complete verse (Psalm 137:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 137:3:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “for the people who captured us into slavery requested us that we sing songs.
    Our persecutors wanted songs of celebration;
    they said, ‘Sing for us one of the songs of Zion!’” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Those who had captured us caused us to sing songs,
    Those who torment us say,
    "Sing a joyful song for us!"
    They say "Sing us a song of Zion!"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “The ones (who) captured us (excl.) made- us (excl.) -to-sing.
    They commanded us (excl.) to entertain them.
    They said, ‘[You (plur.)] sing us (excl.) a song about Zion!’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “for the people who ruled us asked us that, ‘You sing songs.’
    They really wanted our songs of joy,
    and said to us, ‘You sing the songs of Zion!’” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Kwa maana huko ambao walitushika katika utumwa,
    wakataka tuwaimbie nyimbo.
    Ambao walitudhihaki wakataka kwamba tuwafurahishe,
    wakasema, ‘Tuimbieni wimbo mmoja wa katika Sayuni.’” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “The soldiers who had captured us and taken us to Babylonia told us to sing for them;
    they told us to entertain them/make them happy, saying,
    ‘Sing for us one of the songs that you previously sang in Jerusalem!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

joy

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The Greek, Latin, Ge’ez, and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various strategies:

  • Baoulé: “a song in the stomach” (see also peace (inner peace))
  • Bambara: “the spirit is made sweet”
  • Kpelle: “sweet heart”
  • Tzeltal: “the good taste of one’s heart”
  • Uduk: “good to the stomach”
  • Mískito: “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source for this and above: Nida 1952)
  • Mairasi: “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Noongar: koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “refreshed heart” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).
  • Hausa Common Language Bible: farin ciki or “white stomach.” Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling,” happiness / joy, and exceeding joy.

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Ps 137:3)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai translation uses the exclusive pronoun. The Adamawa Fulfulde translation also uses the inclusive pronoun at first but then switches to exclusive (“Sing us”).

Translation commentary on Psalm 137:3

This verse describes how their Babylonian masters tried to make the Israelite captives sing the sacred songs used in worship in the Temple. There is considerable uncertainty over the meaning of the Hebrew word that Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible translate tormentors; the word occurs only here in the Old Testament. Holladay and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project propose “oppressors”; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “our despoilers”; Bible en français courant “our persecutors.” The Septuagint translates “those who led us away” (parallel with “those who made us prisoners”). In any case the word is synonymous with the previous our captors. Good News Translation has shortened and combined the two, since it is not necessary to supply an exact synonym.

The Hebrew “they demanded of us … happiness” can be understood either “they demanded that we be happy” (see New English Bible) or “… sing happy songs” (Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy); or else, “they demanded that we make them happy,” that is, “entertain them” (by singing); so Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and Bible de Jérusalem. In some languages it may be necessary to recast “Those who captured us” as “the Babylonians who captured us.” This helps avoid giving the impression that the captors and the Babylonians are two separate groups. Good News Translation‘s “they told us to entertain them” may sometimes be recast as “sing for them and make them happy.”

In the last line one of the songs of Zion can be, as Good News Translation has it, “about Zion”; or else, “one of the songs you used to sing in Jerusalem (or, in the Temple).” The latter is more likely.

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 .