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)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 149:2:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“Let Israel rejoice in his creator;
let the people of Zion celebrate in their King.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“May Israel rejoice on account of its maker,
May Zion rejoice on account of its king!” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“Let- those who are-from Israel -rejoice/be-glad because of their Creator.
Let- the people of Zion -rejoice because of their King.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Laarim:
“People of Israel, you rejoice because of your Creator.
People of Zion, you dance because of your King.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Israeli afurahie kwa muumbaji wake,
watu wa katika Sayuni wamshangilie mfalme wao.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“You Israeli people, be glad because of what God, who created you, has done for you!
You people of Jerusalem, rejoice because of what God your king has done for you!” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
The psalm opens with a call to the people of Israel to praise Yahweh in the Temple festival, the assembly of the faithful, that is, the meeting of the people who are faithful to Yahweh. For a new song see 96.1.
Verse 2 consists of two parallel and synonymous lines: Israel … sons of Zion (see 2.6), and his Maker … their King. For “your Creator” see comments on 100.3, where it is noted that this term does not necessarily refer to creation. In verses 2-3 Good News Translation has kept the second person of direct address of verse 1, not the third person of the Hebrew text. In both lines of verse 2 the clause “because of…” gives the reason why the people should praise Yahweh: it is because of what he has done, and still does, for them. Verse 2b shifts from general to specific categories with corresponding intensification of feeling. In English the whole unit can be rendered “Be glad, Israel, because of the one who has created you, and still more, people of Zion, because he is the one who rules over you.”
In verse 3 the people are called upon to celebrate with dancing and the playing of drums (Revised Standard Versiontimbrel; see 81.2) and “harps” (Revised Standard Versionlyre; see 33.2a). It may be best in some languages to recast verse 3 by shifting from third-person imperatives to second-person imperatives; for example, “Dance, beat the drums, and play the musical instruments to praise him.” However, if the original form can be followed more closely, one may say “Dance in order to praise him; even more, praise God by playing the drums and the harp.”
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 .
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