complete verse (Psalm 36:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 36:11:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Do not allow that the foot of the proud should come to contend with me,
    or the hand of the wicked to chase me.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Do not let the proud attack me,
    and do not let the wicked pursue me.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Do- not -allow that I be-defeated by my wicked and proud enemies.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “Request you don’t allow the foot of evil people to tread on me, or their hand to cast me out.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “You would not allow people who arrogant to come and fight with me,
    or you allow people who are bad, to chase away.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Wenye kiburi wasinishinde,
    nayo mikono ya waovu isinifukuze.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Do not allow proud people to attack me, or allow wicked people to chase me away.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 36:10 - 36:11

The psalm closes with a prayer to Yahweh to bless his people (verse 10) and to protect the psalmist from his enemies (verse 11). The final statement (verse 12) expresses the psalmist’s conviction that Yahweh will answer his prayer.

In verse 10a know means intimate knowledge, a living experience, a close relation, and not mere acquaintance or theoretical knowledge about God (see also comments on 9.10); those who know him, that is, the upright of heart (see comments at 7.10; 11.2; 32.11), are the people of Israel who obey and serve him. Thy salvation in verse 10b is parallel with steadfast love of line a; here salvation does not mean “rescue” but the blessings and benefits, the “good things” that God gives his people. It is rendered kindness, generosity (Dahood), “beneficence” (New Jerusalem Bible), “faithfulness” (Bible en français courant), “justice” (New English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), and “saving justice” (New Jerusalem Bible), all of which are better in this context than Revised Standard Version salvation.

In verse 11 the foot of arrogance and the hand of the wicked are ways of speaking of the psalmist’s enemies, who are proud and evil and who oppose and attack him. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy uses the language of threshing and winnowing grain, “Don’t let the arrogant tread on me, nor the evil winnow me.” Continue in 10a applies also in 10b, and in some translations will have to be expressed.

In verse 11 the psalmist employs a special Hebrew poetic device. The two lines are parallel with very similar meanings. However, there is a balancing of image and at the same time a balancing of gender. Foot and hand are both feminine, but arrogance is feminine and wicked is masculine. Naturally the translator is not expected to imitate such poetic devices unless they are natural in the receptor language. In many languages it will be necessary to depart from the hand and foot figures, as does Good News Translation; however, the translator should not discard figures without first examining alternative figures that keep the poetic tone and which are meaningful in the language.

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 .