plowed on my back

In Gbaya, the notion of the marks on the back in Psalm 129:3 is emphasized with wɔsɔkɔɗɔ, an ideophone referring to also numerous bruises or marks resulting from a beating.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

complete verse (Psalm 129:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 129:3:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Plowing people cultivated on my back
    and they made on it long ridges:” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “They have made deep wounds in my back,
    What they did [to my back]
    was like ploughing a field with bullocks.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “They deeply wounded our (excl.) backs;
    like/as-if this (was) plowed land.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “People cut my back with hoes,
    like the furrow of cultivation.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Wameniumiza sana mgongoni kwangu,
    wamenikata mgongoni kama vile mkulima ambaye analima matuta.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Our enemies struck us with whips that cut into our backs
    like a farmer uses a plow to cut deep furrows into the ground.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 129:3

The language in this verse is the figure of a farmer plowing his field: the sharp end of the plow cuts deep furrows in the earth and leaves ridges behind. In the same way (by a change of metaphor) the cruel oppressors of the Israelites had been like slave overseers whose whips would leave deep welts on the slaves’ backs. The figure is not one easily portrayed in translation, and it may be necessary to abandon it altogether. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translates “They have wounded my shoulders with whips, opening large welts in them”; Bible en français courant has “They have left deep furrows in my back, like a man plowing a field.” The most cruel and painful kind of suffering is indicated. In translation it may be necessary to make clear that the image refers to suffering; for example, “They made me suffer, like a farmer plowing a field they made deep wounds in my back.” In some languages it will be necessary to adapt the plowing metaphor to say in verse 3b, for example, “and made my back like a hoed field” or “tore open my back like a farmer works a field.”

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 .