The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “witness” in English is translated as “truly have seen” in Highland Popoluca, as “telling the truth regarding something” (Eastern Highland Otomi), as “know something” in Lalana Chinantec, as “verily know something to be the truth” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, as “we ourselves saw this,” in Desano, as “tell the truth about something” in Eastern Highland Otomi, as “know something is true because of seeing it” in Teutila Cuicatec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Translation commentary on Psalm 35:11 - 35:12
The second part of the psalm (verses 11-18) begins with a renewed condemnation of the psalmist’s enemies, who are called Malicious witnesses, that is, liars who give false testimony against him in court. The Hebrew phrase is “witnesses of violence stand up,” which means either “hostile witnesses” or “false witnesses” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem).
Malicious witnesses may be transformed into a verb phrase as in Good News Translation. If the translator follows Good News Translation, it will be important to give the verb more specific content than “speak” or “tell.” The context here is that of the court, and the speaking concerns something of grave importance, and normally something which has been seen by witnesses. However, in the present context these witnesses are telling lies. In some languages “testify” is rendered as “to take words to the people.” In this case it will be appropriate to say “take lying words to the people.” When following the Good News Translation model, in some languages it will be necessary to say, for example, “they falsely say that I have done evil deeds,” or in direct discourse, “they falsely say ‘You have done evil deeds.’ ”
The verb translated ask is used here in the context of a trial; these are accusing questions, which imply that the psalmist is guilty of crimes, of which he denies any knowledge (things that I know not). So the translation can be they ask me or “accuse me” (Good News Translation).
In verse 12 their evil character becomes even more evident: They requite me evil for good, that is, instead of doing good things for me, in return for the good things I did for them, they do evil things (similarly 38.20). The expression may sometimes be rendered, for example, “I have done good and they do evil to me” or “I have given them good things, but they have given me bad things.”
The consequence (verse 12b) is, literally, “bereavement to my nefesh.” The word “bereavement” is “childless” (Revised Standard Version forlorn); some emend the Hebrew text to get “they seek (for my life)”; so New English Bible “lying in wait to take my life.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates the Masoretic text “here I am all alone”; another possible version is “they bring desolation upon me”; New Jerusalem Bible “[seeking] my bereavement”; New Jerusalem Bible “make my life barren.” Cohen suggests the phrase is an exclamation, equivalent to “Woe is me!”11-12 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says only that the Masoretic text means “loss of children for my soul” (“A” decision), which is of no great help to translators. The meaning represented by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation 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 .