way to do this.

Purim: This is the plural form of “pur” in Hebrew. See note on 3:7b.

9:26b

9:26b–9:27c is one sentence in the Berean Standard Bible and most other versions. It is long and complex, so you may need to divide it into shorter sentences before you translate it. The Display shows one way to do this.

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