The Hebrew that is translated as “steadfast love,” “lovingkindness” or similar in English is translated in Vidunda as “love of enduring.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
In Bura-Pabir it is translated as hyirkur na a palidzi wa or “love which cannot be-changed,” in the HausaCommon Language Bible as kaunarsa marar canjawa or “his love without changing” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin), in Elhomwe as echikondi yoohisintheya or “love that does not finish” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext), and in Nyamwezi as chelu, combining “love,” “faithfulness,” “loyalty,” and “kindness” (source: James Lundeen).
In Pijintinghevi long or “think heavy about” is used. “The Pijin expression ‘think heavy about’ is very much within the domain of committed relationships. The relationship between father and child, husband and wife, God and His people. There is a very strong element of ‘loyalty’ in this expression.” (Source: Bob Carter)
The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the HausaCommon Language Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.
Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin terms that are typically translated as “mercy” (or “compassion” or “kindness”) in English are translated in various ways. Bratcher / Nida classify them in (1) those based on the quality of heart, or other psychological center, (2) those which introduce the concept of weeping or extreme sorrow, (3) those which involve willingness to look upon and recognize the condition of others, or (4) those which involve a variety of intense feelings.
While the Englishmercy originates from the Latinmerces, originally “price paid,” Romance languages (Italian, Spanish, Corsican, Catalan) and other Germanic languages (German, Swedish, Danish — Barmherzigkeit, barmhärtighet and barmhjertighed, respectively) tend to follow the Latin misericordia, lit. “misery-heart.”
Translators of different languages have found different ways with what kind of formality God is addressed. The first example is from a language where God is always addressed distinctly formal whereas the second is one where the opposite choice was made.
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight
Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.
As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.
In these verses, in which humans address God, the informal, familiar pronoun is used that communicates closeness.
Voinov notes that “in the Tuvan Bible, God is only addressed with the informal pronoun. No exceptions. An interesting thing about this is that I’ve heard new Tuvan believers praying with the formal form to God until they are corrected by other Christians who tell them that God is close to us so we should address him with the informal pronoun. As a result, the informal pronoun is the only one that is used in praying to God among the Tuvan church.”
In Gbaya, “a superior, whether father, uncle, or older brother, mother, aunt, or older sister, president, governor, or chief, is never addressed in the singular unless the speaker intends a deliberate insult. When addressing the superior face to face, the second person plural pronoun ɛ́nɛ́ or ‘you (pl.)’ is used, similar to the French usage of vous.
Accordingly, the translators of the current version of the Gbaya Bible chose to use the plural ɛ́nɛ́ to address God. There are a few exceptions. In Psalms 86:8, 97:9, and 138:1, God is addressed alongside other “gods,” and here the third person pronoun o is used to avoid confusion about who is being addressed. In several New Testament passages (Matthew 21:23, 26:68, 27:40, Mark 11:28, Luke 20:2, 23:37, as well as in Jesus’ interaction with Pilate and Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well) the less courteous form for Jesus is used to indicate ignorance of his position or mocking (source Philip Noss).
In Dutch and Western Frisian translations, however, God is always addressed with the formal pronoun.
In contrast with his enemies’ wickedness, the psalmist, in this closing strophe (verses 5-6), expresses reliance on Yahweh and his trust in him. The personal pronoun at the beginning of verse 5 in Hebrew may be emphatic: “But I, on my part”; so New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant.
I have trusted translates a verb meaning to rely on, depend on, place confidence in (see the related noun in 4.8). The continuative aspect may be better represented in English by “I am trusting” or “I always trust.” Trusted must be translated idiomatically in many languages; for example, “have a thick heart” or “place your heart upon.”
Steadfast love translates a complex set of relations and emotions. It is frequently necessary to render these in a clause containing a verb with both actor and object made explicit. Line a may thus be rendered “I will place my heart upon you because you love me faithfully” or “… because you love me all the time.” See comment on steadfast love in 5.7.
Rejoice is the same verb as in verse 4b.
Thy salvation (Good News Translation “you will rescue me”) must often be recast as a verbal clause and expressed idiomatically; for example, “cause me to live” or “make me see life.” See also comments at 3.8.
I will sing translates a verb that is used many times in Psalms. Good News Translation “to you, O LORD” is a change from the third person, to the LORD, to the second person of direct address, a change made to maintain uniformity with the preceding verse. In translation it is often necessary to make explicit the object of the singing; for example, “I will sing songs to you.”
Has dealt bountifully means “has treated generously” (Good News Translation “you have been good”). This translates a verb which means to deal with, either in a good or a bad sense, depending on the context; see 7.4 “if I have requited … evil.” Here it obviously means to benefit, bless, be good to.
New American Bible takes the last line of verse 6 to be the words that in the first line the psalmist vows to sing: “Let me sing of the LORD, ‘He has been good to me.’ ”
By a slight change of the Masoretic text, which has “to me” at the end of verse 6, Dahood gets a divine title, “because the Most High has done (good).” At the end of verse 6, the Septuagint adds “and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High,” which Bible de Jérusalem and New Jerusalem Bible follow. This is possible but is not very probable; the Masoretic text is to be preferred.
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, the second an introduction into the poetry, and the third an introduction into the exegesis of Psalm 13.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.