village

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “village” or “town” in English is translated in Noongar as karlamaya or “fire (used for “home“) + houses” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In Elhomwe it is typically translated as “place.” “Here in Malawi, villages very small, so changed to ‘places,’ since not sure whether biblical reference just to small villages or also to bigger towns. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

acrostic in Psalms 9/10

Psalms 9 and 10 constitute one psalm in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate translations. Accordingly all Orthodox and some Catholic translations also treat it as one psalm. One indication that it might in fact have been intended to be one psalm is the fact that both Psalm 9 and 10 together constitute one acrostic, 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 the 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 both Psalm 9 and 10 successively in Natügu

Psalm 9
1 Awi Yawe! Naglqpx-atwrnr-ngrne nim.
Ale-zvzq da kcng tzkctipxng, x napipxxng.
2 Angrlvzx drtqm.
Bilvzx nim kc tqmyalz-esz’ngr.
3 Brngzvxitx nzyzlukr enqmi rnge mz nzmc-krde nim.
Bz x tao-ngrde nzulrm.
4 Clvetio-lzbqx x rpiq kx tubqx.
Clveq leplz amrlx mz nzwxbuo-krme mz tron, x ayzlu-ngrbzme da badr.
5 Dalr nrlc nzmailzlr kxdrka’-ngrng.
Delc napnanati-ngrn nidr x
Drtqdr na-amrbrtx-alobzme.
6 Doa ngr alwx lcng nzyrkrtrpeng.
Enqmi rngeng trpengr nzdcpx-krdr mz drtwr leplz x mztea nyzdr amznrpe-ngrnq.
7 Eu, a’ Yawe ngini-alom King.
Elalvzx nzwxbuo-krme mz tron nyzm murde nzayzlu-krbzme da mz leplz tubq.
8 Eu, murde nzaclve-krm nrlc tubq-esz’ngr,
Esakrlrngr nzpipx-krm nztubqkr leplz o trtingr.
9 Gct, nim lrpalvc nyz kxnzobqszong.
Glxx kx nim me nzrlakitrkr mzli kx prtzngr da.
10 Gct, krkcng tzkrlzlr nim nzabrtrpzlr drtwrdr bam.
Itoto x doa amrlx kcng tzrtangrtilr nim, trmrbrtru mz drtwrm.
11 Itoto x nigu amrlx napipxbzku mz kxnzmnc-mrbrng da kcng tqale Yawe.
Jerusalem ngi mzteadau nyzde mrkc tqmnc-ngrde. Na-angrlvzku nide.
12 Jzsle krkcng tzrnibqting leplz mz nzayzlu-kr-mopwzle badr da kcng tqtrka tzalelr.
Kxnzmncng mz drtq kxetq sa na-ayzlu-kzpzle badr natq ngr nzyrni-krbzlr bade.
13 Kxetu, nayc mz drtwrm ninge x mcom kxmu nzaetq-krm enqmi rngeng drtqnge.
Kxrpalz, bzkq rlrpx-ngrn nzbz-krnge.
14 Kxarlapx, naelalz-ngrm drtwrnge nzarlapx-krm ninge.
Leplz kxkqlu Jerusalem sa naxlrlr nzglqlz-krnge nim.
15-16 Lalztqmamu! Yawe aelwapx-lzbqngr mz nztubqkr nzayzlu-krbzle da mz leplz.
Murde lr mrkzbleng nztao-moung mz gq kx nzekqtilr.
Mz br kx nzatu-kapqlr, nzdwatr-moung elr.
Mz trtxki kx nzamwilr, nzprtz mou kxdrka’-ngrng elr.
17 Mz nzesablqti-krdr Gct,
Nabz-ngrdr leplz ngr nrlc.
18 Nzmu nakxpung, trtxpnzngr nzmrbrtitrkr drtwr Gct nidr.
Nzobqtipxngr kxtrnzrngiscung trtxpnzngr nzbotxpx-krde.
19 Natulzme Yawe, mz nzaryplapx-krm lr mrkzbleng amrlx.
Na-aelwapx-ngrn kx drtwr kxnzetung amrlx ngi brmrda.
20 Namwxlrtilr x na-amrluelr nim.
Nakrlzlr kx nidr leplz txneng, x sa nabzng.

Psalm 10
1 Opxm kx mncme rlru, Yawe.
Opxm kz kx mnc-kapqq mzli kc tqkxpu-ngrgr.
2 Obqm! Kxdrka’ngr glqpx-lzbqmile nzayoti-krde leplz kxnzkxpung.
Pnz drtwrnge kx sa namwati-lzbq mz br scde.
3 Pipxle kx nzaotikr drtwrde da kxtrka zlwz ngi da kxmrlz mz nzbilvz-zvz-krdele.
Pivxile Yawe x pxtxpx-ngrde nide, a’ amrlzle leplz kx nztrkibrng.
4 Rblx nzrtangrti-krde Gct murde glqpx-lzbq.
Rblx nzrmcti-krde Gct murde mz drtwrde trtxpnzngr Gct.
5 Rlr! Xplrmi-zlwzle nzmncngr kxtrka, a’ pxtxpx-ngrde me pnz drtwrm.
Suti txpwz drtwrde nzyrpalelvz-krde enqmi rdeng.
6 Sc tqrpipele kx, “Trpnzngr da kxtrka kx naprtzm bange,
X trpnzngr nzodatingr ninge kalr.”
7 Sc tqglqlz-zvzle alwx x nzpokiangr.
Natqdeng amrlx ngi dalr nzrpikitingr, nzrpibqtingr, x nzrpilzngr. Rom 3:14
8 Trmrlzu nzmnc-kapq-aepztr-krde mztea mz nzrnibq-krde kx nabzdr lq.
Tu zvz mz nzaenzli-krde ncblo kxesz’nebz.
9 Tqtu-kapq apule laion kc
Tqtcngzpxm mz gq nyzde mz nzkivzti-krde ncblo kx trxplru.
10 Vz zvz nzxplr-zlwz-krde.
Vz zvz nzatrkati-krde nzmnckr kxnzkxpung.
11 Vz-rbr kxdrka’ngr mz nzrpi-krde kx, “Gct trobqpepuu bange.
Wzx a’ trkrlzleu da kcng trka tqalex.”
12 Wztitxpxbz nzwzkr ncblo kxdrka’ngr, kx Yawe, mz nzayrplapx-krm nide.
Wai-ngrn da lc murde bzkq mrbrtr mz drtwrm kxnzkxpung.
13 Wai-ngrdele kxdrka’ngr pxtxpx-ngrde nim.
X rpile kx, “Gct trtxpnzngr nzayrplapx-krde ninge.”
14 Xlqkqamu nimu kxdrka’-ngrng, murde Gct mcle da kxtrka lcng amrlx tqaleamu.
X oliqtile nzokatr-krde kxnzkxpung kcng tzrtangrtilr nide.
Xlrle nidr murde nide kc tqokatr zvz kxnzobqszong.
15 Yawe, katxpxbz zmatq ngr kxdrka’-ngrng.
Yrpalelvz nidr x ayrplapxng mz da kxtrka kcng tzalelr, navz x naesaki zpwx.
16 Yawe, nim King.
Yc zvz nzaclve-krm nrlc.
Yrlqtxpx mz drtc’ nyzm krkcng trnzangiolru nim.
17 Zmatq ngrm etu-esz’ngr, murde krlzpe-kaiq nike narlxtibz kxnztubqng.
Zbq kalvz axplrq nidr x kabzme badr nike nzrlxtilr.
18 Zbo ngr leplz kxnzobqszong x kxnzkxpung, sa na-arlapxbzmeng mz zmatq ngr leplz mz nrlc ka.
Zmwxlr amrlx sa na-aesaki-zvzq.

© 2008, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Dutch translation Tot Lof van God by Frans Croese (publ. 2010) also maintained the acrostic.

Click or tap here for the psalms in the Tot Lof van God translation

Psalm 9
Voor de concertmeester: op ‘De dood, voor de zoon’; een muziekstuk op naam van David.

2
Alom en van ganser harte, zo dank ik Jehovah!
AI Uw wonderdaden, van hen wol ik vertellen!
3
Aangaande U zij mijn verheugen, mijn juichen,
Allerhoogste, maar al te graag bezing ik Uw naam!

4
Bij de aftocht van mijn vijanden
vergingen die struikelend van voor Uw aangezicht;
5
U hebt immers het pleit beslecht, mijn rechtsgeding,
gezeten op de zetel van de rechtvaardige Rechter.
6
De heidense volkeren hebt U bestraft,
het wetteloze te gronde gericht,
hun namen hebt U voor altijd en eeuwig gewist.
7
Het is gedaan met de vijand,
verwoesting alom en voor eeuwig,
waar U complete steden hebt uitgerukt.
Vergaan is hun gedachtenis sowieso.
Feitelijk geldt dat voor henzelf evenzo.

8
Jehovah daarentegen zetelt voor immer,
Zijn zetel gereed voor het gericht.
9
Hij is het die de wereld naar gerechtigheid oordeelt;
eerlijk en billijk, zo richt Hij de staten.
10
Gerechtigheid is er voor de verdrukten;
voor hen is Jehovah een burcht,
een burcht in tijden van nood en ontbering.
11
Wie Uw naam werkelijk kennen, vertrouwen op U;
wie naar U werkelijk vorsen, Jehovah, liet U nooit in de steek.

12
Heft dus aan de muziek voor Jehovah die zetelt op Sion,
verhaalt van Zijn handelen onder de volkeren;
13
Hij heeft gedacht aan wie onschuldig bloed te wreken had,
zoals Hij evenmin de noodkreet der misdeelden vergat:
14
‘Ik smeek U Jehovah, wees mij goedgunstig,
zie de ellende, mij berokkend door hen die mij haten,
door mij op te heffen uit de poorten des doods,
15
zodat ik van al Uw roemrijke daden mag vertellen,
daar, in de poorten van Sions dochter.
Ik wil dansen van vreugde om redding door U!’

16
Jammerlijk zijn zij weggezakt, de natiën, in hun zelfgemaakte kuil,
hun voet verward in het net dat zijzelf zo geniepig hadden gezet.
17
Zo zal men weten: Jehovah verschaft daadwerkelijk recht,
de wetteloze raakt verstrikt in hetgeen hij eigenhandig bewerkt.
biggajon, sela

18
Kortom, die wettelozen keren rechtstreeks richting dodenrijk,
al die natiën die God zo gaarne vergeten.
19
Luister, de behoeftige wordt nimmer vergeten,
nooit zal de hoop van wie arm zijn vergaan.

20
O Jehovah, sta toch op,
opdat de macht niet gaat naar ‘mensen slechts’.
Mogen die natiën voor Uw aangezicht worden berecht.
21
O Jehovah, zet hun desnoods het mes op de keel.
De heidense volkeren dienen te weten:
‘mensen slechts’ zijn ook zij. sela

Psalm 10

Maar waarom, Jehovah, staat U zo veraf,
houdt U terug, met daardoor tijden van nood en ontbering?
2
Met gewetenloze hoogmoed brandt men los op de misdeelde,
ze zijn in de ban van ‘listen en lagen’, heel handig bedacht.
3
De gewetenloze geeft hoog op van zijn persoonlijke genoegens,
zijn zegen geldt het winstbejag.
Overduidelijk heeft hij Jehovah veracht,
4
want de gewetenloze, de neus arrogant in de lucht, kijkt nergens naar;
al zijn kwalijke spinsels hebben ‘God is er niet’ als gedachte.

5
En zo gaat hij voort in handel en wandel;
hoe verheven Uw oordelen zijn, ontgaat hem geheel,
allen die hem tegenstaan blaft hij verachtelijk af.
6
Hij zei bij zichzelf: ‘Mij kan toch niets gebeuren,
geen malheur immers, en dat al van geslacht op geslacht.’
7
En vloeken daarbij!
Stijf staat zijn mond van bedrog en intrige,
ongeluk en onrecht liggen paraat onder zijn tong.

8
Zo zet hij zich neer in dicht omheinde hinderlagen,
op verscholen plekken vermoordt hij wie totaal onschuldig is!
Richt zijn spiedend oog zich op zo’n stakker,
9
terwijl hij in zijn schuilplaats op de loer ligt,
als een leeuw in het kreupelhout, op de loer om een ellendige te vangen,
door zijn vangnet dicht te trekken vangt hij de ellendige.
10
Die zakt dan gebroken in elkaar,
gevallen, ten prooi aan zijn brute kracht – de stakkers.
11
Terwijl hij bij zichzelf feitelijk zei:
‘God? Die is het allang vergeten!
Die heeft Zijn gezicht verborgen, heeft nooit iets gezien.’

12
U echter wil ik smeken, Jehovah, sta toch op!
O God, hef op Uw hand,
vergeet niet wie ellendig zijn.
13
Waartoe leidt die gewetenloze godsverachting wel niet,
door wie bij zichzelf zei dat U ‘nergens naar kijkt’?
14
Vast en zeker zag U het, want die ellende en ontsteltenis
neemt U toch waar om het zelf ter hand te nemen?
Op U immers verlaat zich de stakker,
U was de wees toch tot hulp?
15
Welnu, verbreek de sterke arm van we doortrapt gewetenloos is,
met daarbij tevens het kwaad;
speur diens wetteloze sporen na tot U echt niets meer vindt
16
– Jehovah is Koning voor altijd en eeuwig,
de heidense volkeren zullen voorgoed zijn vergaan van Zijn aarde.
17
Zeker zult U luisteren, Jehovah, naar wat die misdeelden verlangen,
U bemoedigt hen, leent hun aandachtig het oor,
18
om recht te verschaffen aan de wees en aan de gekwelde.
Niet langer zal men dan nog proberen
om, waar ook op aarde, gewone mensen te terroriseren.

With thanks to Thamara van Eijzeren

Brenda Boerger (2024) translated psalms 9 and 10 into English and maintained the acrostic:

1 All my thanks I give you, Lord;
And my heart says, “You’re adored.”
2 Accolades for all you’ve done,
Ballads to Almighty One.
3 Blessedly foes flee in fright,
Bad men die when you’re in sight.
4 Cleared name; so I am set free.
Case closed for you act justly.
Court says heathen are condemned!
5 D’feated, seething, in the end.
Don’t consider them again.
Dictate evil be wiped out;
6 Endless ruin in their house.
Erased, gone hither. Amen.
7 Ever Yahweh, ruler, yes!
Faithful rule in righteousness,
8 Fixed on earth your judgment throne:
Filled with justice, yours alone.
9/10 God, you keep the battered safe.
Glad hearts leap now toward your grace.
Glorious Turret, be our host.
High security; none lost.
11 Holy one enthroned in Zion.
Heathens, hear us sing of God.
12 Ignoring not our troubled cries,
It is true our God replies.
13 I say, Mercy! That’s my plea.
Just pluck me from th’enemy.
Justly come, deliver me!
14 Joyous, Zion-bound I stand
Keeping praise sounds in our band;
Keeping joy; saved by your hand!
15 Killers dig a hole, and bait it,
Lured to roll into that same pit.
16 Lord, you showed your fair decrees
Lies the wicked sowed they reaped.
Men rejecting God must go: Must be destined for Sheol.
17 Make the needy hold to hope. Not concede or fold up. Nope.
18 Now, Lord Yahweh, raise your hand.
Nullify the rebel band.
Overwhelm with your great law.
Only then, let their fate dawn—
19 Overawed and frightened men. Only light weights, mortal men.
  ❊ ❊ ❊ ❊
1 Please Yahweh, why far away?
Persecuted day by day.
2 Pulling weaker ones aside.
Patron, times are bleak. Why hide?
3 Quite proud, they love evil rot.
Quarrel, say, “Above’s no God”.
4 Quickly impure ones all say,
 “Quite sure we won’t have to pay. ”
5 Rebels cheer in all they do.
Ruthless sneering at foes too.
6 Resolutely won’t withdraw;
Ruling out King Yahweh’s law.
7 Speak assaults in lie, threat, curse;
Speech is salted with set slurs.
8 Shadow-hid, they slink around,
Search out victims to bring down. Traitors tear the innocent;
9 Terrify like tigers, rend.
Trap the helpless, lie in wait;
10 Troll their net and dangle bait,
Unaware ones feel the snare.
11 Until men judge God won’t care.
Unaddressed ills stay ignored,
Unseen still by Yahweh Lord.

12 Vict’ry, Yahweh, raise your hand.
Vindicate us, take a stand.
13 Violent foes revile our God,
Villains will not get the rod.”
14 Well aware, you see our grief;
 We wait, trusting, for relief.
Wise one rescues orphaned, poor.
Wants to father them, restore.
15 Expunge all evil influence.
 Exact their lull recompense.
 Expose evil, wicked plans.
16 Yahweh, ever, you command;
You drive heathens from your land.
17 Yahweh hears all our requests,
Yields hope for the fatherless.
18 Zealous God lifts the oppressed.
Zapped, our foes cannot cause fear.
Zero hour for man is here.

Ho’o-ho’o-Ho’osana. Hale-hale-hallelu-Yah.
Ho’o-ho’o-Ho’osana. Hale-hale-hallelu-Yah.

complete verse (Psalm 10:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 10:8:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “He hides himself (in wait) for the people near villages,
    from his hiding he kills innocent people,
    he secretly searches for people to destroy.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Hiding outside the villages,
    they kill innocent people who come down the roads.
    Hiding, they spy on them.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “In the towns/villages they wait in their hiding-place watching the innocent ones who will-pass-by in-order to-kill them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “They lie in wait at the village entrance at a place of ?? wanting to kill well-behaved good people. They continually think of killing people who don’t have a refuge.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “He is hiding near homes
    he is watching at people who are innocent whom he wanted to kill.
    He comes from his place of hiding, to kill people.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Anajificha na kuzuia watu vijijini,
    ili amuue ambaye hana wa kumsaidia.
    Macho yake yanawawinda wadhaifu,” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “They hide in villages, ready to ambush/suddenly attack and kill people who are innocent/have done nothing wrong.
    They constantly search for people who will not be able to resist/defend themselves when they are attacked.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 10:8 - 10:9

In these two verses the psalmist describes how the wicked oppress the poor. In vivid figures he pictures the whole process in terms of a criminal hiding in order to rob and kill; of a lion waiting to pounce on the helpless prey; and of a hunter catching an animal in a trap.

Ambush translates a word found only here and in Judges 9.35; Joshua 8.9; and 2 Chronicles 13.13. Sits in ambush must be clarified in some languages along the line taken by Good News Translation, “hides” in line a and “waiting” in line b. Villages were communities unprotected by walls, and so easily attacked. (Instead of the word in the traditional Hebrew text, K-B and New Jerusalem Bible prefer a similar Hebrew word meaning “reeds.”) The innocent are usually those who are not guilty, but in the present context, where they are helpless victims, they are simply good people and may be rendered “helpless people” or “people who have no one to protect them.”

His eyes stealthily watch (“He spies,” Good News Translation) translates the literal “his eyes shelter” (the Hebrew verb means “to hide” or “to treasure”). Although most translations assume this verb can be translated “to spy,” some follow the Septuagint and change the Hebrew text to a form of a Hebrew verb which means “to watch”; so New English Bible. The meaning is not greatly affected by the change.8-9 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says that the Masoretic text may be interpreted in two ways: (1) “his eyes are hidden (to observe) the poor,” meaning “in secret he spies on the poor”; or (2) “his eyes watch out for the poor,” that is “he keeps his eyes on the poor.”

The hapless translates a term whose precise meaning is unknown (it also appears in verses 10, 14, and nowhere else). Most commentators and translators take it to mean “unfortunate, helpless, out of luck.” The English word hapless means “unlucky.”

He lurks in secret like a lion in his covert: “he hides and waits like a lion in its lair.” This portrays the evil man crouching in some hiding place, waiting to spring out like a lion on his victim. If lion is unknown, the translator may have to replace it by a local animal that stalks its prey as a lion does.

For the poor see comment on “the afflicted” in 9.12; New Jerusalem Bible has here “the lowly.”

For net see comment on 9.15b.

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 .

Psalms 9 and 10: Layer by Layer

The following are presentations by the Psalms: Layer by Layer project, run by Scriptura . The first is an overview, the second an introduction into the poetry, and the third an introduction into the exegesis of Psalm 9.


Copyright © Scriptura


Copyright © Scriptura


Copyright © Scriptura

The overview in French (click or tap here to view the video):


Copyright © Scriptura

The introduction into Psalm 9/10’s poetry in French (click or tap here to view the video):


Copyright © Scriptura

Psalm 10 as classical Chinese poetry

John Wu Ching-hsiung (1899-1986) was a native of Ningbo, Zhejiang, a renowned jurist who studied in Europe and the United States, and served as a professor of law at Soochow University, as a judge and the Acting President of the Shanghai Provisional Court, and as the Vice President of the Commission for the Drafting of the Constitution of the Republic of China, before becoming the Minister of the Republic of China to the Holy See. Wu has written extensively, not only on law but also on Chinese philosophy, and has also written his autobiography, Beyond East and West, in English. Wu was a devout Catholic and had a personal relationship with Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975). Wu began translating the the Psalms in 1938, and was encouraged by Chiang to translate the entire New Testament, which he corrected in his own handwriting. (…) John Wu Ching-hsiung’s translation of the Psalms (first draft in 1946, revised in 1975) was translated into Literary Chinese in the form of poetic rhyme, with attention paid to the style of writing. According to the content and mood of the different chapters of the original psalm, Wu chose Chinese poetic forms such as tetrameter, pentameter, heptameter [4, 5 or 7 syllables/Chinese characters per stanza], and the [less formal] Sao style, and sometimes more than two poetic forms were used in a single poem. (Source: Simon Wong)

John Wu Ching-hsiung himself talks about his celebrated and much-admired (though difficult-to-understand) translation in his aforementioned autobiography: (Click or tap here to see)

“Nothing could have been farther from my mind than to translate the Bible or any parts of it with a view to publishing it as an authorized version. I had rendered some of the Psalms into Chinese verse, but that was done as a part of my private devotion and as a literary hobby. When I was in Hongkong in 1938, I had come to know Madame H. H. Kung [Soong Ai-ling], and as she was deeply interested in the Bible, I gave her about a dozen pieces of my amateurish work just for her own enjoyment. What was my surprise when, the next time I saw her, she told me, “My sister [Soong Mei-ling] has written to say that the Generalissimo [Chiang Kai-shek] likes your translation of the Psalms very much, especially the first, the fifteenth, and the twenty-third, the Psalm of the Good Shepherd!”

“In the Autumn of 1940, when I was in Chungking, the Generalissimo invited me several times to lunch with him and expressed his appreciation of the few pieces that he had read. So I sent him some more. A few days later I received a letter from Madame Chiang [Soong Mei-ling], dated September 21, 1940, in which she said that they both liked my translation of the few Psalms I had sent them. ‘For many years,’ she wrote, ‘the Generalissimo has been wanting to have a really adequate and readable Wen-li (literary) translation of the Bible. He has never been able to find anyone who could undertake the matter.’ The letter ends up by saying that I should take up the job and that ‘the Generalissimo would gladly finance the undertaking of this work.’

“After some preliminary study of the commentaries, I started my work with the Psalms on January 6, 1943, the Feast of the Epiphany.

“I had three thousand years of Chinese literature to draw upon. The Chinese vocabulary for describing the beauties of nature is so rich that I seldom failed to find a word, a phrase, and sometimes even a whole line to fit the scene. But what makes such Psalms so unique is that they bring an intimate knowledge of the Creator to bear upon a loving observation of things of nature. I think one of the reasons why my translation is so well received by the Chinese scholars is that I have made the Psalms read like native poems written by a Chinese, who happens to be a Christian. Thus to my countrymen they are at once familiar and new — not so familiar as to be jejune, and not so new as to be bizarre. I did not publish it as a literal translation, but only as a paraphrase.

“To my greatest surprise, [my translation of the Psalms] sold like hot dogs. The popularity of that work was beyond my fondest dreams. Numberless papers and periodicals, irrespective of religion, published reviews too good to be true. I was very much tickled when I saw the opening verse of the first Psalm used as a headline on the front page of one of the non-religious dailies.”

A contemporary researcher (Lindblom 2021) mentions this about Wu’s translation: “Wu created a unique and personal work of sacred art that bears the imprint of his own admitted love and devotion, a landmark achievement comparable to Antoni Gaudi’s Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain. Although its use is still somewhat limited today, it continues to attract readers for the aforementioned qualities, and continues to be used in prayers and music by those who desire beauty and an authentic Chinese-sounding text that draws from China’s ancient traditions.”

The translation of Psalm 10 from the 1946 edition is in the so-called Sao style and the rhyme schemes are -u and -ang (the 1946 edition did not have verse numbers either):

問主

我問主兮何故。邈然逝兮不我顧。時艱難兮困苦。主自隱兮何處。 惡人橫行兮無度。窮人被逼兮無路。設詭計兮逞狂圖。欺孤寡兮陷無辜。 驕矜自慢兮。目無主宰。刼奪人財兮。逍遙法外。 飛揚跋扈兮心誇大。謂天主兮安足怕。中心兮自忖。天主兮何存。 基業兮穩固。千秋兮不淪。坐井而觀天兮。夫焉知吾主之經綸。 恃勢凌人兮。自謂安如磐石永享康寧。 彼之口中兮。惟有欺詐與呪詛。彼之舌底兮。滿貯螫毒與邪汚。 埋伏窮鄉。殺人僻巷。 耽耽虎視。窮民遭殃。 驅無辜兮入網。 謂天主兮健忘。既揜顏兮不見。我隱惡兮奚彰。 我向主兮發哀歎。舉爾手兮濟眾難。 莫容惡人兮誣神明。謂天主兮其不靈。 詎知吾主兮早見。報應兮如電。窮苦兮無告。惟主兮是靠。孤兒兮無父。惟主兮是怙。 求主痛擊群姦兮。折其臂膀。 窮究妖孽兮。降以淪喪。惟我天主兮。永古為王。與主為敵兮。靡有不亡。 主已垂聽兮。謙者之音。必賜慰藉兮。堅固其心。 伸彼冤屈兮。保彼焭獨。莫令凡人兮。擅作威福。

Transcription into Roman alphabet with the rhyme scheme and the particle xī, that is characteristic for the Sao style, highlighted:

wèn zhǔ

wǒ wèn zhǔ 。 miǎo rán shì bù wǒ 。 shí jiān nán kùn 。 zhǔ zì yǐn chǔ 。 è rén héng xíng 。 qióng rén bèi bī 。 shè guǐ jì chěng kuáng 。 qī gū guǎ xiàn wú 。 jiāo jīn zì màn 。 mù wú zhǔ zǎi 。 刼 duó rén cái 。 xiāo yáo fǎ wài 。 fēi yáng bá hù xīn kuā dà 。 wèi tiān zhǔ ān zú pà 。 zhōng xīn zì cǔn 。 tiān zhǔ hé cún 。 jī yè wěn gù 。 qiān qiū bù lún 。 zuò jǐng ér guān tiān 。 fū yān zhī wú zhǔ zhī jīng lún 。 shì shì líng rén 。 zì wèi ān rú pán shí yǒng xiǎng kāng níng 。 bǐ zhī kǒu zhōng 。 wéi yǒu qī zhà yǔ zhòu zǔ 。 bǐ zhī shé dǐ 。 mǎn zhù shì dú yǔ xié wū 。 mái fú qióng xiāng 。 shā rén pì xiàng 。 dān dān hǔ shì 。 qióng mín zāo yāng 。 qū wú gū wǎng 。 wèi tiān zhǔ jiàn wàng 。 jì yǎn yán bù jiàn 。 wǒ yǐn è zhāng 。 wǒ xiàng zhǔ fā āi tàn 。 jǔ ěr shǒu jì zhòng nán 。 mò róng è rén wū shén míng 。 wèi tiān zhǔ qí bù líng 。 jù zhī wú zhǔ zǎo jiàn 。 bào yīng rú diàn 。 qióng kǔ wú gào 。 wéi zhǔ shì kào 。 gū ér wú fù 。 wéi zhǔ shì hù 。 qiú zhǔ tòng jī qún jiān 。 zhē qí bì bǎng 。 qióng jiū yāo niè 。 jiàng yǐ lún sāng 。 wéi wǒ tiān zhǔ 。 yǒng gǔ wéi wáng 。 yǔ zhǔ wéi dí 。 mí yǒu bù wáng 。 zhǔ yǐ chuí tīng 。 qiān zhě zhī yīn 。 bì cì wèi jiè 。 jiān gù qí xīn 。 shēn bǐ yuān qū 。 bǎo bǐ qióng dú 。 mò líng fán rén 。 shàn zuò wēi fú 。

With thanks to Simon Wong.