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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Psalm 89:26 - 89:27

Since David has not been mentioned since verse 20, it may be necessary to reintroduce him by name. David will acknowledge Yahweh as his Father and his God (see 2 Sam 7.14). The word Father here indicates a special relationship with God which the king enjoys by virtue of the fact that he has been anointed; God “adopts” him as his son (for a similar statement see 2.7 and comments). My God will sometimes have to be rendered as “the God whom I worship.” Good News Translation “my protector and savior” translates the Rock of my salvation (see 62.2 for comments on a similar expression); Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates “the rock that saves me,” and Bible en français courant “the rock where I find salvation.” If the translator follows Good News Translation, “my protector and savior” may have to be shifted to say “the one who protects and saves me.”

In verse 27a the first-born is a title that distinguishes the one so named as having rank and privileges above all others. The oldest son received a greater share of his father’s property than any of the other sons and became the head of the family upon the father’s death. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translates “I will give him the rights of the oldest son.” The promise here is that David will be a king greater than all other kings. The major problem for the translator in connection with this verse is the ambiguity in make him the first-born. Since the meaning focuses upon the rights of this particular son, it will in most cases be best to follow the model of Biblia Dios Habla Hoy or to say, for example, “I will give him all the things the oldest son should receive.”

In line b highest means “greatest, most powerful, most famous.” As God is the Most High (see 7.17), so David is also the “most high” king (the same Hebrew word ʿelyon).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .