faithful

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The Greek, Hebrew, and Ge’ez that is rendered as “faithful” in English is (back-) translated in various ways:

See also faith / believe.

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.

complete verse (Psalm 149:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 149:5:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Let the holy hearted celebrate in his respect
    and sing joyfully on their beds.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “May faithful people rejoice on account of the glory,
    and may they do "jəye jəye" even as they stay in their beds.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Let- the people of God -rejoice in him because of their victory;
    let- them -sing for joy even in their beds/[lit. things-to-lie-down-on].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “His holy people are happy to defeat them,
    and they sing with joy on their beds.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Watakatifu washangilie kwa utukufu wake,
    wafurahie hata kama wamelala.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “God’s people should rejoice because they have won battles
    and they should sing joyfully all during the night!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 149:4 - 149:5

In verses 4-9 the psalmist tells why the people of Israel should praise Yahweh: it is because he takes pleasure in his people (see 147.11) and he gives them victory (verse 4). In verse 4b the humble (see comments on “the afflicted” in 9.12) describes Yahweh’s people as those whose only source of help and strength is Yahweh himself, and not any human being; they are completely dependent on him for victory. Good News Translation does not link verse 4 to the preceding verse. However, the two need to be related, and in some languages it may be necessary to begin verse 4 by saying, for example, “Do this because the LORD delights in his people” or “… the LORD’s people make him happy.” The verb translated adorns occurs only here in Psalms; victory is seen as a garland, or crown, which is placed on the head of the victor. Adorns the humble with victory may be recast to say, for example, “he honors those who depend on him, by helping them defeat their enemies.”

In verse 5 the people of Israel are called, as often, the faithful (see “the godly” in 4.3); glory in line a has the specific sense of victory or triumph (New English Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). If the translator ends verse 4 as suggested above, Good News Translation‘s “in their triumph” may be handled by saying “Let God’s people rejoice because they have won the battle.” It is not certain what the Hebrew on their couches in verse 5b means. Some think it refers to the seats at the religious meals; others, that it refers to prayer mats (so New English Bible “as they kneel before him”; similarly New Jerusalem Bible); others take it to mean “even when they are sick in bed”; and still others believe it means “even when they are (supposed to be) asleep” (so Good News Translation, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Bible en français courant, Dahood, Cohen). Some emend the Hebrew on their couches to “according to their families” or to “in their tabernacle,” that is, the Temple (Briggs).

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 .