Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 118:5:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“While I was in my afflictions I cried to Jehovah,
and He answered me by removing me from those afflictions.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“From my heart, which was in pain,
I made a request to the LORD,
and He answered me,
[and] delivered me.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“In my trouble/difficulty, I called-(out) to the LORD,
and he answered me by-means-of setting- me -free.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Laarim:
“I cried to the LORD in my suffering,
and he answered, then he released me to stay well.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Wakati niko katika shida niliomba kwa BWANA,
alisikia, akanifungua katika mateso.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“When I was distressed, I called out to Yahweh, and he answered me and set me free from my worries/troubles.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Following is a translation of Psalm 118 into dance and song in Kabiyè by Groupe Leleŋ. The video is followed by an English back-translation as well as the original Kabiyè text and a French back-translations. The leader (call) part is in standard type, the ensemble (response) is italicized.
His mercy endures forever! (2 times)
My dear ones, His mercy endures forever! (2 times)
I say that His mercy endures forever! (4 times)
Where are the Jews? His mercy endures forever!
Praise the Eternal, His mercy endures forever!
Where are Aaron’s sons? His mercy endures forever!
Where are the Kabiye people? His mercy endures forever!
My dear ones His mercy endures forever! (4 times)
The Eternal is with me, His mercy endures forever!
I am not afraid, His mercy endures forever!
The enemy can do nothing against me, His mercy endures forever!
The Eternal is my strength, His mercy endures forever!
My dear ones His mercy endures forever! (4 times)
Enemies have surrounded me, His mercy endures forever!
In the name of the Eternal, His mercy endures forever!
I cut them to pieces, His mercy endures forever!
The Eternal is the victor, His mercy endures forever!
My dear ones His mercy endures forever! (4 times)
Yuguyi, yuguyi, yuguyi, yuguyi, … [shouts of joy] His mercy endures forever! (4 times)
The enemy cannot push me, His mercy endures forever!
Shouts of joy go up, His mercy endures forever!
From the houses of the righteous, His mercy endures forever!
The Eternal is the victor, His mercy endures forever!
My dear ones His mercy endures forever! (4 times)
He saved me from death, His mercy endures forever!
Open the doors for me, His mercy endures forever!
That I may enter and praise him, His mercy endures forever!
Let us bow down before him, His mercy endures forever!
My dear ones His mercy endures forever! (4 times)
Yuguyi, yuguyi, yuguyi, yuguyi, … [shouts of joy] His mercy endures forever! (4 times)
Praise the Eternal, His mercy endures forever!
Praise be to the mighty God, His mercy endures forever!
Praise be to God, the victor, His mercy endures forever!
Let us rejoice, His mercy endures forever!
My dear ones His mercy endures forever! (4 times)
Click or tap here to see the the text in French back-translation
Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (2 fois)
Mes chers, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (2 fois)
Je dis que Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (4 fois)
Où sont les juifs? Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Louez l’Eternel, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Où sont les fils d’Aaron? Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Où est le peuple kabɩyɛ? Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Mes chers Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (4 fois)
L’Eternel est avec moi, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Je n’ai pas peur, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
L’ennemi ne peut rien contre moi, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
L’Eternel est ma force, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Mes chers Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (4 fois)
Les ennemis m’ont environné, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Au nom de l’Eternel, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Je les ai taillé en pièce, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
L’Eternel est le vainqueur, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Mes chers Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (4 fois)
Yuguyi, yuguyi, yuguyi, yuguyi, … [cris d’allégresse] Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (4 fois)
L’ennemi ne peut pas me pousser, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Les cris de joie montent, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Des maisons des justes, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
L’Eternel est le vainqueur, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Mes chers Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (4 fois)
Il m’a sauvé de la mort, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Ouvrez-moi les portes, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Afin que j’entre le louer, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Prosternons-nous devant lui, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Mes chers Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (4 fois)
Yuguyi, yuguyi, yuguyi, yuguyi, … [cris d’allégresse] Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (4 fois)
Louer l’Eternel, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Que le Dieu puissant soit loué, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Que Dieu, le vainqueur soit loué, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Réjouissons-nous, Sa miséricorde dure à toujours!
Mes chers Sa miséricorde dure à toujours! (4 fois)
Kabiye transcription and translation to French was completed by Mawèdong Amana, checking of Kabiye orthography and French translation was done by Kpatcha Hemou and Essokilina Tchamie, English translation by Sarah Jane Capper. Groupe Leleŋ members: Mawèdong Amana, Amen Kantchiliba, Joeline Awi, Essokélinam Komla Pakou, Matchapatcholo Soki.
The artists in these videos composed these songs by studying Psalms 6, 150 and 118 as well as Kabiye music and dance styles. They participated in a two-week workshop organized by SIL Togo-Benin in Kara, Togo in partnership with the master’s thesis research of Sarah Jane Capper for Dallas International University; the Association pour la Promotion des Saintes-Écritures en Kabiye (APSEK); and Scriptura.
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, michibik-are-ru (導かれる) or “lead/guide” is used.
The psalmist recounts how Yahweh has protected him. In verse 5a distress translates the same word translated “pangs” in 116.3b; and LORD translates Yah (see comments on 68.4). Set me free translates “in a roomy (or, large) place” (see 18.19; 31.8), thus contrasting with the word for distress, which means a narrow, confined place. From such a restrictive place of imprisonment the psalmist was given freedom to roam about (see comments on 4.1). The language is figurative; the psalmist is not talking of having been released from prison.
The psalmist knows that Yahweh is with him, and so he is not afraid of anyone or anything (verse 6a). The rhetorical question What can man do to me? in verse 6b is a way of stating that he is certain no one can harm him (see 56.4, 11). Verse 6 is quoted in Hebrews 13.6. With the LORD on my side I do not fear is a statement consisting of a reason followed by a conclusion. In some languages this relationship will need to be more clearly marked than in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation; for example, “Because the LORD is with me, I will not be afraid” or “The LORD is with me; therefore I will fear nothing.” In many languages a literal translation of What can man do to me? will be misunderstood. It will very often be necessary, accordingly, to make explicit that the generic do to me means “do evil” or “do harm”; for example, as a statement, “No one can do me any harm” or “No one can harm me”; as a rhetorical question, “Who can do any evil to me?”
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 .
The following are presentations by the Psalms: Layer by Layer project, run by Scriptura . The first is an overview and the second an introduction into the exegesis of Psalm 118.
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