4:7a

Blessed are they whose lawless acts are forgiven: This clause moves the phrase Blessed are to the beginning for poetic effect. In some languages, doing that is not natural. If that is true in your language:

• Use a poetic structure that your language has.

• Use normal word order with a passive clause. For example:

Those whose lawless deeds are forgiven are blessed

• Use normal word order with an active clause. For example:

⌊God⌋ blesses those whose lawless deeds are forgiven

they whose lawless acts are forgiven: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

those whom ⌊God/he⌋ forgives their lawless acts

lawless acts: This phrase refers to acts that break the law. Here the word “law” can refer to God’s laws in the OT or more generally to laws where you live. Here are some ways to translate this word:

law-breaking acts
-or-
breaking the law

4:7b

whose sins are covered: The phrase “blessed are those” is implied from 4:7a. In some languages this phrase must be made explicit for the correct meaning. For example:

and ⌊blessed are those⌋ whose sins are covered

This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

whom ⌊God⌋ covers their sins

sins: This word refers to doing something that God said is wrong to do, or not doing something that God said they should do. See how you translated this word in 3:9.

are covered: Here the word covered is a figure of speech. It indicates that God no longer considers those sins as a problem. They are out of his sight as if he had buried them in the ground. The meaning is similar to “forgiven.” Here are some ways to translate the figure of speech:

• Use a figure of speech. For example:

are put out of sight (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
are blotted out (Revised English Bible)

• Translate without using a figure of speech. For example:

are pardoned (Good News Translation)
-or-
are forgotten (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
he is no longer bringing-to-mind

General Comment on 4:7a–b

4:7b is similar in meaning to “whose lawless acts are forgiven” in 4:7a. Hebrew poetry (as here) repeats meaning to emphasize it. In some languages repeating meaning implies a different meaning, such as expressing anger. If that is true in your language, translate in a way that emphasizes the correct meaning. For example:

Blessed are those whose lawless acts and sins are indeed covered and forgiven

Also, in some languages “lawless acts” and “sins” would be translated by the same term. If that is true in your language, use only the one term. For example:

Blessed are those whose sins are indeed covered and forgiven

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