acrostic in Psalm 25

The Hebrew text of Psalms 9/10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145 uses acrostics, a literary form in which each verse is started with one of the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. According to Brenda Boerger (in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. ) there are three different reasons for acrostics in the Hebrew text: “for ease of memorization,” the representation “of the full breadth and depth of a topic, all the way from aleph to taw (tav),” and the perception of “the acrostic form as aesthetically attractive.” (p. 191)

While most translations mention the existence of an acrostic in a note or a comment, few implement it in their translation. The Natügu translation is one such exception. Boerger (see above) cites a strong tradition in singing the psalms and the fact that Natügu, like Hebrew, also has 22 possible initial letters as motivating factors to maintain the acrostics in that language.

Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Natügu

1-2 Awi Yawe mz nzngini-krm Gct rnge.
Abrtr-zvzbo drtwrnge bam mz nzkrka’-krbo bam.
Bzkq rlr-ngrbzme mz enqmi rngeng nzaovxio-krdr ninge.
Bzkq nzamyatimlr drtqnge.
3 Clvebz doa kc tqabrtr-zvzbzle drtwrde bam, murde drtqde ma tzamyatibz.
Clveti-lzbq zvz doa lc, a’ mrlx kx ani txpwz nzota-krmu ncdr, mrlz nzmyakr drtqde.
4 Da kx sutitx-zlwzbz drtwrnge bam, nzalvztr-krme bange nqmq krmqng amrlx.
Delc nakrlz-zpwx-ngrne lrpzki rm.
5 Elalvzx nzokatr-krme ninge mz nzvz-nqblq-krnge natqm.
Eu. Murde nim Gct rnge kc tqarlapxle ninge, x tqabrkitr-zvzx drtwrnge nim.
6 Gct, aelwapx-zvzm nzaodu-krm x nivz lrm bange.
Gct, ale da lc, da kc tqwai-pnzq mzli kc bqnc.
7 Ipq ninge mz alwx kcng tqalexng mzli kc tqngini-ngrne obla, murde nim mrlz-esz’ngr.
Ipqpx nzvz-rbr-krngeng amrlx mz nzdcpxkr mz drtwrm nzaodu-zvz-krm.
8 Jzs-zvzq leplz mz nzmncngr kxmrlz x kxtubq.
Jzsiq mz nzalvztr-krm kxnzaleng alwx, murde nao-zlilr nzti rm.
9 Kxrmailz, aelwapx-ngrbzme mz kxnzavzo-lzbqng da kxtubq.
Kxakrlz, alvztr-zvz-ngrn nidr me pnz drtwrm.
10 Lrpzki rmqng amrlx nzaelwapxbzlr mz leplz nemqng nzaodu-krm x nzangidati-krm natqm.
Leplz lcng nzyrlq-zvzlr nzalvztr-krm x nzesz’tikr drtwrmu badr.
11 Ma-nqblq natqm kc tqesalz-ngrn mz nzipqpx-krm alwx rngeng,
Murde nzkqlu-zlwzng.
12 Nekeng nzlxngiti-angidrlr natqm,
Nzo-zlilr lrpzki angidr mz nzalvztr-krm nidr.
13 Olvz x ncblo lcng sa namnc-zpwxng.
Oliqtibz drtc’ kc tqpibzme, murde doa nedrng namnc-kzng elr.
14 Pqtr mz drtwrm leplz kcng tzamrluelr nim.
Pipx-zvzbzme da kx na-alelr mz nzvz-nqblq-krdr nzesz’tikr drtwrmu badr.
Nzkrka’ngr
15 Rtxtrpwo nibrnge bam mz nzmnc-xgle-krnge nim.
Rlapx-zvzx mz nzokatr-krm ninge.
16 Suti drtwrnge kx naobqme bange x nayc mz drtwrm ninge.
Sutitx drtwrnge murde trpengr kztenge x trmnc-zpwxpewxu.
17 Trte, katxpxbz nztalvzokr nabznge.
Tekqtr drtwrm x arlapxbz ninge mz nzkxpu-krngeng.
18 Vz zvz nzaotikr drtwrm nzkxpu-krnge x nzetqkr drtqnge,
Vzm x ipqpxbz alwx rngeng.
19 Wx-nzlongr nabznge nzkqlu-zlwzkr enqmi rngeng.
Wzpx zlwz mz drtwrdr nzatrkati-krdr ninge.
20 Xplrlvzbz ninge mz enqmi rngeng mz nztu-krme mz nibrnge.
X bzkq rlr-ngrbzme badr nzamyati-krmlr drtqnge, murde nim me rlakitrx.
21 Yawe, arlapx ninge murde tubqx x nabznge lqngi.
Yrlqtr-zvzbo nzlu-krnge bam.
22 Zmatq ngrm, navzm mz nzarlapx-krbzle nigr lr Israel mz
Ztrkang amrlx kcng tqrmctikr mzli ka.

© 2008, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. All rights reserved.

The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) maintains most Hebrew acrostics (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew). Due to the higher number of letters in the English alphabet, it skips the letter V, X, Y, and Z.

1 (Of David.) All my heart goes out to thee, O Lord my God.
2 Belie not the trust I have in thee, let not my enemies boast of my downfall.
3 Can any that trust in thee be disappointed, as they are disappointed who lightly break their troth?
4 Direct my way, Lord, as thou wilt, teach me thy own paths.
5 Ever let thy truth guide and teach me, O God my deliverer, my abiding hope.
6 Forget not, Lord, thy pity, thy mercies of long ago.
7 Give heed no more to the sins and frailties of my youth, but think mercifully of me, as thou, Lord, art ever gracious.
8 How gracious is the Lord, how faithful, guiding our strayed feet back to the path!
9 In his own laws he will train the humble, in his own paths the humble he will guide.
10 Jealous be thy keeping of covenant and ordinance, and the Lord’s dealings will be ever gracious, ever faithful with thee.
11 Kindly be thy judgement of my sin, for thy own honour’s sake, my grievous sin.
12 Let a man but fear the Lord, what path to choose he doubts no longer.
13 Much joy he shall have of his lands and to his heirs leave them.
14 No stranger the Lord is, no secret his covenant, to his true worshippers.
15 On the Lord I fix my eyes continually, trusting him to save my feet from the snare.
16 Pity me, Lord, as thou seest me friendless and forlorn.
17 Quit my heart of its burden, deliver me from my distress.
18 Restless and forlorn, I claim thy pity, to my sins be merciful.
19 See how many are my foes, and how bitter is the grudge they bear me.
20 Take my soul into thy keeping; come to my rescue, do not let me be disappointed of my trust in thee.
21 Uprightness and purity be my shield, as I wait patiently, Lord, for thy help.
22 When wilt thou deliver Israel, my God, from all his troubles? (Source )

The English New Jerusalem Bible (publ. 1985) also translated this Psalm as an acrostic:

1 [Of David] ADORATION I offer, Yahweh,
2 to you, my God. BUT in my trust in you do not put me to shame, let not my enemies gloat over me.
3 CALLING to you, none shall ever be put to shame, but shame is theirs who groundlessly break faith.
4 DIRECT me in your ways, Yahweh, and teach me your paths.
5 ENCOURAGE me to walk in your truth and teach me since you are the God who saves me. FOR my hope is in you all day long — such is your generosity, Yahweh.
6 GOODNESS and faithful love have been yours for ever, Yahweh, do not forget them.
7 HOLD not my youthful sins against me, but remember me as your faithful love dictates.
8 INTEGRITY and generosity are marks of Yahweh for he brings sinners back to the path.
9 JUDICIOUSLY he guides the humble, instructing the poor in his way.
10 KINDNESS unfailing and constancy mark all Yahweh’s paths, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
11 LET my sin, great though it is, be forgiven, Yahweh, for the sake of your name.
12 MEN who respect Yahweh, what of them? He teaches them the way they must choose.
13 NEIGHBOURS to happiness will they live, and their children inherit the land.
14 ONLY those who fear Yahweh have his secret and his covenant, for their understanding.
15 PERMANENTLY my eyes are on Yahweh, for he will free my feet from the snare.
16 QUICK, turn to me, pity me, alone and wretched as I am!
17 RELIEVE the distress of my heart, bring me out of my constraint.
18 SPARE a glance for my misery and pain, take all my sins away.
19 TAKE note how countless are my enemies, how violent their hatred for me.
20 UNLESS you guard me and rescue me I shall be put to shame, for you are my refuge.
21 VIRTUE and integrity be my protection, for my hope, Yahweh, is in you.
22 Ransom Israel, O God, from all its troubles. (Source )

forgive, forgiveness

The concept of “forgiveness” is expressed in varied ways through translations. Following is a list of (back-) translations from some languages:

  • Tswa, North Alaskan Inupiatun, Panao Huánuco Quechua: “forget about”
  • Navajo: “give back” (based on the idea that sin produces an indebtedness, which only the one who has been sinned against can restore)
  • Huichol, Shipibo-Conibo, Eastern Highland Otomi, Uduk, Tepo Krumen: “erase,” “wipe out,” “blot out”
  • Highland Totonac, Huautla Mazatec: “lose,” “make lacking”
  • Tzeltal: “lose another’s sin out of one’s heart”
  • Lahu, Burmese: “be released,” “be freed”
  • Ayacucho Quechua: “level off”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “cast away”
  • Chol: “pass by”
  • Wayuu: “make pass”
  • Kpelle: “turn one’s back on”
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “cover over” (a figure of speech which is also employed in Hebrew, but which in many languages is not acceptable, because it implies “hiding” or “concealment”)
  • Tabasco Chontal, Huichol: “take away sins”
  • Toraja-Sa’dan, Javanese: “do away with sins”
  • San Blas Kuna: “erase the evil heart” (this and all above: Bratcher / Nida, except Tepo Krumen: Peter Thalmann in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 25f.)
  • Eggon: “withdraw the hand”
  • Mískito: “take a man’s fault out of your heart” (source of this and the one above: Kilgour, p. 80)
  • Western Parbate Kham: “unstring someone” (“hold a grudge” — “have someone strung up in your heart”) (source: Watters, p. 171)
  • Hawai’i Creole English: “let someone go” (source: Jost Zetzsche)
  • Cebuano: “go beyond” (based on saylo)
  • Iloko: “none” or “no more” (based on awan) (source for this and above: G. Henry Waterman in The Bible Translator 1960, p. 24ff. )
  • Tzotzil: ch’aybilxa: “it has been lost” (source: Aeilts, p. 118)
  • Suki: biaek eisaemauwa: “make heart soft” (Source L. and E. Twyman in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 91ff. )
  • Warao: “not being concerned with him clean your obonja.” Obonja is a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions” (source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. See other occurrences of Obojona in the Warao New Testament.)
  • Martu Wangka: “throw out badness” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Mairasi: “dismantle wrongs” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Nyulnyul: “have good heart” (source )
  • Koonzime: “remove the bad deed-counters” (“The Koonzime lay out the deeds symbolically — usually strips of banana leaf — and rehearse their grievances with the person addressed.”) (Source: Keith and Mary Beavon in Notes on Translation 3/1996, p. 16)
  • Ngbaka: ele: “forgive and forget” (Margaret Hill [in Holzhausen & Ridere 2010, p. 8f.] recalls that originally there were two different words used in Ngbaka, one for God (ɛlɛ) and one for people (mbɔkɔ — excuse something) since it was felt that people might well forgive but, unlike God, can’t forget. See also this lectionary in The Christian Century .
  • Amahuaca: “erase” / “smooth over” (“It was an expression the people used for smoothing over dirt when marks or drawings had been made in it. It meant wiping off dust in which marks had been made, or wiping off writing on the blackboard. To wipe off the slate, to erase, to take completely away — it has a very wide meaning and applies very well to God’s wiping away sins, removing them from the record, taking them away.”) (Source: Robert Russel, quoted in Walls / Bennett 1959, p. 193)
  • Gonja / Dangme: “lend / loan” (in the words of one Dangme scholar: “When you sin and you are forgiven, you forget that you have been forgiven, and continue to sin. But when you see the forgiveness as a debt/loan which you will pay for, you do not continue to sin, else you have more debts to pay” — quoted in Jonathan E.T. Kuwornu-Adjaottor in Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies 17/2 2010, p. 67ff. )
  • Kwere: kulekelela, meaning literally “to allow for.” Derived from the root leka which means “to leave.” In other words, forgiveness is leaving behind the offense in relationship to the person. It is also used in contexts of setting someone free. (Source: Megan Barton)
  • Merina Malagasy: mamela or “leave / let go (of sin / mistakes)” (source: Brigitte Rabarijaona)

See also this devotion on YouVersion .

sin

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated as “sin” in English has a wide variety of translations.

The Greek ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) carries the original verbatim meaning of “miss the mark” and likewise, many translations contain the “connotation of moral responsibility.”

  • Loma: “leaving the road” (which “implies a definite standard, the transgression of which is sin”)
  • Navajo: “that which is off to the side” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Toraja-Sa’dan: kasalan, originally meaning “transgression of a religious or moral rule” and in the context of the Bible “transgression of God’s commandments” (source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 21ff. )
  • Kaingang: “break God’s word”
  • Sandawe: “miss the mark” (like the original meaning of the Greek term) (source for this and above: Ursula Wiesemann in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 36ff., 43)

In Shipibo-Conibo the term is hocha. Nida (1952, p. 149) tells the story of its choosing: “In some instances a native expression for sin includes many connotations, and its full meaning must be completely understood before one ever attempts to use it. This was true, for example, of the term hocha first proposed by Shipibo-Conibo natives as an equivalent for ‘sin.’ The term seemed quite all right until one day the translator heard a girl say after having broken a little pottery jar that she was guilty of ‘hocha.’ Breaking such a little jar scarcely seemed to be sin. However, the Shipibos insisted that hocha was really sin, and they explained more fully the meaning of the word. It could be used of breaking a jar, but only if the jar belonged to someone else. Hocha was nothing more nor less than destroying the possessions of another, but the meaning did not stop with purely material possessions. In their belief God owns the world and all that is in it. Anyone who destroys the work and plan of God is guilty of hocha. Hence the murderer is of all men most guilty of hocha, for he has destroyed God’s most important possession in the world, namely, man. Any destructive and malevolent spirit is hocha, for it is antagonistic and harmful to God’s creation. Rather than being a feeble word for some accidental event, this word for sin turned out to be exceedingly rich in meaning and laid a foundation for the full presentation of the redemptive act of God.”

In Warao it is translated as “bad obojona.” Obojona is a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions.” (Source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. ). See other occurrences of Obojona in the Warao New Testament.

Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators for the Danish Bibelen 2020, comments on the translation of this term: “We would explain terms, such that e.g. sin often became ‘doing what God does not want’ or ‘breaking God’s law’, ‘letting God down’, ‘disrespecting God’, ‘doing evil’, ‘acting stupidly’, ‘becoming guilty’. Now why couldn’t we just use the word sin? Well, sin in contemporary Danish, outside of the church, is mostly used about things such as delicious but unhealthy foods. Exquisite cakes and chocolates are what a sin is today.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

See also sinner.

complete verse (Psalm 25:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 25:18:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Look at my sufferings and my troubles
    and wipe away all my sins.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Care for all my sorrow and trouble,
    and forgive all my sins.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Take-notice of my sufferings,
    and forgive all my sins.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “Request that you look to see how much I suffer, and request that you forgive my sin.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “See my sadness and my suffering,
    and forgive all my bad matters.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Uyaangalie mateso yangu na shida zangu,
    unisamehe dhambi zangu zote.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Note that I am distressed and troubled, and forgive me for all my sins.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (yurushite)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, yurushite (赦して) or “forgive” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )