And so is the same word in the Greek as So then in verse 7. It is not strictly part of the quotation but is added by the writer of Hebrews, perhaps to draw attention to the following words.

Good News Translation‘s those people corresponds to Revised Standard Version‘s “that generation.” Since the writer of Hebrews has changed the text of the quotation from “those” to “these,” it is better to keep “these” in translation. The original context of Psalm 95 clearly refers to a “generation” in the strict sense, that is, those who were alive at the time of the rebellion in the desert (see Num 14.29-32). However, the word for “generation” can have the wider meaning of “descendants” or simply “people” of any group or type. The writer of Hebrews is not concerned only with Moses’ generation. For this reason, most common language translations translate people; note Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “Therefore I was angry with them.”

In choosing a term for angry it is important to select one which will suggest justified anger rather than merely intemperate peevishness or irritability.

And said must be rendered in such a way as not to suggest that what was said was communicated directly to the people in question. Otherwise it would be necessary to change the following They to “You.” It may therefore be important to translate and said as “and said to myself” or even “and thought.”

Revised Standard Version‘s “go astray in their hearts” does not mean that their affections are turned in another direction, but that their minds and wills are directed away from God’s will, hence, are disloyal. The term disloyal may be expressed as “they refuse to follow me,” “they refuse to acknowledge me as their leader,” or “they have rejected me.”

Refuse to obey my commands repeats the same message in different words: they “have not known my ways,” that is, they have not understood or put into effect the behavior which God taught them; Knox has they “have never learned my lessons.” Refuse to obey my commands may be rendered as “refuse to do what I have commanded them to do.” In some languages, however, direct discourse may be required; for example, “they say, ‘We will not do what you command.’ ”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .