Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Psalm 33:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 33:1:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Sing joyfully to Jehovah You righteous ones,
    it is appropriate that the straight-hearted (should be) praising Him.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “All those who trust in the LORD,
    rejoice in the LORD!
    It is fitting for those with clean hearts to praise Him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “[You (plur.)] who (are) righteous-ones,
    [you (plur.)] be-loud/shout-cheerfully with/in joy
    because of what the LORD has-done for you (plur.).
    You (plur.) who are-living rightly,
    (it) is-fitting that you (plur.) praise him!” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “All people who are righteous should be glad in God. Praise is very correct/proper for all righteous people.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “You (plur.) sing to the LORD with gladness you people who do right,
    because people who obey his word should praise him.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Enyi wanyofu, mwimbieni BWANA na furaha,
    kumsifu kunawafaa wanyofu.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “You righteous people should sing joyfully to Yahweh
    because that is what he deserves.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 34:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 34:11:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Come my children, hear me;
    I will teach you to fear Jehovah.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Come, O young men! Listen to my message !
    I will teach you to fear the LORD.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Come-here you (plur.) who want to-learn from me, [you (plur.)] listen to me.
    I will-teach you (plur.) to-respect the LORD.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “Oh you who I teach! Come here, come listen to me. I will teach you about God’s honor.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Children, you come to listen to me,
    so that I teach you the way that you (plur.) fear the LORD .” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Njoo enyi watoto, mnisikilize,
    nitawafundisha kumcha BWANA.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “You who are my students/whom I teach, come and listen to me,
    and I will teach you how to revere Yahweh.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 35:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 35:21:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “They laugh at me loudly and they say, ‘Haa! Haa!
    And with these eyes of ours we have seen it.’” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “With a loud voice they accuse me, saying –
    ‘We got to see what you did with our very own eyes, Wow! At last it finally happened!’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “They shout at me, accusing, ‘[You (sing.)] aha!/[particle to draw attention] We (incl.) saw what you (sing.) did.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “They open their mouths against me. The say like this: "What can be said, what can be said, we have seen it with our own eyes."” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “They see me and shouted said that, ‘Yes! Yes!
    We saw with our eyes really, and we caught you.’” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Wananifumbulia vinywa vyao wanasema,
    ‘Kweli! Tumeyaona na macho yetu ambayo umefanya.’” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “They shout at me, to accuse me, saying, ‘We saw the wrong things that you
    did!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 37:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 37:13:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “but the Lord laughs at the wicked
    for He knows that their day is coming.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “The LORD laughs at the wicked,
    because He knows – they will soon be destroyed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “But the LORD just laughs at the wicked
    for he knows that the time (is) so soon that they will-be-destroyed.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “But the Lord laughs at wicked people, because he knows already that the day of their end is near.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “But instead, the Lord is laughing at bad people,
    because he knows that their day of judgement will come.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Lakini Bwana anamcheka mbaya,
    anajua kuwa siku yake ya hukumu inakuja.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “But Yahweh laughs at them
    because he knows that some day he will judge and punish the wicked people.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 38:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 38:5:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “My wounds are rotting and stinking
    because of the foolishness of my sinful life.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Because of my foolishness
    my wounds have decayed
    and they already stink.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Because of my foolishness, my wounds have-festered/swollen and stink/smell-bad.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “Because I have done foolishly, my wounds become rotten and they disintegrate.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “My wounds smell, and painful much always,
    because of my sin and foolishness.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Majeraha yangu yananuka, yameoza,
    kwa sababu ya upumbavu wangu.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Because I have done foolish things,
    I have sores that have become worse, and they stink.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 40:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 40:2:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “He brought me out of the pit of loss,
    in the mud and in the swamp;
    He established my feet on the rock
    and he gave me a solid place to stand.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “He lifted me from a dreadful pit,
    He took me out of the dirt of the sewer,
    He brought me and made me stand on a rock,
    and gave me a solid place to stand.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “(It is) just like he lifted- me -up from a extremely muddy hole/pit.
    And he set me on a rock so-that nothing/(no harm) will-happen to me.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “He pulled me out of a difficult place, from a place where I nearly died. Then he placed my feet on top of a rock, a stable place where I could stand.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “He pulled me from the hole,
    he pulled me from mud,
    he put my legs on the rock,
    and he allowed my legs to stand in hard place.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Aliniopoa katika shimo la uharibifu,
    kutoka katika udongo wa utelezi.
    Aliiweka miguu yangu penye mwamba,
    na kunipatia mahali pazuri pa kusimama.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “When I had many troubles, it was as though I was in a deep pit.
    But he lifted me up out of the mud and slime of that pit;
    he set my feet on a solid rock,
    and enabled me to walk safely/without falling.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 42:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 42:4:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “These things I remember
    when I am emptying my life:
    how I went with a large group,
    leading the movements to the House of God
    with a shout of joy and thanksgiving
    in the midst of the people of the celebration.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “When I remembered former things, my heart was about to burst.
    I used to go with a group of people.
    Being a leader of people
    I used to go to the temple of God
    rejoicing with singing and praise.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “My feelings (are) hurt when I remember that before I used-to-lead/[lit. -head] many people to-go to your (sing.) temple.
    And we (excl.) would-celebrate with cheerful-shouting of joy and thanksgiving to you (sing.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “All these things I remember when I think in my heart about all the things that already happened. At that time I went with many people to go to the big worshiping house wanting to worship God. Surely I led them when they went, when they shouted and sang praise to God.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “I remember these things,
    when I tell God all the matters of my spirit.
    I walked with a large crowd.
    I went with them to the House of God,
    we sang in loud voice, and we told God, thanks
    among the crowd at the feast.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Moyo wangu unauma wakati nakumbuka ya zamani,
    wakati ule natembea na kundi la watu,
    kuwaongoza kwenda katika hekalu,
    kwa furaha na kumsifu Mungu,
    katika mkutano wa sikukuu.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I am very distressed as I remember when I went with the crowd of people to the temple in Jerusalem,
    leading them as we walked along;
    we were all shouting joyfully and singing to thank God for what he had done;
    we were a large group who were celebrating.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 44:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 44:20:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Had we forgotten the name of our God
    or stretch out our hands to strange gods,” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “If we had forgotten the name of God
    and if we had lifted our hands in prayer to other gods,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “If we (excl.) had- already -forgotten you (sing.), O God, and we (excl.) were-praying to the other gods,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “If we stop worshiping you, God, or we pray to another God,” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “If we forgot the name of our God,
    or worshipped a foreign god,” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Kama tungekusahau, wewe ee Mungu wetu,
    au tuliabudu kwa miungu,” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “If we had forgotten to worship our God, or if we had spread out our hands to worship a foreign god,” (Source: Translation for Translators)