Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Psalm 72:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 72:1:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Give the child of the king your wisdom of judging justly,
    You God give the child of the king your righteousness.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “O God, teach the king how to carry out justice.
    Teach the king’s son the matter of becoming righteous.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “O God, teach the king of your (sing.) righteous judgement.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “God, give your king your wisdom,
    so that he judges matter in a right way,
    and give him your goodness.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Ee Mungu, umwongoze mfalme wetu kuongoza vizuri,
    umfundishe kutawala kwa unyofu.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “O God, enable me, the king whom you appointed in Israel, to rule justly.
    Show/Teach me how to judge matters fairly” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 73:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 73:13:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Surely I have kept my heart pure in vain;
    in vain I have washed my hands in my innocence.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “If so, is it in vain that I have kept my heart pure?
    Even though I have lived without doing evil deeds, is it in vain?” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “So my living clean and without sin has- no -value?” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Truly, I kept my heart to be pure for nothing,
    and I kept myself to be pure for nothing.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Nimejitahidi bure kuwa na moyo mweupe,
    na kujilinda, ili nisitende dhambi.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “So, God, I think it is useless that I have always done what you want me to,
    and that I have not sinned.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 74:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 74:17:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “You are the one who established the boundaries of the earth;
    you established dry season and rainy season.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “You set the boundaries of the earth.
    You created both summer and winter.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “You (sing.) set/put-in-place all the boundaries on the earth,
    and you (sing.) made the hot-season and cold-season.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “You were the one who put all the border of the land.
    You who created rainy and dry season.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Uliweka mipaka yote ya duniani,
    ulifanya majira ya jua na wa baridi.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “You determined where the oceans end and the land begins,
    and you created the summer/hot season and the winter/cold season.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 77:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 77:4:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “You held my eyelids that I do not sleep
    and I was very troubled to speak.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “You didn’t even let me go to sleep.
    My heart was broken, I couldn’t even speak.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “He causes- me not -to-sleep;
    I do- not -know what to-say, because I am-troubled.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “You stopped my eyes from sleep,
    I was in trouble much until I did not talk.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Ulininyiima usingizi usiku wote,
    niliteseka, nilishindwa hata kusema.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “All during the night he prevents me from sleeping;
    I am very worried, with the result that I do not know what to say.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 78:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 78:16:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “He brought out rivers from the cracks of the stones
    and the water flowed like rivers.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Bringing water from the rock
    He caused a flood to come like a river.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “He caused- water -to-flow from a rock and the water flowed like a river.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “he made rivers from the broken rock,
    and water flowed like rivers.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Akafanya chemchemi za maji kutoka katika mwamba,
    maji yakatoka kama vile mito.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “He caused a stream of water to flow from the rock;
    the water flowed like a river.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 78:48)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 78:48:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “He gave their cows to hailstones,
    their flocks to lightnings.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “He killed their cows and bulls
    by causing hail to fall,
    and He killed their sheep and goats
    by causing thunderbolts to strike.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “He killed their animals/livestock by-means-of ice rain also and by lightning.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “He allowed hailstones to beat their cattle,
    and the lightening struck also their animals.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Aliua ngʼombe wao na mvua ya mawe,
    mifugo yao na radi.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “He sent hail that killed their cattle
    and sent lightning that killed their sheep and cows.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 79:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 79:8:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Do not punish us because of the sins of our parents
    let your mercy come quickly to meet us,
    for we have a great need.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Do not punish us for the sins of our ancestors.
    Have mercy on us.
    We have given up all hope.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Do- not -punish us (excl.) because of the sins of our (excl.) ancestors/[lit. old-ones].
    Instead, have-mercy on us (excl.) right-away/without-delay for we (excl.) can- not -do anything.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Do not punish us because of the sins of our fathers of long time ago
    have mercy on us now,
    for our hope disappears.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Usituhukumu kwa mabaya ya babu zetu,
    utuhurumie, uje haraka,
    tumeishiwa nguvu kabisa.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Do not punish us because of the sins that our ancestors committed!
    Be merciful to us now/quickly, because we are very discouraged.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 81:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 81:8:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Hear my people, and I will warn you
    if you can manage to listen, You Israel!” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “O my people, listen!
    I will leave you a warning.
    O Israel, if only you would listen to me it would be enough!” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “My people who (are) Israelites, [you (plur.)] listen to this my warning to you (plur.).
    (I)-wish- you (plur.) -would listen to me!” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “My people, hear the matter that I instruct you,
    people of Israel, if you would only obey me!” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Enyi watu wangu, mnisikilize wakati nawaonya,
    enyi Wana israeli, ninataka mnisikilize.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “You who are my people, listen while I warn you!
    I wish that you Israeli people would pay attention to what I say to you!” (Source: Translation for Translators)