high priest

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “high priest” in English is translated as “the ruler of the priests of our nation” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “very great priest” in Chol (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.), as “first over the priests” in Ayutla Mixtec, and “chief of the priests” in Desano (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.).

In Uma it is translated as “Big Priest,” in Western Bukidnon Manobo as “high sacrificer,” and in Tagbanwa as “Most-important Priest of God.” (See here.)

See also priest and chief priest.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 15:21

Therefore if any pestilent men have fled to you from their country: The connector Therefore may be rendered “So” (An American Translation) or even “Further.” For pestilent men, see 1Macc 10.61; Good News Bible has “traitors,” which fits this context well. The letter is referring to anti-Maccabean Jews who had left Judea seeking safety or asylum in some other country. Good News Bible has a helpful model here.

Hand them over to Simon the high priest, that he may punish them according to their law: Hand them over to may be expressed as “you must send them back to.” Their law is more clearly translated by Good News Bible as “Jewish law.”

This ends the letter from Rome.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.