den of lions

The now commonly-used English idiom “den of lions” (for a dangerous situation) was first coined in 1560 in the Geneva Bible. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 275)

For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

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 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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. )

Translation commentary on Daniel 6:7

Presidents … prefects … counselors … governors: once again there is a list of government officials, but the order differs from that of 3.3. Good News Translation uses a more summary expression, “all of us who administer your empire,” but then goes on to list each title separately.

Establish an ordinance and enforce an interdict: the wording of Revised Standard Version may give the impression that the ordinance and the interdict were two different things, but this is not the case. What the officials were asking was that the king issue a decree and then guarantee that it be enforced.

Makes petition: literally “prays a prayer.” This simply means “prays” as indicated in the rendering of New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, and New Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation has “request anything,” while Moffatt has “offer a prayer.”

Shall be cast: this passive form may be rendered in some languages by the impersonal third person pronoun “they will cast…,” or possibly by using some other indefinite subject such as “your servants.”

Into the den of lions: the expression den of lions has become well known in English, but in other languages it will probably be necessary to describe what this refers to: “in a big hole where lions are imprisoned” or, more generally, “in a place where they keep lions.” But translators should avoid the use of a word like “cage,” which is not suitable to the remainder of the story. The definite article of Revised Standard Version, the den, is uncalled for in this first mention of the place where the lions are kept. It has been dropped in favor of the indefinite “a den” in New Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible, and “a pit” in Good News Translation.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .