Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place: See the comments on verses 21 and 23.

And forgive: See the comments on verse 21. Some languages may require an object for the verb forgive. If so, Good News Translation provides a good model by saying “forgive them.” Others may find it more natural to say “forgive their sins.”

And render to each whose heart thou knowest, according to all his ways: God knows the motives behind the behavior or deeds of each person, so Solomon prays that God will consider the motives and reward each person according to what each person has done. The Hebrew verb translated render is literally “give” and may be so translated in some languages. Revised English Bible translates it “reward.” According to all his ways may be rendered “according to all he does” (New International Version). For this whole clause New Century Version has “and treat each person as he should be treated because you know what is in a person’s heart.”

For thou, thou only, knowest the hearts of the children of men: Revised Standard Version uses parentheses here (similarly New Jerusalem Bible with long dashes) because these words interrupt the flow of the argument in which Solomon asks God to forgive the people (verse 30a) so that they may revere God (verse 31). In other languages translators may decide to render these parenthetical words as a separate sentence. The pronoun thou is emphatic in Hebrew and this should be reflected in translation where possible. The children of men is a Hebrew idiom referring to all human beings. It also occurs in 1 Kgs 8.39, and often in the Psalms (11.4; 14.2; 36.7; 90.3). The reference is not to children and a literal translation of the expression is ill-advised. Although some versions say “men” (Bible en français courant, La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), it is better translated “all humans” (Parole de Vie) or simply “humans” (Nouvelle Bible Segond, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The whole parenthetical comment may be rendered “Only you know what people are really thinking.”

The structure of the last half of this verse is complex and may have to be simplified in some languages. Good News Translation breaks it into two separate sentences, the first dealing with the fact that God alone knows what human beings are thinking. This translates the parenthetical statement and moves it forward. It is then followed by the petition asking God to deal with each individual according to his or her own merit.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .