The Hebrew and Greek that is usually translated into English as “peace,” when referring to one’s inner peace, is (back-) translated with a variety of idioms and phrases:
“rest the heart” (Central Mazahua) / “rest within” (Lacandon) (source: Nida 1952, p. 40 and 128ff.) / “wait well in your heart” (Yatzachi Zapotec) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 9:30:
Kupsabiny: “That information in which they were encouraged to stay in peace without getting quarrels was sent around to all the Jews in all one hundred and twenty seven areas which king Ahasuerus was ruling.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “So then Mordecai the Jew sent a letter of greeting with wishes of peace and security to all the Jews [living] in the 127 provinces of King Ahasuerus.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Mordecai sent this to 127 provinces which are under-the-jurisdiction of the kingdom of King Ahasuerus. It gave/brought peace and firmness/(security) to the Jews,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Eastern Bru: “That letter they sent to every Jew in the 127 countries in the area of Persia. It was a letter of greeting with a wish that they would have prosperity and health.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
English: “What they wrote in the second letter was, ‘We wish that all of you will be living peacefully and safely/righteously. We want you and your descendants to celebrate Purim each year on the days that we two established, and to do the things that we two told you to do.’ In that letter, Queen Esther and Mordecai also gave them instructions about fasting/abstaining from eating food and being sorrowful. Then copies of that letter were sent to all the Jews who were living in the 127 provinces of the empire.” (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.”
Though both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation use a passive verb here, Letters were sent, the Hebrew is literally “And he sent letters.” New American Bible takes Mordecai as the subject of this verb and reads “when Mordecai sent documents concerning peace and security.” Most interpreters, however, understand this verb to be an impersonal verb meaning “and one sent.” Some languages will use the indefinite third person plural pronoun “they.”
The hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus: see 1.1.
Both the meaning of in words of peace and truth and what they refer to is disputed. Though most interpreters understand these letters that were sent in words of peace and truth to be those that Esther wrote in verse 29, some understand these to be the letters that Mordecai wrote (so New American Bible, “when Mordecai sent documents concerning peace and security”). In as found in Revised Standard Version seems to mean “with wishes for” (so Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version). The Hebrew text, however, includes no preposition. Instead these words seem to be appositional to the first part of the verse, suggesting that the letters were “words of peace and security” (so Chouraqui and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).
Less probable is the interpretation that takes words of peace and truth to be the initial formula of greeting with which the letter by Esther and Mordecai began. According to this interpretation the letter began with the words “sincere greetings of peace,” and then a summary of the letter follows in verse 31.
Peace and truth are two important terms in Old Testament thought. The first occurs three times in the book of Esther (2.11, here, and 10.3), the second occurs only here. Both indicate a distinct difference between the situation of the Jews before and after their deliverance. The first word, shalom, is generally translated “peace,” although it has a more comprehensive meaning, “safety, well-being, success, prosperity.” The second, ʾemeth, means “truth, faithfulness, integrity, uprightness.” This is a complete reversal of the Jews’ situation when Haman was seeking to destroy them.
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 .
And Mordecai sent: The Hebrew is more literally “and he sent.” From the context, it means Mordecai, so this is how the Berean Standard Bible has translated it (also New Century Version, God’s Word). However other versions understand the verb to be a passive (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Living Translation (2004), Revised English Bible).. If you have a passive in your language, it is recommended that you use it here:
letters were sent
peace: The Hebrew word here, šalom, is often translated “peace,” but it is a word that has many different meanings. Here the literal expression “words of peace” probably means “kind words” or “friendly words.”
truth: Here the literal expression “words of truth” probably means “sincere words.”
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