The Hebrew text of Psalms 9/10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145 uses acrostics, a literary form in which each verse is started with one of the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. According to Brenda Boerger (in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. ) there are three different reasons for acrostics in the Hebrew text: “for ease of memorization,” the representation “of the full breadth and depth of a topic, all the way from aleph to taw (tav),” and the perception of “the acrostic form as aesthetically attractive.” (p. 191)
While most translations mention the existence of an acrostic in a note or a comment, few implement it in their translation. The Natügu translation is one such exception. Boerger (see above) cites a strong tradition in singing the psalms and the fact that Natügu, like Hebrew, also has 22 possible initial letters as motivating factors to maintain the acrostics in that language.
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Natügu
1 Awibzku mz Yawe! Murde amrlzle ncblo kx
Bilvzle natqde x amrluele nide.
2 Clvele mrnyzde kcng naxplrng mz nzaclve-krdr.
Doa nedeng kxnztubqng, sa na-amrlz Gct.
3 Esalz-ngrbz Gct bade da kxmrlzting kxkqlu.
Gct okatrle nide murde natubq.
4 Ipq ncblo lc kztedeng mz nzvz-nqblq-krde zmrlz ngrde, nzryckr drtwrde, x nztubq-krde.
Jzsle da kx naokatrle leplz kc-kzng, mz nzngini-krbzle lrpzki badr.
5 Kabzle da kxkqlu mz krkcng trnzrngiscung.
Lalztqbzle mz Gct x alele da kx rsakrlrngr mz nzwz-krde.
6 Murde ncblo kxtubq kxtr-rnrcti-lzbqu
Nadcpx zvz mz drtwr leplz.
7 Obqtipx-zvzle Yawe x
Prlxpxle kx nabzde trtaprlzpuu mz nrpa kxtrka.
8 ?Rnrcti-lzbq-ngrde? Trtingr, a’ tu-amqngile.
Sa namcle nzaovxiokr Yawe enqmi rdeng.
9 Tresakiu nzrka-krbzle da mz kxrsuti drtwr.
Vz zvz nzayzlu-krbz Gct bade mz nqmq krde lc tqtubq.
Wxbu me matq mz mzlir leplz.
10 X angya drtwr kxdrka’-ngrng mzli kc namc-ngrdr nide.
Ycpwz pipz kxdrka’-ngrng lcng sa namrbr, x mane nzmadqti-krdr nqngidr mz zngya.
Zbz da amrlx kcng tqmrlzbz badr sa nangitx brmrda x sa na-apulr zsikapu kx ngilia.
The DanishBibelen på Hverdagsdansk (publ. 1985, rev. 2015 et al.) also translated Psalm 112 into an acrostic. Due to the higher number of Danish letters, it skips the Danish letters C, Q, W, X, Z, Å, and Ø.
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Danish
1 At adlyde Herren giver velsignelse.
Budene er til for at blive overholdt.
2 Du og dine efterkommere får fremgang og magt,
enhver, der handler ret, bliver velsignet.
3 Familien vil opleve velstand,
gode mennesker vil altid blive husket.
4 Herren gør de gudfrygtige til et lys midt i mørket,
især når de er venlige og barmhjertige.
5 Ja, velsignet er de gavmilde og hjælpsomme,
kendetegnet på deres handlinger er ærlighed.
6 Lever de sådan, får de styrke og fasthed,
mennesker med et godt ry bliver husket længe.
7 Når modgangen kommer, som kunne skabe frygt,
opgiver de ikke, for de stoler på Herren.
8 På trods af fjendens angreb
rider de stormen af og ender med sejr.
9 Sådanne mennesker giver gavmildt til dem, der er i nød,
taknemmelighed og ære bliver dem til del,
uselvisk godhed vil aldrig blive glemt.
10 Ved at se en sådan velsignelse bliver de gudløse vrede.
Ynkeligt sidder de tilbage med tomme hænder,
ærgrelsen står malet i deres ansigter.
There are two Dutch translations that maintain the acrostic: Naardense Bijbel (publ. 2004) and the Tot Lof van God by Frans Croese (publ. 2010).
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in the two Dutch translations
Naardense Bijbel:
1
Alleluia!- zalig een man die vreest de Ene, ✡
behagen heeft
in zijn geboden bovenal!-
2
capabel zal worden op aarde zijn zaad, ✡
de oprechten: gezegend hun geslacht!-
3
en geld en geluk vullen zijn huis, ✡
fleur houdt zijn gerechtigheid
voor altijd;
4
genadig, barmhartig en rechtvaardig, ✡
helpt in het duister licht de oprechten;
5
iemand die gul en genadig uitleent
gaat het goed,- ✡
ja, die zijn woorden naar recht onderhoudt;
6
kwijnen zal hij voor eeuwig niet, ✡
leven in gedachtenis
is er voor een rechtvaardige voor eeuwig;
7
merkt hij kwaad gerucht op,
hij vreest niet, ✡
nergens zo vast en zo veilig
zijn hart als bij de Ene;
8
ondersteund wordt zijn hart,
hij vreest niet, ✡
prijst God bij het zien van zijn benauwers;
9
ruimschoots heeft hij gegeven
aan de armen,
stand houdt zijn gerechtigheid
voor immer, ✡
ten slotte wordt met glorie verheven
zijn hoorn;
10
vol wrok moet de booswicht dat aanzien,
weg kwijnt hij,
tandenknarsend vergaat hij: ✡
zo gaat de toeleg van bozen teloor.
The Tot Lof van God translation:
Looft Jah!
Ah, hoe gelukkig, de mens die ontzag heeft voor Jehovah,
bijzonder behaagd hebben hem Diens geboden.
Daardoor zal zijn zaad op aarde machtig zijn,
en dat geslacht der oprechten zal gezegend zijn.
Fraaie zaken en rijkdom sieren zijn huis weliswaar,
glanzender nog is zijn rechtvaardigheid, die eeuwig stand houdt.
Hij is voor de oprechten stralend opgegaan, als licht in het duister,
immer goedgunstig, barmhartig, rechtvaardig.
Ja, het gaat hem goed, hij is gul en leent goedgunstig uit,
kwijtend zich van zijn zaken naar recht en behoren. Levend op deze wijze zal hij nimmer wankelen,
maar wordt, rechtvaardig levend, tot een blijvende gedachtenis.
Negatieve verhalen of geruchten deren hem niet,
omdat hij, standvastig van hart, op Jehovah vertrouwt.
Pal en onwrikbaar van hart is hij; hij is onbevreesd,
raakt ook niet van slag, geconfronteerd met wie tegen hem zijn.
Strooiend bijkans deelt hij wijd en zijd aan de behoeftigen uit,
tot zijn eigen rechtvaardigheid ook; die houdt voor eeuwig stand.
Uiteindelijk zal zijn positie qua heerlijkheid v/orden verhoogd.
Voor wie gewetenloos slecht is, is het pure ergernis dat te zien,
waardoor die tandenknarsend bezwijkt.
Zo zal de begeerte vergaan van wie doortrapt gewetenloos zijn.
In the Zürich German dialect (Züritüütsch) of Swiss German, the Psalms were translated while maintaining the acrostic by Josua Boesch (publ. 2009 ).
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Zürich German
1 Halleluja!
Am beschte gaat s dèm, wo uufrächt vor IMM labt,
Bi siine wiisige bliibt vo ganzem hèrze.
2 Chasch dèm sini naachkome gaar nüme zele.
Die wèrded gsägnet als gschlächt vo de graade.
3 Er hat au riichtum und woolschtand im huus.
Für siini bewèèrig mues me nöd soorge, die blübt.
4 Graade straalt imer es liecht im tunkle:
Hoffnig, vertrouen und liebi.
5 Iich glaube dèm lieber, wo vo hdrze vertleent,
Kän fuule drèè macht mit sine sache.
6 Lueg nu, de uufrichtig cha me nöd legge.
Me wiird an en tänke dur gänerazione.
7 Nüüt mues er füürche vom bööse gschwätz.
Ooni en wank vertrout er uf INN.
8 Pass uuf, dè bliibt getrooscht, er hat ja nüüt z füürche.
Ruig chan er waarten uf s änd vo de find.
9 Still täilt er den aarmen und dürftigen uus.
Tröi bliibt d grächtigkäit biin em für imer.
Und gachtet wiird er vo ale.
10 Vill z tänke und èèrger git daas bi de rueche.
Wie sell s die nöd pötzli verjage vor wuet!
Zietscht schwiint ene jedi hoffnig uf s glück, wo s gmäint händ chönid s erzwänge.
The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) maintains almost every Hebrew acrostic (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew). Due to the higher number of letters in the English alphabet, it skips the letter K, X, Y, and Z.
1 A blessed man is he, who fears the Lord, bearing great love to his commandments.
2 Children of his shall win renown in their country; do right, and thy sons shall find a blessing.
3 Ease shall dwell in his house, and great prosperity; fame shall ever record his bounty.
4 Good men see a light dawn in darkness; his light, who is merciful, kind and faithful.
5 It goes well with the man who lends in pity, just and merciful in his dealings.
6 Length of days shall leave him still unshaken; men will remember the just for ever.
7 No fear shall he have of evil tidings; on the Lord his hope is fixed unchangeably.
8 Patient his heart remains and steadfast, quietly he waits for the downfall of his enemies.
9 Rich are his alms to the needy; still his bounty abides in memory. The Lord will lift up his head in triumph;
10 ungodly men are ill content to see it. Vainly they gnash their teeth in envy; worldly hopes must fade and perish. (Source )
Another English translation that maintains the acrostic is by Gordon Jackson (The Lincoln Psalter, 1997):
Hallelujah!
A man who bows himself to the Lord is in clover,
Blest with the joy he finds in divine directives;
Celebrated far and wide for his children’s accomplishments,
Delighting in their integrity most of all.
Every good thing shall have place within his house,
For his own heart is a just and intelligent measure;
Good is his beacon in all things, even in darkness,
Honest men find him a great encouragement;
In generosity nobody will outdo him,
Just in his dealings, jealous of his good name;
Let things go against him, he’ll never bend or buckle;
Men will long remember his name with respect.
News of disaster will not dismay him
Or ever unsettle the trust he puts in the Lord;
Patience and perseverance are his watchwords,
Quiet in spirit as enemies triumph, and fail.
Rich is the man who freely gives to the needy,
Sustained by the Lord who so freely gives to his own;
Trusting and true, he may hold his head up high.
Ungodly souls shall be aggrieved to see it,
Violent hatred and envy shall tear them in two,
While all their evil hopes are disappointed.
Another published English translation with acrostics is The Psalms Chronologically Arranged by the “Four Friends” (C.T. Arnold, A.W. Potts, F.E. Kitchener, S. Philpotts) of 1870.
Another 19th century translation with maintained acrostics is the German1883 commentary and translation by Franz Delitzsch . Unlike the other translations, he translates the acrostics of this and the other acrostic psalms by following an approximation of the German sound of the 22 letters (alef/א = a; bet/ב = b; gimel/ג = g; dalet/ד = d; he/ה = h; vav/ו = u; zayin/ז = s; chet/ח = h; tet/ט = t; yod/י = i or j; kaf/כ = k; lamed/ל = l; mem/מ = m; nun/נ = n; samech/ס = s; ayin/ע = e; pe/פ = f; tsadi/צ = z; qof/ק = k; resh/ר = r; shin/ש = sch; tav/ת = t).
The Hebrew text of Psalms 9/10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145 uses acrostics, a literary form in which each verse is started with one of the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. According to Brenda Boerger (in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. ) there are three different reasons for acrostics in the Hebrew text: “for ease of memorization,” the representation “of the full breadth and depth of a topic, all the way from aleph to taw (tav),” and the perception of “the acrostic form as aesthetically attractive.” (p. 191)
While most translations mention the existence of an acrostic in a note or a comment, few implement it in their translation. The Natügu translation is one such exception. Boerger (see above) cites a strong tradition in singing the psalms and the fact that Natügu, like Hebrew, also has 22 possible initial letters as motivating factors to maintain the acrostics in that language.
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Natügu
1-4 Abrtzlvz nzwztr-krbzme mz Yawe,
X sa nakabzle da kcng tqpq mz nabzm.
Ale da kxmrlz x abrtrpz drtwrm bade,
Murde namnc-zpwxq mz drtc’ kc tqpile kx nakabzle bamu.
Bzkq witibz nelzm nzmnckr kxdrka’-ngrng,
Murde mzli trnaboiu x sc tzbzpeng.
Bzkq kcmnz-ngrbzme nzalengr da kcng tzalelr,
Murde nzlu-krdr sa namrbc nzapulr nabr kxglr mz mzli r nepi.
5-7 Clveti-lzbq, x aenzli-lrpi mz nzabrtr-krbzme drtwrm mz Yawe.
Bzkq nabzm talvzo mz nzrmc-krm leplz kxnzrngiscng nzvz-nqblq-krdr nqmq krdr kxtrka.
Da kx na-aleq, mnc-xgle txpwz Yawe,
X abrtrpz drtwrm bade, murde sa naokatrle nim.
Delc sa na-aelwapx-ngrbzle nzopxkr nztubq-krm,
Mz nzapu-krde nilz r nepi kc tqvz-esz’ngr mzli kc bea.
8-11 Eu, bzkq drtwrm ngya x nabzm talvzo
Murde da lcng li ma tzrkatrpzng bam drtwr kxtrka.
Eu, murde kxnzabrtrpzlr drtwrdr mz Yawe sa nangi nyzdr drtc’ kc tqpile nakabzle badr,
A’ kxdrka’-ngrng sa namaszlrtxpx-ngrng.
Glqpx Yawe kx mzli trnaboipeu x kxdrka’-ngrng sc tzmrbrpeng.
Kxmule-esz’ rtangrtiq nidr a’ trpengr nzmc-krmleng.
Gct rlr-ngrbzle drtc’ nyzde mz kxnzavzo-lzbqng.
X sa na-abrtzng mz nzmnc-zpwx-krdr elr.
12-15 Ili! Kxnztubqng x kxtrnzrngiscung na-aclvetio-lzbqng
Murde kxdrka’-ngrng nzglalzpelr toki r vea x popz’ scdr.
Ili! A’ kxdrka’-ngrng na-aclvetio-lzbq-kzng murde toki r vea scdr sa nanibq-moule nidr,
X Yawe sa naplameitibzle popz’ scdr.
Jzs Yawe krkcng tzryrlqng drtwr kx na-atrkati-ngrdr kxnztubqng
X nzmadqti-zvzbzlr nqngidr badr.
Jzsle nidr mz nzodati-krde nidr,
X yrpalelvz-zvzle nidr murde trpnzngr nzxplr-krdr.
16-22 Kxetu Yawe aclve-zvzle kxnzvz-nqblqlr nide,
X nikeng kabzle badr nangisc-alopedr.
Kabzle badr dakxnzng kxkqlu mz mzli r dzbi,
X okatrle nidr mzli kx prtzngr da.
Lalztqmamu! Murde kxdrka’-ngrng sa nabzng, mz nzapu-krdr nrpq da kc tqplclqom
X enqmi r Yawe lcng sa nangiliang na-apulr zsikapu.
Mclr ncblo kxtubq, kxmule-esz’ kxpipzne,
Myaszpxle da kxkqlu kxngisc ncblo kxdrka’ngr.
Murde Yawe sa nakatxpxbzle zmatq ngrdr kxdrka’-ngrng,
A’ sa naokatrle kxnztubqng.
Ncblo kxdrka’-ngrng nzbi-txpwzlr nzrlxngr, x trnzkrlzlru nzrka-niwzlrngr.
A’ kxnzmrlzng yc mz drtwrdr nzrka-niwzlr-krdr vzmi kxnzamnzo-mzleu.
Ncblo kcng tqamrlzng Yawe sa nangi nyzdr drtc’ kc tqpile nakabzle badr.
A’ leplz kcng tqpilzleng sa nabzng.
23-26 Oblamzngeng, bztipex nzmncngr, x ninge ka tqnginipenge lrtzlvz.
X mcx kx nqmq kr ncblo kxtubq nide sele.
Okatr-zvzle leplz mz nzrlr-nrbalq-krde dztudeng, x doa nedeng ngi da kxmrlz kx kabz Gct bade.
Yawe okatr-zvzle nide x doa nedeng trnzyrnitrpwzung nadr dakxnzng.
Pq mz drtwr Yawe nzaelwa-krbzle mz leplz lrpzki kx nao-zlilr,
X mailz-zvzle krkcng tzabrtz-ngrdr nqmq krde.
Pipxle kx kxmule-esz’ nanycdr miglqpx, a’ trnztaoung,
Murde sc tqlolvz-amqngileng.
27-29 Rtxtiamu nibrmu da kxtrka, x aleamu da kxmrlz,
Murde neidu nemung namnc-along mz drtc’ kc tqpi Yawe nakabzle bamu.
Rpi Yawe kx mrlz bade da kxtubq,
X okatr-zvzle kxnzabrtrpzlr drtwrdr bade.
Sa naokatr-zvzle nidr,
A’ doa ne kxdrka’-ngrng sa nabzng.
Sa nangi nyz leplz kxnzmrlzng drtc’ kc tqpi Yawe nakabzle badr,
X sa namnc-alopeng elr.
30-33 Takitrde kx ncblo kxmrlz dekc tqvzkipxm natq ngr nzyrplapxngr,
X nikeng pitileng tubq.
Takitr-kzde nzkrlz-angidr-krde Lou amrlx sc Gct rde,
X nzlolvz-amqngi-zvz-krdeleng.
Vz zvz kxdrka’-ngrng nzaukzti-krdr leplz kxnzmrlzng,
Murde nanibqlrng.
Vz zvz Yawe nzkapx-krmle ncblo kxmrlz mz mq enqmi rdeng,
X mzli kc natwz-ngrdr nide mz kot, trnzaovxiolru nide.
34-36 Wz zvz mz nzabrtr-krbzmu drtwrmu bade,
Murde sa nangi nyzmu drtc’ kc tqpile nakabzle bamu mz nzamatq-krde nimu.
X sa namcamu nzmaneutipx-krde kxdrka’-ngrng.
Xlrmamu natqnge. Mcx kzdq ncblo kxdrka’ngr kxtrka-esz’ngr, x atrkati-zvzle leplz.
Xplr-esz’ngr x obqszo-ngrde leplz amrlx.
X kxmule-esz’ rtangrtix nide, a’ trmcpewxu, murde mrbrpe.
37-40 Yrlq angidr mz drtwrm ncblo kxmrlz kxtubq, murde mnc mz nrwx,
X doa kxnzmika mz neidu lrde nzkqlu-zlwzng.
Yrpalelvzx kxdrka’-ngrng murde sa nabzting,
X doa lr neidu lrdr sa nayrkrtxong.
Zvz Yawe na-arlapxle kxnztubqng.
Murde nide me nzrlakitrlr mz mzli r nzkxpu-krdr.
Zvz Yawe na-arlapxbzle nidr mz mq kxdrka’-ngrng,
Murde nzbrti drtwrdr nide nzokatr-krde nidr.
There are two Dutch translations that maintain the acrostic: Naardense Bijbel (publ. 2004) and the Tot Lof van God by Frans Croese (publ. 2010).
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in the Dutch translations
Naardense Bijbel:
1
(v. David, toen hij zijn verstand verdraaide
voor het aanschijn van Avimelech,- ✡
die hem wegjoeg,
zodat hij kon gáán.)
2
Altijd zal ik zegenen de Ene, ✡
steeds
ligt zijn lof mij voor in de mond.
3
Bij de Ene prijst mijn ziel zich gelukkig,- ✡
mogen gebukten het horen
en zich verheugen!
4
Geeft met mij grootheid aan de Ene, ✡
laat ons zijn naam eenparig roemen!
5
De Ene zocht ik
en hij heeft mij geantwoord, ✡
aan al wat ik duchtte
heeft hij mij ontrukt!
6
En wie opkeken naar hem, zij straalden, ✡
geen schaamrood kleurde
hun wangen.
7
Fluisterend kon deze gebogene nog roepen
en de Ene hoorde, ✡
uit al wat hem benauwde
heeft hij hem gered.
8
Gelegerd is de engel van de Ene
rondom wie hem vrezen, ✡
en hij redt ze uit.
9
Hoe goed de Ene is: proeft het en ziet! ✡
Zalig de kerel
die toevlucht zoekt bij hem!
10
Ja gij, zijn heiligen, vreest de Ene!- ✡
want er zal geen gebrek zijn
voor wie hem vrezen.
11
Kommer en honger leden
welpen van leeuwen, ✡
maar de zoekers van de Ene:
niets van alle goed zal hun ontbreken.
12
Laat u leiden door mij, zonen, en hoort; ✡
de vreze voor de Ene
zal ik u leren!
13
Mannen met behagen in leven, wie niet?- ✡
die lengte van dagen minnen,
het goede willen zien:
14
niet nalaten je tong te hoeden voor kwaad, ✡
je lippen
voor het spreken van bedrog!
15
O wijk voor het kwade, doe het goede, ✡
zoek naar vrede, jaag die na!
16
Rechtvaardigen:
de Ene houdt zijn ogen op hen, ✡
zijn oren
richten zich op hun geroep.
17
Pijnlijk is het aanschijn van de Ene
voor daders van kwaad, ✡
hij snijdt hun gedachtenis van de aarde af.
18
Schreeuwden zij: de Ene hoorde, ✡
aan al hun benauwingen
heeft hij hen ontrukt.
19
Terzijde staat de Ene
gebrokenen van hart, ✡
hij redt verbrijzelden van geest.
20
Vele zijn de rampen
voor een rechtvaardige, ✡
aan die alle
ontrukt hem de Ene,
21
wakend over elk van zijn botten, ✡
daarvan zal niet een
worden gebroken.
22
Zelf echter zal het kwaad
de booswicht doden ✡
en zullen haters van een rechtvaardige
hun schuld boeten.
23
Maar de Ene koopt
de ziel van zijn dienaren los,- ✡
geen schuld voor
al wie toevlucht zoeken bij hem!
24
ja, mocht hij vallen, geveld is hij niet, ✡
want de Ene
schraagt zijn hand.
25
Nooit heb ik, toen ik jong was,
ook niet toen ik oud werd,
een rechtvaardige gezien verlaten, ✡
of zijn zaad
zien bedelen om brood:
26
al de dag gunt hij en leent hij, ✡
zijn zaad
is tot zegen.
27
Ontloop het kwade, doe het goede, ✡
dan mag je wonen voor eeuwig;
28
zij worden bewaard voor eeuwig ✡
en weggemaaid wordt het zaad van bozen.
29
Rechtvaardigen, zij beërven de aarde, ✡
zij mogen haar blijvend bewonen,
30
Spellen zal de mond van een rechtvaardige
wijsheid, ✡
zijn tong
spreekt uit wat het recht is;
31
het onderricht van zijn God is in zijn hart,
zijn wandel wankelt nooit.
32
Tracht een boze
de rechtvaardige te vangen
en zoekt hij
hem te doden,
33
ook in diens hand verlaat de Ene hem niet,
laat hem in zijn recht
niet tot boosdoener maken.
34
U, hoop op de Ene en bewaak zijn weg:
en hij zal u verheffen
om de aarde te beerven,-
het wegmaaien van boosdoeners
zul je zien.
35
Eens zag ik een boosdoener, geweldig,
zich blootgeven,-
als een groene ceder.
36
Voorbij ging iemand, en zie, hij was weg;
ik zocht hem,
maar niets meer te vinden!
37
maar bewaak wie gaaf is,
zie aan een oprechte:
dat er toekomst is voor een man van vrede!
38
Weggevaagd worden
grensoverschrijders tezamen,
verdelgd wordt de toekomst van bozen;
39
Zalig zijn rechtvaardigen!-
hun redding komt van de Ene,
hij is hun toevlucht
in tijd van benauwing;
40
de Ene helpt hen,
hij doet hen ontkomen,
ontkomen aan boosdoeners,
hij redt hen,
want hun toevlucht is in hem.
Tot Lof van God translation:
Op naam van David.
Ach, wind u niet op over die kwaadaardige lieden,
wees niet afgunstig op wie onrecht bedrijven;
2
ze zullen weldra verdorren als gras,
verwelken als het nog zo frisse groen.
3
Blijf bezig het goede te doen, vertrouw op Jehovah,
bewoon de aarde, betoon u getrouw,
4
laat uw genieting Jehovah toch zijn.
Alles waar uw hart naar verlangt, Hij zal het u geven.
5
Dus wentel uw weg op Jehovah,
vertrouw op Hem, Hij zal het doen:
6
Hij doet uw gerechtigheid stralen als het licht,
uw recht als de klaarlichte dag.
7
En daarom, houd u in jegens Jehovah,
wees oprecht wachtend op Hem
en wind u niet op over degene wiens weg voor de wind lijkt te gaan,
die mens die snode plannen bedrijft.
8
Furieus? Ach, laat toch af, laat varen die woede,
wind u niet op, om alleen maar het verkeerde te doen.
9
Die kwaadaardige lieden worden stellig vernietigd,
terwijl wie op Jehovah hopen de aarde zullen bezitten.
10
Geduld dus… nog even en wie gewetenloos is, is er niet meer,
zou je je richten op de plek waar hij was, stellig, hij is er niet meer;
11
dan zijn het de zachtaardigen, die zullen de aarde bezitten
en overvloedige vrede genieten aldaar.
12
Hoewel de gewetenloze jegens de rechvaardige van alles beraamt
– vanwege hem is immers diens tandengeknars –
13
Jehovah lacht hem [die gewetenloze] vierkant uit;
dat diens dag is aangebroken, heeft Hij al gezien.
14
Intussen trokken gewetenloze lieden het zwaard, spanden hun boog
om die arme stakkers om te leggen, om hen wier weg oprecht is af te slachten.
15
Maar, hun zwaard komt elders terecht, in hun eigen hart;
hun bogen worden compleet doormidden gebroken.
16
Juist daarom is het weinige van de rechtvaardige zoveel beter
dan de enorme overdaad van wie gewetenloos is,
17
want wat die gewetenlozen vermogen zal worden verbroken,
terwijl Jehovah steun verleent aan wie rechtvaardig zijn.
18
Kortom, Jehovah weetwat zij, onkreukbaar als ze zijn,
nu door moeten maken, maar hun erfdeel staat vast, definitief.
19
Geen teleurstelling daarom ten tijde van rampspoed,
ze worden ook op dagen van honger verzadigd.
20
Luistert, het zijn de gewetenlozen, die zullen vergaan,
het zal Jehovah’s vijanden vergaan als de trots van de weide:
opgaand in rook, houden zij op te bestaan.
21
Merk op, de gewetenloze betaalt niet eens terug wat hij leende,
de rechtvaardige is daarentegen goedgunstig, gul en goedgeefs.
22
Zijn gezegenden zullen daarom de aarde bezitten,
terwijl Zijn vervloekten de afsnijding wacht.
23
Naarmate de schreden van een man door Jehovah zijn bevestigd,
heeft Hij aan diens weg een welgevallen;
24
zou hij vallen, languit gaat hij niet,
want Jehovah houdt hem vast, bij de hand.
25
Ooit ook jong ben ik intussen oud geworden,
maar nooit heb ik de rechtvaardige verlaten gezien,
of diens nageslacht zoekend naar brood.
26
Integendeel, heel de dag is hij goedgunstig, leent hij anderen gul,
terwijl zijn nageslacht tot zegen is.
27
Pas op daarom, wijk van het kwade, beoefen het goede
en houd zodoende verblijf voor altijd;
28
Jehovah is op gerechtigheid gesteld,
Hij zal Zijn loyalen nimmer verlaten.
Reken maar dat 37 blijvend bescherming genieten,
terwijl het nageslacht der gewetenlozen afsnijding wacht;
29
de rechtvaardigen zullen de aarde bezitten
en daarop voor eeuwig verblijven.
30 Slechts wijsheid beweegt de mond van de rechtvaardige,
waardoor zijn tong gerechtigheid spreekt;
31
in zijn hart is de Wet van zijn God,
zijn schreden wankelen niet.
32
Terwijl de gewetenloze loert op de rechtvaardige,
erop uit is om hem te doden,
33
laat Jehovah hem niet vallen in diens hand,
Hij verklaart hem onschuldig ingeval hij mocht worden berecht.
34
Uw hoop zij op Jehovah derhalve, houd vast aan Zijn weg.
Hij zal u verhogen zodat u de aarde in bezit kunt nemen;
de vernietiging van wie doortrapt gewetenloos is, maakt u dan mee.
35
Voorwaar, ik heb het gezien al in feite:
de gewetenloze die zo gewelddadig was,
welig tierend als het woekerende gewas,
36
maar hij verdween. Ja ziet, hij is er niet meer!
Ik ging nog zoeken, maar het bleek dat hij onvindbaar was.
37
Wees dus rechtschapen, houd daaraan vast,
zie naar wat recht, naar wat terecht is,
want de toekomst is voor degene die uit is op vrede;
38
de opstandigen worden gezamenlijk verdelgd,
de toekomst van de gewetenlozen wordt onherroepelijk afgesneden.
39
Zodat de redding der rechtvaardigen afkomstig zal zijn van Jehovah,
Hij, hun vesting in tijden van nood.
40
Zo helpt Jehovah hen; Hij is mét hen en doet hen ontkomen.
Hij doet hen ontkomen aan wie gewetenloos zijn en redt hen,
tot Hem immers hebben zij toevlucht genomen.
With thanks to Thamara van Eijzeren
The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) maintains most Hebrew acrostics (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew). Due to the higher number of letters in the English alphabet, it skips the letter P, Q, X, Y, and Z.
1 (Of David.) Art thou impatient, friend, when the wicked thrive; dost thou envy the lot of evil-doers?
2 they will soon fade like the grass, like the green leaf wither away.
3 Be content to trust in the Lord and do good; live on thy land, and take thy ease,
4 all thy longing fixed in the Lord; so he will give thee what thy heart desires.
5 Commit thy life to the Lord, and trust in him; he will prosper thee,
6 making thy honesty clear as the day, the justice of thy cause bright as the sun at noon.
7 Dumb and patient, to the Lord’s mercy look thou, never fretting over the man that has his own way, and thrives by villainy.
8 End thy complaints, forgo displeasure, do not fret thyself into an evil mood;
9 the evil-minded will be dispossessed, and patient souls, that wait for the Lord, succeed them.
10 Forbear yet a little, and the sinner will be seen no more; thou wilt search in vain to find him,
11 while patient souls are the land’s heirs, enjoying great peace.
12 Gnashing his teeth with envy, the wrong-doer plots against the innocent,
13 and cannot see his own turn coming; but the Lord sees it, and laughs at his malice.
14 How they draw the sword, how they bend the bow, these sinners, to bring ruin on helpless poverty, to murder the upright;
15 swords that will pierce their own hearts, bows that will break in pieces!
16 Innocence, ill endowed, has the better of the wicked in their abundance;
17 soon fails the strength of their arms, and still the Lord has the just in his keeping.
18 Jealously the Lord watches over the lives of the guiltless, they will hold their lands for ever,
19 undismayed by adversity, in time of famine well content.
20 Knavery will yet come to an end; like the spring’s finery they will die, the Lord’s enemies, vanish away like smoke.
21 Let the sinner borrow, and never repay, still the good man will be a generous giver;✻
22 win the Lord’s blessing, and the land is thine, his ban is death.
23 Man’s feet stand firm, if the Lord is with him to prosper his journey;
24 he may stumble but never fall, with the Lord’s hand in his.
25 Now youth is past, and I have grown old; yet never did I see the good man forsaken, or his children begging their bread;
26 still he lends without stint, and men call down blessings on his posterity.
27 Offend no more, rather do good, and be at rest continually;
28 the Lord is ever just, and will not abandon his faithful servants. Perish the sinner, forgotten be the name of the evil-doer,
29 but these will hold their land, and live on it always at rest.
30 Right reason is on the good man’s lips, well weighed are all his counsels;
31 his steps never falter, because the law of God rules in his heart.
32 Sinners lie in wait, plotting against the life of the innocent;
33 but the Lord will never leave him in their power, never find him guilty when he is arraigned.
34 Trust the Lord, and follow the path he has chosen; so he will set thee up in possession of thy land, and thou wilt live to see the wicked come to ruin.
35 Until yesterday, I saw the evil-doer throned high as the branching cedars;
36 then, when I passed by, he was there no longer, and I looked in vain to find him.
37 Virtuous men and innocent mark thou well; he that lives peaceably will leave a race behind him,
38 while sinners are rooted out every one, and their graceless names forgotten.
39 When affliction comes, the Lord is the refuge and defence of the innocent;
40 the Lord will aid and deliver them, rescue and preserve them from the power of wickedness, because they put their trust in him. (Source )
Another English translation that maintains the acrostic is by Gordon Jackson (The Lincoln Psalter, 1997):
Are you incensed because the wicked do so well?
Do you envy them their success? Forget it.
They may flourish like leaves, but remember autumn is coming.
Be wise; do good, and trust the Lord;
Mind your own business, leave others to theirs;
Set your heart on God, he will look after you.
Confide in the Lord, commit all your dealings to him;
With him as your backer how can you fail to prosper?
The good of your name will shine like the sun in the sky.
Don’t be upset by others that prosper dishonestly;
They get their way, yes, but at what a cost;
Don’t worry; God’s mercy is more than money.
Envy will do you no good, neither will anger;
You know the dishonest will get their just deserts;
But those who rely on God have a fortune in him.
For a little time the wicked may rule the roost;
A little time, and no more; others supplant them;
But in the end the land will revert to the humble.
Green with envy, the wicked detest the honest;
They feel derided; God derides them indeed;
He knows the ending of their curious plans.
Hatred of weakness, of good, excites them to action;
They are armed with sword and bow and pocket-book;
Weapons they lived by but yet will be their undoing.
Innocents have a power unknown to the wicked;
The power of arms, of armies, of allies will fail;
Yet the Lord, unseen, will preserve his own forever.
Justice demands that the Lord will provide for the just;
Misfortune, oppression, will never distress them long;
They will come, with him, through famine, and war, and flood.
Kings of the castle may think themselves secure
But they will fall as sure as autumn leaves;
They will burn as rubbish, and even their smoke will vanish.
Loans to the wicked rarely get paid back,
But the Lord will repay the good and the bad in his time;
The good are generous givers, and so is our God.
Men with a mind to be upright sons shall be so;
The Lord will hold them steady on their feet;
From time to time they may stumble, but won’t fall down.
Never have I seen a good man begging his bread,
Not from when I was young to my old age now;
He always has something to spare, for friends, for the needy.
Order your days; do good; make peace where you can;
God who loves justice will always favour the just;
His law will deal with the lawless and their kind.
Possession of lands will pass to those who deserve them;
Peace follows justice; with peace comes prosperity;
Who will remember the names of past grasping landlords?
Reason and rhyme will season a good man’s language:
A level head is matched with a witty heart;
Workman’s words that hit the nail on the head.
Steallth is the wicked man’s trade, and seeming important;
Getting the weak in their clutches is their profession;
But the Lord will not let them keep the fruits of their labour,
Trust in the Lord; he will keep you out of their hands;
You will yet live to see the land you love rejoicing;
You will see those that ruined it come down themselves to ruin.
Up to all sorts of tricks, the unworthy will rise;
I have seen them dining in their successful villas;
I have passed again, and seen them gone and forgotten.
Virtue and honesty leave good things behind them
Worthy to carry on a good man’s name;
But they try to conceal their names, the disgraced one’s children.
When trouble comes to the good, the Lord is their lawyer;
He will take their case, he will use the law to save them;
Because they were innocent; because they trusted in him.
Another published English translation with acrostics is The Psalms Chronologically Arranged by the “Four Friends” (C.T. Arnold, A.W. Potts, F.E. Kitchener, S. Philpotts) of 1870.
Another 19th century translation with maintained acrostics is the German1883 commentary and translation by Franz Delitzsch . Unlike the other translations, he translates the acrostics of this and the other acrostic psalms by following an approximation of the German sound of the 22 letters (alef/א = a; bet/ב = b; gimel/ג = g; dalet/ד = d; he/ה = h; vav/ו = u; zayin/ז = s; chet/ח = h; tet/ט = t; yod/י = i or j; kaf/כ = k; lamed/ל = l; mem/מ = m; nun/נ = n; samech/ס = s; ayin/ע = e; pe/פ = f; tsadi/צ = z; qof/ק = k; resh/ר = r; shin/ש = sch; tav/ת = t).
The Hebrew text of Psalms 9/10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145 uses acrostics, a literary form in which each verse is started with one of the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. According to Brenda Boerger (in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. ) there are three different reasons for acrostics in the Hebrew text: “for ease of memorization,” the representation “of the full breadth and depth of a topic, all the way from aleph to taw (tav),” and the perception of “the acrostic form as aesthetically attractive.” (p. 191)
While most translations mention the existence of an acrostic in a note or a comment, few implement it in their translation. The Natügu translation is one such exception. Boerger (see above) cites a strong tradition in singing the psalms and the fact that Natügu, like Hebrew, also has 22 possible initial letters as motivating factors to maintain the acrostics in that language.
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Natügu
1 Awi Yawe! Glqpxku Yawe!
Bilvzx nide mz nabznge atwrnrngr, mz nzyrlwr-lxblr-krgr badr leplz nedeng.
2 Clvele nrlc x da kcng tqwz-ngrde, tqaletileng nzmyalzng.
Delc, leplz amrlx na-aotingr drtwrdr da lcng mz nzabrtzlvz-krdrleng.
3 Eu, da lcng amrlx nzaelwapx-ngrdr zmrlue x zmatq rde.
Glqpxku nztubq-krde kc tqvzpe tqvzpe.
4 Ipqle nigu mz zmrlz ngrde kxmyalz x ycngr drtwrde nigu.
Jzsle nigu x nayc zvz mz drtwrgu rkx ngrdeng.
5 Kabzle dakxnzng mz leplz kcng tzamrluelr nide.
Lolvz-amqngile mz drtwrde da kx esalz-ngrbzle badr.
6 Mz nzaprc-krbzle drtc’ ngr lr mrkzbleng mz doa nedeng,
Nide kc tqaelwapx-ngrbzle zmatq rde badr.
7 Okatrle nidr mz nzaclve-krdeng kxtubq.
Prlxpx-zvzle da angidr x nzrsakrlrngr.
8 Rkapx zvz natq kx rsakrlrngr.
Sa na-atutrleng murde nqmq krde mrlz x tubq.
9-10 Takitrde nzangio-krgu drtqde kxtr mz nzamrluengr murde
Vz-nqblq-zvzle nzesalz-krde x
Witi nelzde nzarlapx-krde leplz nedeng.
X aelwapx-ngrgu nzyrplapx-krgu mz nzamrlue-krgu nide.
Yawe kabzle nzrkrlz-angidrngr mz krkcng tzyrlq-angidrlr natqde.
Zbq kalvz nzrglqpxngr nide navz zvz x tqvzpe, tqvzpe.
The DanishBibelen på Hverdagsdansk (publ. 1985, rev. 2015 et al.) translated Psalm 111 into an acrostic. Iver Larsen who worked in this translation explained (in Roelie Van der Spuy in Old Testament Essays 2008, p. 513ff. ) the choice of letters: “We don’t use c, q, w, x and z. On the other hand we do use the extra Danish vowel symbols æ, ø and å, and the y is a vowel, not a consonant. Since Danish has more than 22 letters, we cannot use all the letters, so among those last ones (æ, ø, å) I chose what fits best.”
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Danish with its English translation
1. Af hele mit hjerte vil jeg takke Herren,
[From all of my heart I will thank the Lord]
berømme ham midt i de gudfrygtiges forsamling.
[extol him in the midst of the assembly of the God-fearing.[
2. De ting, han gør, er vidunderlige,
[The things he does are wonderful,[
enhver, der oplever dem, må juble og glæde sig.
[all who experience them rejoice and are happy.]
3. Fantastiske er alle hans undere,
[All his wonders are fantastic,]
glem ikke hans uendelig godhed.
[never forget his unending goodness.]
4. Herren er nådig og barmhjertig,
[The Lord is compassionate and merciful]
ingen må glemme hans velgerninger.
[no one should ever forget his good deeds.]
5. Jeg ved, at han altid sørger for sit folk.
[I know that he always provides for his people,]
Kan han nogensinde glemme sin pagt med dem?
[Could he ever forget his covenant with them?]
6. Landet, som tilhørte de fremmede, gav han til sit eget folk,
[The land that belonged to foreigners he gave to his own people,]
med magt drev han de andre væk for øjnene af sine udvalgte.
[he forced them away before the eyes of his chosen ones.]
7. Når han handler, gør han altid det rigtige,
[When he acts, he always does what is right,]
ordene fra ham kan man stole på.
[his words are trustworthy.]
8. Pas på, at I trofast adlyder hans bud,
[Be careful to faithfully obey his commands,]
retsindighed har evighedsværdi.
[uprightness/justice is of eternal value.]
9. Sit folk har han sat i frihed,
[He has given his people their freedom,]
til evig tid varer hans pagt med dem.
[his covenant with them will last forever.]
Underfuld og hellig er Herren.
[Wonderful and holy is the Lord.]
10. Visdom udspringer af ærefrygt for Gud.
[Wisdom results from respectfully honoring God.]
Ypperlig er den indsigt, man får ved at adlyde ham.
[The insight you get from obeying him is superb.]
Æren er hans for evigt!
[He is to be honored forever!]
There are two Dutch translations that maintain the acrostic: Naardense Bijbel (publ. 2004) and the Tot Lof van God by Frans Croese (publ. 2010).
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in the Dutch translations
Naardense Bijbel:
1
Alleluia, ik dank de Ene van ganser harte, ✡
binnen de kring der oprechten,
een samenkomst;
2
groot zijn de daden van de Ene, ✡
doorvorsbaar
voor elk met behagen daarin;
3
en glans en luister straalt van zijn werk, ✡
fleur houdt zijn gerechtigheid
voor altijd;
4
genadig en barmhartig is de Ene, ✡
hij doet zijn wonderen voorgoed gedenken;
5
indachtig is hij voor eeuwig zijn verbond, ✡
ja, wie hem vrezen gaf hij teerkost; de
6
kracht van zijn daden
heeft hij zijn gemeente gemeld; ✡
leende hun
het erfdeel van volkeren;
7
machtig zijn zijn handen in trouw en recht, ✡
nooit onbetrouwbaar zijn
al zijn inzettingen;
8
ondersteund voor altijd en eeuwig, ✡
product
van trouw en oprechtheid;
9
redding, loskoop zond hij zijn gemeente,
sloot voor eeuwig zijn verbond, ✡
te vrezen en heilig is zijn naam!-
10
vreze voor de Ene
is het beginsel van wijsheid,
weg tot goed inzicht
voor wie daarnaar dóen; ✡
zijn lof
blijft staande voor altíjd!
Tot Lof van God translation:
Looft Jah!
Aan Jehovah betuig ik dank, van ganser harte prijs ik Hem,
bij het beraad der oprechten, maar ook in vergadering bijeen.
2
De daden van Jehovah zijn waarlijk groots,
en fascinerend voor een ieder die er behagen in schept.
3
Fenomenaal is Zijn werk in luister en pracht,
gezien ook Zijn rechtvaardigheid die voor alle eeuwigheid staat.
4
Hij stelde voor Zijn wonderdaden een gedachtenis in
– inderdaad, Jehovah is goedgunstig en barmhartig,
5
ja, zoals Hij proviand verschafte aan hen die Hem vreesden –
kortom, Hij zal Zijn verbond voor altijd gedenken.
6
Louter de kracht van Zijn daden al, zoals Hij die Zijn volk verhaalde,
met daarbij hetgeen Hij hun gaf: het erfdeel der natiën.
7
Naar waarheid en recht, dat zijn de werken van Zijn handen;
onveranderlijk zijn al Zijn voorschriften,
8
pal en onwrikbaar staan die, voor altijd en eeuwig;
recht en waarachtig, zo zijn zc gemaakt.
9
Schonk Hij Zijn volk destijds de verlossing,
toen was daar tevens Zijn blijvend verbond.
Uniek, ontzagwekkend en heilig, dat is Zijn naam.
10
Vrees voor Jehovah is het begin van de wijsheid,
waarbij allen scherp van inzicht zijn die daar ook naar doen.
Zijn lof staat voor alle eeuwigheid!
With thanks to Thamara van Eijzeren
In the Zürich German dialect (Züritüütsch) of Swiss German, the Psalms were translated while maintaining the acrostic by Josua Boesch (publ. 2009 ).
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Zürich German
1 Halleluja! ER isch is mee wèrt als ales.
Au iich wil IMM tanke vo ganzem hèrze,
Bi siine friind i siinere gmäind.
2 Chumm lueg, was èr ales ttaa hät für öis.
Die, wo s ggluschtet, psined sich drüber.
3 ER hat ales herrlich und schöön gmacht.
Für eewig bliibt siini grächtigkäit fescht.
4 Gaar nie wil iich sini wunder vergässe.
Häsch ghöört, ER isch barmhèrzig und güetig.
5 I siinere hand isch z ässe fur d fründ.
Käine chunnt z chuurz, èr haltet s verschpräche.
6 Lueg, was er mit chraft fur siis volk tuet,
Mit welere liebi èr ine s land gitt.
7 Nüüt isch nöd zueverlèèssig und rächt vo dèm, won er gmacht hät.
Ooni siis soorge hett ales kä sinn.
8 Probier nöd z flicken a siineren oornihg, suscht hebt si nöd eewig.
Rue hetsch au nümen und ales gieng schieff.
9 Siim volk hät èr emaal d freihäit ggèè.
Tänk doch an bund, won èr mit em gschlosse.
Uurhäilig isch IMM sini nööchi bi öis.
10 Vo aafang aa hämer nur INN als mitti vo öisere wiishäit.
Wèr siich dernaa richtet, hät s imer guet.
Zum schluss wämer inn rüeme imer und eewig, ER isch is mee wèrt als ales.
The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) maintains most Hebrew acrostics (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew). Due to the higher number of letters in the English alphabet, it skips the letters J, Q, X, and Z.
1 All my heart goes out to the Lord in praise, Before the assembly where the just are gathered.
2 Chant we the Lord’s wondrous doings, delight and study of all who love him.
3 Ever his deeds are high and glorious, faithful he abides to all eternity.
4 Great deeds, that he keeps still in remembrance!
5 He, the Lord, is kind and merciful. In abundance he fed the men who feared him, keeping his covenant for ever.
6 Lordly the power he shewed his people,
7 making the lands of the heathen their possession. No act but shews him just and faithful; of his decrees there is no relenting.
8 Perpetual time shall leave them changeless; right and truth are their foundation.
9 So he has brought our race deliverance; to all eternity stands his covenant. Unutterable is his name and worshipful;
10 vain without his fear is learning. Wise evermore are you who follow it; yours the prize that lasts for ever. (Source )
Another English translation that maintains the acrostic is by Gordon Jackson (The Lincoln Psalter, 1997):
Hallelujah!
All that I am I offer in praise of the Lord,
Being in the band of the blessed, all good men and true.
Can we give adequate, accurate praise for his works?
Dearer and dearer he is to us, as we consider them.
Exalt him as much as we may he is always more worthy
For the meters of mortals are useless to measure his good with.
Great is his name, and yet he deserves a far greater;
Heaven’s his nickname, and Holiness, Mercy, Truth, Grace.
If those who fear him hunger, see how he feeds them!
Keeping his word for his own honour’s sake;
Look how he gave his people the lands of others,
Making them gifts of cities by his own strength.
Nothing he does that is not done deeply with justice;
On stone his laws are written, and they will not adjust;
People and fashions will change, but not his wisdom;
Right is right with him, and truth is truth.
Saving his people again and again he is faithful
To a promise his people have broken again and again.
Unworthy as we are, his holy name honours us;
Vital wisdom it is that we trust him and fear him,
Wanting his teaching, enjoying our own understanding,
Yielding our wisdom to his, and gaining by giving.
Another published English translation with acrostics is The Psalms Chronologically Arranged by the “Four Friends” (C.T. Arnold, A.W. Potts, F.E. Kitchener, S. Philpotts) of 1870.
Another 19th century translation with maintained acrostics is the German1883 commentary and translation by Franz Delitzsch . Unlike the other translations, he translates the acrostics of this and the other acrostic psalms by following an approximation of the German sound of the 22 letters (alef/א = a; bet/ב = b; gimel/ג = g; dalet/ד = d; he/ה = h; vav/ו = u; zayin/ז = s; chet/ח = h; tet/ט = t; yod/י = i or j; kaf/כ = k; lamed/ל = l; mem/מ = m; nun/נ = n; samech/ס = s; ayin/ע = e; pe/פ = f; tsadi/צ = z; qof/ק = k; resh/ר = r; shin/ש = sch; tav/ת = t).
This blog post mentions several English translation of Psalm 111 with an acrostic that were not published in official Bible translations. The above-quoted Van der Spuy also has his own Afrikaans translation with an acrostic (quoted in Old Testament Essays 2008, p. 513ff. ).
Description: The exact identification of the nevel is very problematic. Some take it to be a kind of harp. The harp consisted of a neck projecting out of a soundbox. Strings were stretched from the extremity of the neck down its length and into the sound box. The body of the harp was made of wood and its strings of animal intestines (perhaps from sheep). The number of strings varied.
Others place the nevel in the category of lyres, where the strings are stretched over top of and parallel to the soundbox. While this is the interpretation preferred here, we will discuss the harp-type of instrument, since the identification is problematic and many translations have preferred “harp” for nevel.
Usage: The strings were plucked either with the fingers or with a thin piece of ivory or metal to give a resonating sound, probably in a lower register than that made by the kinor.
Translation: In several Psalms (33.2; 92.3; 144.9), the nevel is linked to the Hebrew word ‘asor, which could indicate it was “ten-stringed.”
Some degree of cultural adaptation must be made in the translation of these stringed instruments since cultures differ from each other in the shape, the number of strings, and the function of their instruments. Translators will have to select an equivalent instrument in the receptor language. In most passages the most accurate translation for nevel will be “guitar” or some equivalent medium-sized stringed instrument on which the strings are stretched over a sound box and are plucked.
In those passages where nevel and kinor appear together it is recommended that the translator use an instrument that can vary in size and then render the two words as “large and small X,” for example, “large and small guitars.” Alternately, it may be possible to select two stringed instruments that are similar in construction but different in size, for example, “guitar and lute.” It is also possible to say “large and small stringed instruments” or to combine the two, saying “stringed instruments.”
Psalms 33:2: “Praise the LORD with the lyre” (NRSVue) contains two major translation problems. The first problem is that in many languages, the phrase “with the lyre” must be changed into a verb phrase or clause; for example, the whole line may be rendered “Praise the LORD by playing music on the lyre” or “Make music with the lyre, and praise the LORD.” The second problem, which applies also to the second line of this verse, is the terms to be used for the musical instruments here. In languages in which there are several stringed instruments, translators may use one of the smaller ones for kinor (“lyre”) and a larger one for nevel (“harp” in NRSVue). In languages where there is little or no choice, they should use the known local stringed instrument for the kinor, and a more generic expression for the nevel. Where there are no known stringed instruments, it will often be necessary to say “small instruments with strings” for kinor and “large instruments with strings” for nevel.
Harp (source: Knowles, revised by Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)
The Hebrew text of Lamentations 1-4 uses acrostics, a literary form in which each verse is started with one of the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. According to Brenda Boerger (in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. ) there are three different reasons for acrostics in the Hebrew text: “for ease of memorization,” the representation “of the full breadth and depth of a topic, all the way from aleph to taw (tav),” and the perception of “the acrostic form as aesthetically attractive.” (p. 191)
While most translations mention the existence of an acrostic in a note or a comment, few implement it in their translation. One such exception is the DanishBibelen på Hverdagsdansk (publ. 1985, rev. 2015 et al.).
Click or tap here for Lamentations 4 in Danish
1 Ak, Jerusalems guldklumper har mistet deres herlighed.
Hendes hellige øjestene ligger og vansmægter på hvert gadehjørne.
2 Byens befolkning var deres vægt værd i guld,
men nu ligger de som værdiløse lerkar, en pottemagers værk.
3 De vilde sjakaler giver deres unger die,
men mit folks mødre er følelseskolde som ørkenens strudse.
4 Ethvert spædbarn skriger af tørst med tungen klæbende til ganen.
Småbørn tigger om mad, men ingen har noget at give.
5 Folk, som var vant til festmiddage, er nu ved at forgå af sult.
De, som levede i luksus, roder nu efter føde i rendestenen.
6 Går det ikke mit folk værre end Sodomas indbyggere?
De døde dog på et øjeblik ved Herrens direkte indgreb.
7 Hendes fyrster havde hud som silke og struttede af sundhed,
deres ansigter var rødmossede og håret skinnede så smukt.
8 Ingen ville kunne genkende dem nu, hvis de mødte dem på gaden,
for de er det rene skind og ben med ansigter sorte som sod.
9 Ja, hellere dræbes af sværdet, end at dø langsomt af sult,
fordi madforsyninger ikke kan komme ind i byen.
10 Kan man forestille sig, hvad der sker med en kærlig mor,
som tvinges til at koge og spise sine børn for at overleve?
11 Landet er lamslået over Herrens forfærdelige vrede.
Jerusalem er ødelagt og brændt ned til grunden.
12 Man mente ikke, det kunne lade sig gøre at indtage Jerusalem.
Ingen af jordens konger troede, det var muligt.
13 Nedsablingen skete, fordi profeter og præster havde syndet.
De havde myrdet uskyldige folk midt i Herrens hellige by.
14 Overalt i byen raver folk rundt i blinde.
De kan ikke undgå at røre ved blod, og derfor er de urene.
15 „Pas på!” advarer folk hinanden, „der kommer en uren!”
Flygter de, siger de fremmede folkeslag: „Her kan I ikke bo!”
16 Respekt for præsterne og landets ledere hører fortiden til,
for Herren har slået hånden af dem og spredt dem for alle vinde.
17 Skildvagterne stod og spejdede efter hjælp, men forgæves.
Ingen af vores allierede havde magt til at redde os.
18 Tidspunktet nærmede sig, hvor alt var forbi.
Vi kunne ikke gå ud på gaden af frygt for at blive dræbt.
19U den at vise nåde kastede fjenderne sig over os som gribbe.
De forfulgte os i bjergene og lå på lur efter os i ørkenen.
20 Vores egen konge, Herrens udvalgte, gik lige i deres fælde,
han, som vi troede kunne beskytte os fra enhver fjende.
21 Østpå glæder I jer, Edoms folk, for denne gang var det ikke jer, der blev ramt.
Men en dag skal også I drikke Herrens vredes vin, så I mister besindelsen.
22 Åh, Jerusalem, din straf var hård, men en dag bliver du genoprettet.
Edoms folk, derimod, vil blive straffet, fordi de svigtede os.
The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) maintains most Hebrew acrostics (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew):
1 All dim, now, and discoloured, the gold that once shone so fair! Heaped up at every street-corner lie hallowed stones.
2 Bright they shone once in all their renown, the men of Sion, and now what are they? Little regarded as common earthenware, of the potter’s fashioning.
3 Cub of jackal is fed at its dam’s breast; and has my people grown unnatural towards its own children, like some ostrich in the desert?
4 Dry throat and parching tongue for babe at the breast; children asking for bread, and never a crust to share with them!
5 Ever they fared daintily, that now lie starved in the streets; ever went richly arrayed, and now their fingers clutch at the dung-hill.
6 Faithless Juda! Heavier punishment she must needs undergo than guilty Sodom, that perished all in a moment, and never a blow struck.
7 Gone, the fair bloom of princely cheeks, snowy-pure, cream-white, red as tinted ivory, and all sapphire-clear;
8 Here is no recognizing them, out in the streets, coal-black, skin clinging to bones, dry as wood!
9 It were better to have fallen at the sword’s point than yield thus to the stab of hunger, wasted away through famine.
10 Juda brought low, and mother-love forgotten; that women should eat their own children, cooked with their own hands!
11 Kindled at last is the Lord’s anger; rains down from heaven the storm of his vengeance, lighting a flame that burns Sion to the ground.
12 Little dreamed they, king and common folk the world over, that any assault of the foe should storm Jerusalem gates;
13 Malice and lawlessness it was of priest and prophet, whereby innocent men came to their deaths, that brought such punishment.
14 Now, as they walk blindly through the streets, they are defiled with blood; no help for it, gather their skirts about them as they may;
15 Out of my way! cries one to another; Back, pollution, do not touch me! The very Gentiles protest in alarm, Here is no place for them!
16 Protection the Lord gives them no longer, they are dispersed under his frown; the priesthood no honour claims, old age no pity.
17 Quenched is the hope our eyes strained for, while hope was left us; looking for help so eagerly to a nation that had none to give!
18 Refuge for us in the treacherous highways is none; we are near the end; all is over, this is the end;
19 Swifter than flight of eagles the pursuit; even on the mountains they give chase, even in the desert take us by surprise.
20 Through our fault he who is breath of life to us, our anointed king, is led away captive; under his shadow we hoped our race should thrive.
21 Until thy turn comes, shout on, Edom, triumph on, land of Hus; the same cup thou too shalt drink, and be drunken, and stripped bare.
22 Vengeful audit-day! Sion’s account closed, recovered her fortunes; Edom called to account, discovered her guilt! (Source )
Spanish has a different tradition of acrostics. It uses non-alphabetic acrostics where the first letters of each line (or verse) together form a word or phrase. In the Traducción en lenguaje actual (publ. 2002, 2004), the translators used the first letters of this chapter of Lamentation to spell out “POBRECITA DE TI, JERUSALEN” (“Poor you, little Jerusalem”) which also is the first line of the first and second chapters of Lamentations (for more on the translation process of this, see Alfredo Tepox in The Bible Translator 2004, p. 233ff. ).
Click or tap here for Lamentations 4 in the Traducción en lenguaje actual
1 ¡Perdió el oro su brillo!
¡Quedó totalmente empañado!
¡Por las esquinas de las calles
quedaron regadas las joyas del templo!
2 ¡Oro puro! Así se valoraba
a los habitantes de Jerusalén,
¡pero ahora no valen más
que simples ollas de barro!
3 Bondadosas se muestran las lobas
cuando alimentan a sus cachorros,
pero las crueles madres israelitas
abandonan a sus hijos.
4 Reclaman pan nuestros niños,
pero nadie les da nada.
La lengua se les pega al paladar,
y casi se mueren de sed.
5 En las calles se mueren de hambre
los que antes comían manjares;
entre la basura se revuelcan
los que antes vestían con elegancia.
6 Cayó Jerusalén, pues ha pecado
más de lo que pecó Sodoma.
¡De pronto se vino abajo
y nadie pudo ayudarla!
7 Increíblemente hermosos
eran los líderes de Jerusalén;
estaban fuertes y sanos,
estaban llenos de vida.
8 Tan feos y enfermos se ven ahora
que nadie los reconoce.
Tienen la piel reseca como leña,
¡hasta se les ven los huesos!
9 A falta de alimentos,
todos mueren poco a poco.
¡Más vale morir en la guerra
que morirse de hambre!
10 ¡Destruida ha quedado Jerusalén!
¡Hasta las madres más cariñosas
cocinan a sus propios hijos
para alimentarse con ellos!
11 El enojo de Dios fue tan grande
que ya no pudo contenerse;
le prendió fuego a Jerusalén
y la destruyó por completo.
12 ¡Terminaron entrando a la ciudad
los enemigos de Jerusalén!
¡Nadie en el mundo se imaginaba
que esto pudiera ocurrir!
13 Injustamente ha muerto gente
a manos de profetas y sacerdotes.
Dios castigó a Jerusalén
por este grave pecado.
14 Juntos andan esos asesinos
como ciegos por las calles.
Tienen las manos llenas de sangre;
¡nadie se atreve a tocarlos!
15 En todas partes les gritan:
«¡Fuera de aquí, vagabundos!
¡No se atrevan a tocarnos!
¡No pueden quedarse a vivir aquí!»
16 Rechazados por Dios,
los líderes y sacerdotes
vagan por el mundo.
¡Dios se olvidó de ellos!
17 Una falsa esperanza tenemos:
que un pueblo venga a salvarnos;
pero nuestros ojos están cansados.
¡Nadie vendrá en nuestra ayuda!
18 Se acerca nuestro fin.
No podemos andar libremente,
pues por todas partes nos vigilan;
¡nuestros días están contados!
19 Aun más veloces que las águilas
son nuestros enemigos.
Por las montañas y por el desierto
nos persiguen sin descanso.
20 La sombra que nos protegía
era nuestro rey;
Dios mismo nos lo había dado.
¡Pero hasta él cayó prisionero!
21 Esto mismo lo sufrirás tú,
que te crees la reina del desierto.
Puedes reírte ahora, ciudad de Edom,
¡pero un día te quedarás desnuda!
22 No volverá Dios a castigarte,
bella ciudad de Jerusalén,
pues ya se ha cumplido tu castigo.
Pero a ti, ciudad de Edom,
Dios te castigará por tus pecados.
The traditional Natügu song form uses stanzas of four lines (“quatrains”) “in which the first and last lines exhibit verbatim repetition in the words (…). Given that repetition, the form requires that the clause of the first line also be able to function syntactically as a final clause in the fourth line, or as an independent sentence. And because the lines of the quatrain are rather short, it involves a distillation of the message into one or two short sentences. The number of syllables in each set of two lines is usually in the 12-15 syllable range.” (Source: Brenda Boerger in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. )
Psalm 148 “with its extensive repetition” provided an ideal text to use the traditional Natügu literary form. Following is a back-translation from Natügu that follows the stanzas of four lines with the first and last line repeated (the Natügu original can be read right here ):
1-2 Ever exalt Yahweh, all you heavenly ones.
You his angels, ever exalt Yahweh.
3 Ever exalt Yahweh, sun and moon.
And all you stars, ever exalt Yahweh.
4 Ever exalt him, everything in the sky.
And you upper waters, ever exalt him.
5 Ever exalt his name. He who made you,
By the word he gave. Ever exalt Yahweh.
6 His word’s eternal. He set for each one
Where you’ll ever be. His word’s eternal.
7 Ever exalt Yahweh, you fish and monsters
Of the sea and deeps. Ever exalt Yahweh.
8 You obey his word, lightning and hail.
Clouds, wind and rain, you obey his word.
9 Ever exalt Yahweh, all mountains and hills.
You trees of the bush, ever exalt Yahweh.
10 Ever exalt him, all animals and birds.
And things that crawl, ever exalt Yahweh.
11 Let’s exalt Yahweh too, all of us in the world.
VIPs and leaders, we must also exalt Yahweh.
12 Let’s exalt him too, us lads and lasses.
Babes and elders, let’s exalt him too.
13 Let’s exalt his name, all of us.
His name is high. Let’s exalt his name.
His greatness surpasses the land
And the sky too. His greatness!
14 Let’s ever exalt Yahweh,
All us his Israelites.
He saves and loves us.
Let’s ever exalt Yahweh.
Description: The drum consisted of a membrane, usually of animal skin, which was stretched over a shallow circular, triangular, or square frame.
Usage: The drum was struck sharply with one or two hands, depending on where it was situated. It could be held in the left hand, under the left arm, or against the chest and struck with the right hand, or it could be held on the knees or the ground and struck with one or two hands. The fingers of the left hand could be used to tighten or loosen the tension on the membrane as it was struck with the palm of the right hand.
Translation: The use of the Hebrew word tof is usually associated with singing, processions, and festivals. Archaeological evidence indicates that drums with metal circlets on the frame (“tambourines” or “timbrels”) were not known in biblical times. As a general rule, the best translation for this word will be “hand drum” or simply “drum.”
Lyre (source: Knowles, revised by Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)
Description: The trumpet was a wind instrument, frequently used in signaling, especially in connection with war. It was made of metal (the trumpets mentioned in Numbers 10:2 et al. were made of silver). It was a straight, narrow tube, about 40-45 centimeters (16-18 inches) in length. One end had a mouthpiece, while the other end was widened into a bell shape.
Usage: The sound on the trumpet was made by blowing into the mouthpiece in such a way as to vibrate the lips. The vibrations were magnified as they passed along the widening body of the tube.
The purpose of the trumpet in Israel was primarily to signal. Numbers 10 lists a variety of occasions in which the trumpets were to be used, including signaling the people to break camp, calling all of the people together for a meeting, calling only the leaders together, sounding an alarm at the beginning of a battle, and blowing them for liturgical purposes during certain festivals. It is significant that it was the task of the priests to sound the trumpets.
Translation: Generally speaking, translators may distinguish between the Hebrew words chatsotsrah and shofar by rendering chatsotsrah as “trumpet” or “bugle” and shofar with a more generic word for “horn” or with “ram’s horn.” Note the following comment in Translation commentary on Psalm 98:4 – 98:6: “In some languages it will not be possible to make a distinction between the two Hebrew terms translated trumpets and horn. In such cases the local term for a horn will be used. The Greek Old Testament used only one term.”
The exact meaning of the Aramaic word qeren in Daniel 3:5 and following is debated. It probably refers to a brass wind instrument and is best rendered “horn.”
The present-day equivalent for the Greek word salpigx is “bugle.” A bugle is generally smaller than a trumpet and is often associated with the sounding of military signals.
Man blowing a trumpet (source: Horace Knowles (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1954, 1967, 1972)