birds of the air

The Greek and Hebrew phrases that are often translated as “birds of the air” in English “refer to the undomesticated song birds or wild birds, to be distinguished in a number of languages from domesticated fowl. In Tzeltal these former are ‘field birds’.” (source: Bratcher / Nida)

Q’anjob’al also uses an established term for non-domesticated birds. Newberry and Kittie Cox (in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 91ff. ) explain: “Qʼanjobʼal has two distinct terms, one to identify domesticated birds and the other non-domesticated birds. The additional descriptive phrase ‘of the air’ seemed entirely misleading, for Qʼanjobʼal speakers had never heard of such creatures. Actually, of course, all that was necessary was the term for non-domesticated birds, for that is precisely the meaning of the Biblical expression.”

In Elhomwe they are just translated as “birds” or “birds of the bush” (i.e., wild birds) to “not give the impression that these are special type of birds.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also birds of the air / fish of the sea and birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

complete verse (Psalm 104:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 104:12:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Birds of the space put their nests along the water edges;
    they sing in the middle of the sky.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “The birds nest beside the stream
    and sing among the branches of the trees.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “And near there at the water, the birds nest, and on the branches of the trees they sing.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “The birds make nests in the trees which near the rivers,
    and they sing among the branches of the trees.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Ndege wanajenga katika miti karibu na mito,
    wanaimba katika matawi ya miti.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Birds make their nests alongside the streams, and they sing among the branches of the trees.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 104:10 - 104:12

Good News Translation (also Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem) ends this strophe with verse 12; Revised Standard Version, McCullough, and Toombs end it with verse 13.

Yahweh provides water for the animals. In verse 10a the word translated the valleys is understood by New Jerusalem Bible to mean “in torrents” (Weiser “in streams”). New English Bible has “gullies” and New Jerusalem Bible “ravines.” It may mean either the course taken by the water as it rushes down, or else the water itself (Dahood has “springs and torrents”). Good News Translation in verse 10 supplies “rivers” as the subject, for a more natural sequence; this may not be necessary in some languages. Or else, “their water” (referring back to “springs” of the preceding verse) may be more satisfactory.

In verse 11a every beast of the field means all the wild animals. In languages in which the donkey is not known, the translator has the following choices: (a) borrow the term from a major language; (b) use a generic term with some kind of qualifier; (c) substitute a local animal. If the animal is unfamiliar, it is usually recommended that an illustration be provided somewhere in the publication, particularly near the first occurrence of the word. The importance of providing such an illustration is due to the repeated references to this animal.

The pastoral picture of peace and plenty includes the birds (literally “the birds of the heavens”) building their nests and singing in the nearby trees. Notice that Revised Standard Version By them in verse 12a could be taken to mean “By the wild asses”; it should be clear to the reader that it means “By the streams.” It is important in the process of editing a translation to read the text aloud. Readers sometimes fail to observe punctuation, and they run lines together, so that Good News Translation‘s “… donkeys quench their thirst” may be read together with the following line, “In the trees near by.” If this is a common problem, this kind of misreading can be avoided in the present case by switching verse 12a and 12b.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .