Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Psalm 69:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 69:23:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Let their eyes be dark so that they do not see again
    and their back be twisted until forever.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “May their eyes become blind,
    May their backbones be bent.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “May-it-be that they will-be-blinded and always tremble.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Would you make them all blind!
    You let their back to be bend always!” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Macho yao yawekwe giza,
    ili wasione kitu chochote,
    migongo yao iiname daima.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I hope/desire that their eyesight will become dim so that they cannot see anything,
    and that their backs/ bodies will become weaker and weaker.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 71:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 71:14:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “But I will have hope in You all the times,
    I will praise you over and over again.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “But You are [my] hope for help.
    I will praise You more and more।” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “But I on-the-other-hand, O God, will- always -hope in you (sing.),
    and I will-increase much/[emphasis marker] more (my) praise to you (sing.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “But instead, I will put my hope on you forever.
    I will continue to praise you forever.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Lakini mimi nitakutumaini milele,
    nitazidi kusifu sana.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “But as for me, I will continually and confidently expect you to do great things for me, and I will praise you more and more.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 73:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 73:2:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “But talking about me, my feet were closer to slip;
    I almost fell;” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “But my feet have stumbled.
    My steps have slipped.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “But I, almost lost faith,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “But, my feet were near to falling,
    I was near to falling down,” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Ningekuwa karibu sana kujikwaa,
    kidogo tu, ingekuwa nimeteleza.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “As for me, I almost stopped trusting in God;
    it was as though my feet slipped and I stumbled,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 74:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 74:6:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Then they broke with axes and their small axes
    all that we hanged.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “They cut all the carved filigree wood panels
    in pieces with their axes and hammers.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “They demolished/destroyed the carved wood-(statues) of the temple with their axes/hatchets and pick-axes.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “They cut many holy things in the temple
    with axes and pangas.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Vitu vyote vya mbao ambavyo vimenakshiwa,
    wamekatakata na shoka,
    na kuponda na nyundo zao.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Then they smashed all the carved wood with their axes and hammers.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 76:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 76:5:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Hard-hearted people sleep after being snatched of wealth,
    They sleep their final sleep;
    there is no one powerful
    who can lift his hands.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “All the weapons of the strong enemies have been plundered.
    Dying, they have fallen asleep.
    Not one of them is again able to lift his hands against us (incl.).” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “You (sing.) seized/took-by-force from brave soldiers the properties which they seized/took-by-force from others.
    And they all died now;
    even their hands they can- not now -lift-up.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “The soldiers of the enemy came and fell down,
    and people took away all of their things,
    and now they die to be silent,
    they have no power.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Pia hata mashujaa vimetekwa ambavyo walikuwa navyo,
    muda huu wako katika usingizi wa kifo,
    hayupo mpigana vita hata mmoja ambaye anaweza akainua mikono.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Their brave soldiers were killed, and then those who killed them took away everything that those soldiers had.
    Those enemies died,
    so they were unable to use their weapons any more!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 78:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 78:5:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “He gave words of self-witness to Jacob
    and established a law in Israel,
    what he commanded our parents
    to teach their children,” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Having made statutes for Jacob
    He gave the law to those living in Israel.
    He ordered our ancestors to teach His law to their children.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “He gave commands to the people of Israel who (were) the descendants of Jacob.
    He ordered our (incl.) ancestors/[lit. old-ones] to-teach these to their children,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “He told his ways to the people of Jacob,
    then he put the Law to the people of Israel,
    which he told our ancestors,
    so that they would teach their children,” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Aliwapa torati wa jamaa ya Yakobo,
    alimpa sheria Israeli.
    Aliwaagiza babu zetu
    kuwafundisha watoto wao,” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “He gave laws and commandments to the Israeli people,
    those who are the descendants of Jacob, and he told our ancestors to teach them to their children” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 78:37)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 78:37:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Their hearts were not settled on Him,
    they were not faithful to his agreement.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Still, their hearts neither followed God,
    nor were they concerned with the covenant God had made with them.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “They (were) not -loyal to him;
    they (were) not -faithful to their covenant with him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “They did not continue putting their hearts in him,
    and they did not keep his covenant.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Mioyo yao haikujishikiria popote,
    hawakuliheshimu agano lake.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “They were not loyal to him;
    they disregarded/ignored the agreement that he had made with them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 78:69)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 78:69:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “He built his sacred place like heights,
    the land which he established forever.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “He built His holy place as high as the heavens
    and like the earth, he made it solidly for ever.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “There he had-built/set-up his temple the-same height as the mountains, and it will remain until whenever just-like the earth/ground.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “He came to built his House to be high like mountain,
    it stays like the earth that God built to stay forever.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Akajenga hekalu lake refu kama vile milima,
    ya kuwako milele kama vile dunia.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “He decided to have his temple built there, high up, like his home in heaven;
    he caused it to be firm,
    and intended that his temple would last forever, like the earth.” (Source: Translation for Translators)