anger

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “anger” or similar in English in this verse is translated with a variety of solutions (Bratcher / Nida says: “Since anger has so many manifestations and seems to affect so many aspects of personality, it is not strange that expressions used to describe this emotional response are so varied”).

  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “be warm inside”
  • Mende: “have a cut heart”
  • Mískito: “have a split heart”
  • Tzotzil: “have a hot heart”
  • Mossi: “a swollen heart”
  • Western Kanjobal: “fire of the viscera”
  • San Blas Kuna: “pain in the heart”
  • Chimborazo Highland Quichua: “not with good eye”
  • Chichewa: “have a burning heart” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation) (see also anger burned in him)
  • Citak: two different terms, one meaning “angry” and one meaning “offended,” both are actually descriptions of facial expressions. The former can be represented by an angry stretching of the eyes or by an angry frown. The latter is similarly expressed by an offended type of frown with one’s head lowered. (Source: Graham Ogden)

In Akan, a number of metaphors are used, most importantly abufuo, lit. “weedy chest” (the chest is seen as a container that contains the heart but can also metaphorically be filled with other fluids etc.), but also abufuhyeε lit. “hot/burning weedy chest” and anibereε, lit. “reddened eyes.” (Source: Gladys Nyarko Ansah in Kövecses / Benczes / Szelid 2024, p. 21ff.)

See also God’s anger and angry.

acrostic in Psalm 37

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

1-4 Abrtzlvz nzwztr-krbzme mz Yawe,
X sa nakabzle da kcng tqpq mz nabzm.
Ale da kxmrlz x abrtrpz drtwrm bade,
Murde namnc-zpwxq mz drtc’ kc tqpile kx nakabzle bamu.
Bzkq witibz nelzm nzmnckr kxdrka’-ngrng,
Murde mzli trnaboiu x sc tzbzpeng.
Bzkq kcmnz-ngrbzme nzalengr da kcng tzalelr,
Murde nzlu-krdr sa namrbc nzapulr nabr kxglr mz mzli r nepi.
5-7 Clveti-lzbq, x aenzli-lrpi mz nzabrtr-krbzme drtwrm mz Yawe.
Bzkq nabzm talvzo mz nzrmc-krm leplz kxnzrngiscng nzvz-nqblq-krdr nqmq krdr kxtrka.
Da kx na-aleq, mnc-xgle txpwz Yawe,
X abrtrpz drtwrm bade, murde sa naokatrle nim.
Delc sa na-aelwapx-ngrbzle nzopxkr nztubq-krm,
Mz nzapu-krde nilz r nepi kc tqvz-esz’ngr mzli kc bea.
8-11 Eu, bzkq drtwrm ngya x nabzm talvzo
Murde da lcng li ma tzrkatrpzng bam drtwr kxtrka.
Eu, murde kxnzabrtrpzlr drtwrdr mz Yawe sa nangi nyzdr drtc’ kc tqpile nakabzle badr,
A’ kxdrka’-ngrng sa namaszlrtxpx-ngrng.
Glqpx Yawe kx mzli trnaboipeu x kxdrka’-ngrng sc tzmrbrpeng.
Kxmule-esz’ rtangrtiq nidr a’ trpengr nzmc-krmleng.
Gct rlr-ngrbzle drtc’ nyzde mz kxnzavzo-lzbqng.
X sa na-abrtzng mz nzmnc-zpwx-krdr elr.
12-15 Ili! Kxnztubqng x kxtrnzrngiscung na-aclvetio-lzbqng
Murde kxdrka’-ngrng nzglalzpelr toki r vea x popz’ scdr.
Ili! A’ kxdrka’-ngrng na-aclvetio-lzbq-kzng murde toki r vea scdr sa nanibq-moule nidr,
X Yawe sa naplameitibzle popz’ scdr.
Jzs Yawe krkcng tzryrlqng drtwr kx na-atrkati-ngrdr kxnztubqng
X nzmadqti-zvzbzlr nqngidr badr.
Jzsle nidr mz nzodati-krde nidr,
X yrpalelvz-zvzle nidr murde trpnzngr nzxplr-krdr.
16-22 Kxetu Yawe aclve-zvzle kxnzvz-nqblqlr nide,
X nikeng kabzle badr nangisc-alopedr.
Kabzle badr dakxnzng kxkqlu mz mzli r dzbi,
X okatrle nidr mzli kx prtzngr da.
Lalztqmamu! Murde kxdrka’-ngrng sa nabzng, mz nzapu-krdr nrpq da kc tqplclqom
X enqmi r Yawe lcng sa nangiliang na-apulr zsikapu.
Mclr ncblo kxtubq, kxmule-esz’ kxpipzne,
Myaszpxle da kxkqlu kxngisc ncblo kxdrka’ngr.
Murde Yawe sa nakatxpxbzle zmatq ngrdr kxdrka’-ngrng,
A’ sa naokatrle kxnztubqng.
Ncblo kxdrka’-ngrng nzbi-txpwzlr nzrlxngr, x trnzkrlzlru nzrka-niwzlrngr.
A’ kxnzmrlzng yc mz drtwrdr nzrka-niwzlr-krdr vzmi kxnzamnzo-mzleu.
Ncblo kcng tqamrlzng Yawe sa nangi nyzdr drtc’ kc tqpile nakabzle badr.
A’ leplz kcng tqpilzleng sa nabzng.
23-26 Oblamzngeng, bztipex nzmncngr, x ninge ka tqnginipenge lrtzlvz.
X mcx kx nqmq kr ncblo kxtubq nide sele.
Okatr-zvzle leplz mz nzrlr-nrbalq-krde dztudeng, x doa nedeng ngi da kxmrlz kx kabz Gct bade.
Yawe okatr-zvzle nide x doa nedeng trnzyrnitrpwzung nadr dakxnzng.
Pq mz drtwr Yawe nzaelwa-krbzle mz leplz lrpzki kx nao-zlilr,
X mailz-zvzle krkcng tzabrtz-ngrdr nqmq krde.
Pipxle kx kxmule-esz’ nanycdr miglqpx, a’ trnztaoung,
Murde sc tqlolvz-amqngileng.
27-29 Rtxtiamu nibrmu da kxtrka, x aleamu da kxmrlz,
Murde neidu nemung namnc-along mz drtc’ kc tqpi Yawe nakabzle bamu.
Rpi Yawe kx mrlz bade da kxtubq,
X okatr-zvzle kxnzabrtrpzlr drtwrdr bade.
Sa naokatr-zvzle nidr,
A’ doa ne kxdrka’-ngrng sa nabzng.
Sa nangi nyz leplz kxnzmrlzng drtc’ kc tqpi Yawe nakabzle badr,
X sa namnc-alopeng elr.
30-33 Takitrde kx ncblo kxmrlz dekc tqvzkipxm natq ngr nzyrplapxngr,
X nikeng pitileng tubq.
Takitr-kzde nzkrlz-angidr-krde Lou amrlx sc Gct rde,
X nzlolvz-amqngi-zvz-krdeleng.
Vz zvz kxdrka’-ngrng nzaukzti-krdr leplz kxnzmrlzng,
Murde nanibqlrng.
Vz zvz Yawe nzkapx-krmle ncblo kxmrlz mz mq enqmi rdeng,
X mzli kc natwz-ngrdr nide mz kot, trnzaovxiolru nide.
34-36 Wz zvz mz nzabrtr-krbzmu drtwrmu bade,
Murde sa nangi nyzmu drtc’ kc tqpile nakabzle bamu mz nzamatq-krde nimu.
X sa namcamu nzmaneutipx-krde kxdrka’-ngrng.
Xlrmamu natqnge. Mcx kzdq ncblo kxdrka’ngr kxtrka-esz’ngr, x atrkati-zvzle leplz.
Xplr-esz’ngr x obqszo-ngrde leplz amrlx.
X kxmule-esz’ rtangrtix nide, a’ trmcpewxu, murde mrbrpe.
37-40 Yrlq angidr mz drtwrm ncblo kxmrlz kxtubq, murde mnc mz nrwx,
X doa kxnzmika mz neidu lrde nzkqlu-zlwzng.
Yrpalelvzx kxdrka’-ngrng murde sa nabzting,
X doa lr neidu lrdr sa nayrkrtxong.
Zvz Yawe na-arlapxle kxnztubqng.
Murde nide me nzrlakitrlr mz mzli r nzkxpu-krdr.
Zvz Yawe na-arlapxbzle nidr mz mq kxdrka’-ngrng,
Murde nzbrti drtwrdr nide nzokatr-krde nidr.

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

There are two Dutch translations that maintain the acrostic: Naardense Bijbel (publ. 2004) and the Tot Lof van God by Frans Croese (publ. 2010).

Click or tap here for the complete psalm in the Dutch translations

Naardense Bijbel:

1
(v. David, toen hij zijn verstand verdraaide
      voor het aanschijn van Avimelech,- ✡
die hem wegjoeg,
zodat hij kon gáán.)
2
Altijd zal ik zegenen de Ene, ✡
steeds
ligt zijn lof mij voor in de mond.
3
Bij de Ene prijst mijn ziel zich gelukkig,- ✡
mogen gebukten het horen
      en zich verheugen!
4
Geeft met mij grootheid aan de Ene, ✡
laat ons zijn naam eenparig roemen!
5
De Ene zocht ik
      en hij heeft mij geantwoord, ✡
aan al wat ik duchtte
heeft hij mij ontrukt!
6
En wie opkeken naar hem, zij straalden, ✡
geen schaamrood kleurde
hun wangen.
7
Fluisterend kon deze gebogene nog roepen
      en de Ene hoorde, ✡
uit al wat hem benauwde
heeft hij hem gered.
8
Gelegerd is de engel van de Ene
rondom wie hem vrezen, ✡
en hij redt ze uit.
9
Hoe goed de Ene is: proeft het en ziet! ✡
Zalig de kerel
die toevlucht zoekt bij hem!
10
Ja gij, zijn heiligen, vreest de Ene!- ✡
want er zal geen gebrek zijn
voor wie hem vrezen.
11
Kommer en honger leden
      welpen van leeuwen, ✡
maar de zoekers van de Ene:
niets van alle goed zal hun ontbreken.
12
Laat u leiden door mij, zonen, en hoort; ✡
de vreze voor de Ene
zal ik u leren!
13
Mannen met behagen in leven, wie niet?- ✡
die lengte van dagen minnen,
het goede willen zien:
14
niet nalaten je tong te hoeden voor kwaad, ✡
je lippen
voor het spreken van bedrog!
15
O wijk voor het kwade, doe het goede, ✡
zoek naar vrede, jaag die na!
16
Rechtvaardigen:
      de Ene houdt zijn ogen op hen, ✡
zijn oren
richten zich op hun geroep.
17
Pijnlijk is het aanschijn van de Ene
      voor daders van kwaad, ✡
hij snijdt hun gedachtenis van de aarde af.
18
Schreeuwden zij: de Ene hoorde, ✡
aan al hun benauwingen
heeft hij hen ontrukt.
19
Terzijde staat de Ene
      gebrokenen van hart, ✡
hij redt verbrijzelden van geest.
20
Vele zijn de rampen
      voor een rechtvaardige, ✡
aan die alle
ontrukt hem de Ene,
21
wakend over elk van zijn botten, ✡
daarvan zal niet een
worden gebroken.
22
Zelf echter zal het kwaad
      de booswicht doden ✡
en zullen haters van een rechtvaardige
      hun schuld boeten.
23
Maar de Ene koopt
      de ziel van zijn dienaren los,- ✡
geen schuld voor
al wie toevlucht zoeken bij hem!
24
ja, mocht hij vallen, geveld is hij niet, ✡
want de Ene
schraagt zijn hand.
25
Nooit heb ik, toen ik jong was,
ook niet toen ik oud werd,
      een rechtvaardige gezien verlaten, ✡
of zijn zaad
zien bedelen om brood:
26
al de dag gunt hij en leent hij, ✡
zijn zaad
is tot zegen.
27
Ontloop het kwade, doe het goede, ✡
dan mag je wonen voor eeuwig;
28
zij worden bewaard voor eeuwig ✡
en weggemaaid wordt het zaad van bozen.
29
Rechtvaardigen, zij beërven de aarde, ✡
zij mogen haar blijvend bewonen,
30
Spellen zal de mond van een rechtvaardige
      wijsheid, ✡
zijn tong
spreekt uit wat het recht is;
31
het onderricht van zijn God is in zijn hart,
zijn wandel wankelt nooit.
32
Tracht een boze
      de rechtvaardige te vangen
en zoekt hij
hem te doden,
33
ook in diens hand verlaat de Ene hem niet,
laat hem in zijn recht
niet tot boosdoener maken.
34
U, hoop op de Ene en bewaak zijn weg:
en hij zal u verheffen
      om de aarde te beerven,-
het wegmaaien van boosdoeners
      zul je zien.
35
Eens zag ik een boosdoener, geweldig,
zich blootgeven,-
als een groene ceder.
36
Voorbij ging iemand, en zie, hij was weg;
ik zocht hem,
maar niets meer te vinden!
37
maar bewaak wie gaaf is,
      zie aan een oprechte:
dat er toekomst is voor een man van vrede!
38
Weggevaagd worden
      grensoverschrijders tezamen,
verdelgd wordt de toekomst van bozen;
39
Zalig zijn rechtvaardigen!-
      hun redding komt van de Ene,
hij is hun toevlucht
in tijd van benauwing;
40
de Ene helpt hen,
hij doet hen ontkomen,
      ontkomen aan boosdoeners,
      hij redt hen,
want hun toevlucht is in hem.

Tot Lof van God translation:

Op naam van David.

Ach, wind u niet op over die kwaadaardige lieden,
wees niet afgunstig op wie onrecht bedrijven;
2
ze zullen weldra verdorren als gras,
verwelken als het nog zo frisse groen.
3
Blijf bezig het goede te doen, vertrouw op Jehovah,
bewoon de aarde, betoon u getrouw,
4
laat uw genieting Jehovah toch zijn.
Alles waar uw hart naar verlangt, Hij zal het u geven.

5
Dus wentel uw weg op Jehovah,
vertrouw op Hem, Hij zal het doen:
6
Hij doet uw gerechtigheid stralen als het licht,
uw recht als de klaarlichte dag.
7
En daarom, houd u in jegens Jehovah,
wees oprecht wachtend op Hem
en wind u niet op over degene wiens weg voor de wind lijkt te gaan,
die mens die snode plannen bedrijft.
8
Furieus? Ach, laat toch af, laat varen die woede,
wind u niet op, om alleen maar het verkeerde te doen.
9
Die kwaadaardige lieden worden stellig vernietigd,
terwijl wie op Jehovah hopen de aarde zullen bezitten.
10
Geduld dus… nog even en wie gewetenloos is, is er niet meer,
zou je je richten op de plek waar hij was, stellig, hij is er niet meer;
11
dan zijn het de zachtaardigen, die zullen de aarde bezitten
en overvloedige vrede genieten aldaar.

12
Hoewel de gewetenloze jegens de rechvaardige van alles beraamt
– vanwege hem is immers diens tandengeknars –
13
Jehovah lacht hem [die gewetenloze] vierkant uit;
dat diens dag is aangebroken, heeft Hij al gezien.
14
Intussen trokken gewetenloze lieden het zwaard, spanden hun boog
om die arme stakkers om te leggen, om hen wier weg oprecht is af te slachten.
15
Maar, hun zwaard komt elders terecht, in hun eigen hart;
hun bogen worden compleet doormidden gebroken.

16
Juist daarom is het weinige van de rechtvaardige zoveel beter
dan de enorme overdaad van wie gewetenloos is,
17
want wat die gewetenlozen vermogen zal worden verbroken,
terwijl Jehovah steun verleent aan wie rechtvaardig zijn.
18
Kortom, Jehovah weetwat zij, onkreukbaar als ze zijn,
nu door moeten maken, maar hun erfdeel staat vast, definitief.
19
Geen teleurstelling daarom ten tijde van rampspoed,
ze worden ook op dagen van honger verzadigd.

20
Luistert, het zijn de gewetenlozen, die zullen vergaan,
het zal Jehovah’s vijanden vergaan als de trots van de weide:
opgaand in rook, houden zij op te bestaan.
21
Merk op, de gewetenloze betaalt niet eens terug wat hij leende,
de rechtvaardige is daarentegen goedgunstig, gul en goedgeefs.
22
Zijn gezegenden zullen daarom de aarde bezitten,
terwijl Zijn vervloekten de afsnijding wacht.

23
Naarmate de schreden van een man door Jehovah zijn bevestigd,
heeft Hij aan diens weg een welgevallen;
24
zou hij vallen, languit gaat hij niet,
want Jehovah houdt hem vast, bij de hand.
25
Ooit ook jong ben ik intussen oud geworden,
maar nooit heb ik de rechtvaardige verlaten gezien,
of diens nageslacht zoekend naar brood.
26
Integendeel, heel de dag is hij goedgunstig, leent hij anderen gul,
terwijl zijn nageslacht tot zegen is.

27
Pas op daarom, wijk van het kwade, beoefen het goede
en houd zodoende verblijf voor altijd;
28
Jehovah is op gerechtigheid gesteld,
Hij zal Zijn loyalen nimmer verlaten.
Reken maar dat 37 blijvend bescherming genieten,
terwijl het nageslacht der gewetenlozen afsnijding wacht;
29
de rechtvaardigen zullen de aarde bezitten
en daarop voor eeuwig verblijven.

30 Slechts wijsheid beweegt de mond van de rechtvaardige,
waardoor zijn tong gerechtigheid spreekt;
31
in zijn hart is de Wet van zijn God,
zijn schreden wankelen niet.
32
Terwijl de gewetenloze loert op de rechtvaardige,
erop uit is om hem te doden,
33
laat Jehovah hem niet vallen in diens hand,
Hij verklaart hem onschuldig ingeval hij mocht worden berecht.

34
Uw hoop zij op Jehovah derhalve, houd vast aan Zijn weg.
Hij zal u verhogen zodat u de aarde in bezit kunt nemen;
de vernietiging van wie doortrapt gewetenloos is, maakt u dan mee.
35
Voorwaar, ik heb het gezien al in feite:
de gewetenloze die zo gewelddadig was,
welig tierend als het woekerende gewas,
36
maar hij verdween. Ja ziet, hij is er niet meer!
Ik ging nog zoeken, maar het bleek dat hij onvindbaar was.

37
Wees dus rechtschapen, houd daaraan vast,
zie naar wat recht, naar wat terecht is,
want de toekomst is voor degene die uit is op vrede;
38
de opstandigen worden gezamenlijk verdelgd,
de toekomst van de gewetenlozen wordt onherroepelijk afgesneden.
39
Zodat de redding der rechtvaardigen afkomstig zal zijn van Jehovah,
Hij, hun vesting in tijden van nood.
40
Zo helpt Jehovah hen; Hij is mét hen en doet hen ontkomen.
Hij doet hen ontkomen aan wie gewetenloos zijn en redt hen,
tot Hem immers hebben zij toevlucht genomen.

With thanks to Thamara van Eijzeren

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 P, Q, X, Y, and Z. (Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Knox’s translations)

1 (Of David.) Art thou impatient, friend, when the wicked thrive; dost thou envy the lot of evil-doers?
2 they will soon fade like the grass, like the green leaf wither away.
3 Be content to trust in the Lord and do good; live on thy land, and take thy ease,
4 all thy longing fixed in the Lord; so he will give thee what thy heart desires.
5 Commit thy life to the Lord, and trust in him; he will prosper thee,
6 making thy honesty clear as the day, the justice of thy cause bright as the sun at noon.
7 Dumb and patient, to the Lord’s mercy look thou, never fretting over the man that has his own way, and thrives by villainy.
8 End thy complaints, forgo displeasure, do not fret thyself into an evil mood;
9 the evil-minded will be dispossessed, and patient souls, that wait for the Lord, succeed them.
10 Forbear yet a little, and the sinner will be seen no more; thou wilt search in vain to find him,
11 while patient souls are the land’s heirs, enjoying great peace.
12 Gnashing his teeth with envy, the wrong-doer plots against the innocent,
13 and cannot see his own turn coming; but the Lord sees it, and laughs at his malice.
14 How they draw the sword, how they bend the bow, these sinners, to bring ruin on helpless poverty, to murder the upright;
15 swords that will pierce their own hearts, bows that will break in pieces!
16 Innocence, ill endowed, has the better of the wicked in their abundance;
17 soon fails the strength of their arms, and still the Lord has the just in his keeping.
18 Jealously the Lord watches over the lives of the guiltless, they will hold their lands for ever,
19 undismayed by adversity, in time of famine well content.
20 Knavery will yet come to an end; like the spring’s finery they will die, the Lord’s enemies, vanish away like smoke.
21 Let the sinner borrow, and never repay, still the good man will be a generous giver;✻
22 win the Lord’s blessing, and the land is thine, his ban is death.
23 Man’s feet stand firm, if the Lord is with him to prosper his journey;
24 he may stumble but never fall, with the Lord’s hand in his.
25 Now youth is past, and I have grown old; yet never did I see the good man forsaken, or his children begging their bread;
26 still he lends without stint, and men call down blessings on his posterity.
27 Offend no more, rather do good, and be at rest continually;
28 the Lord is ever just, and will not abandon his faithful servants. Perish the sinner, forgotten be the name of the evil-doer,
29 but these will hold their land, and live on it always at rest.
30 Right reason is on the good man’s lips, well weighed are all his counsels;
31 his steps never falter, because the law of God rules in his heart.
32 Sinners lie in wait, plotting against the life of the innocent;
33 but the Lord will never leave him in their power, never find him guilty when he is arraigned.
34 Trust the Lord, and follow the path he has chosen; so he will set thee up in possession of thy land, and thou wilt live to see the wicked come to ruin.
35 Until yesterday, I saw the evil-doer throned high as the branching cedars;
36 then, when I passed by, he was there no longer, and I looked in vain to find him.
37 Virtuous men and innocent mark thou well; he that lives peaceably will leave a race behind him,
38 while sinners are rooted out every one, and their graceless names forgotten.
39 When affliction comes, the Lord is the refuge and defence of the innocent;
40 the Lord will aid and deliver them, rescue and preserve them from the power of wickedness, because they put their trust in him. (Source )

Another English translation that maintains the acrostic is by Gordon Jackson (The Lincoln Psalter, 1997):

Are you incensed because the wicked do so well?
      Do you envy them their success? Forget it.
      They may flourish like leaves, but remember autumn is coming.
Be wise; do good, and trust the Lord;
      Mind your own business, leave others to theirs;
      Set your heart on God, he will look after you.
Confide in the Lord, commit all your dealings to him;
      With him as your backer how can you fail to prosper?
      The good of your name will shine like the sun in the sky.
Don’t be upset by others that prosper dishonestly;
      They get their way, yes, but at what a cost;
      Don’t worry; God’s mercy is more than money.
Envy will do you no good, neither will anger;
      You know the dishonest will get their just deserts;
      But those who rely on God have a fortune in him.
For a little time the wicked may rule the roost;
      A little time, and no more; others supplant them;
      But in the end the land will revert to the humble.
Green with envy, the wicked detest the honest;
      They feel derided; God derides them indeed;
      He knows the ending of their curious plans.
Hatred of weakness, of good, excites them to action;
      They are armed with sword and bow and pocket-book;
      Weapons they lived by but yet will be their undoing.
Innocents have a power unknown to the wicked;
      The power of arms, of armies, of allies will fail;
      Yet the Lord, unseen, will preserve his own forever.
Justice demands that the Lord will provide for the just;
      Misfortune, oppression, will never distress them long;
      They will come, with him, through famine, and war, and flood.
Kings of the castle may think themselves secure
      But they will fall as sure as autumn leaves;
      They will burn as rubbish, and even their smoke will vanish.
Loans to the wicked rarely get paid back,
      But the Lord will repay the good and the bad in his time;
      The good are generous givers, and so is our God.
Men with a mind to be upright sons shall be so;
      The Lord will hold them steady on their feet;
      From time to time they may stumble, but won’t fall down.
Never have I seen a good man begging his bread,
      Not from when I was young to my old age now;
      He always has something to spare, for friends, for the needy.
Order your days; do good; make peace where you can;
      God who loves justice will always favour the just;
      His law will deal with the lawless and their kind.
Possession of lands will pass to those who deserve them;
      Peace follows justice; with peace comes prosperity;
      Who will remember the names of past grasping landlords?
Reason and rhyme will season a good man’s language:
      A level head is matched with a witty heart;
      Workman’s words that hit the nail on the head.
Steallth is the wicked man’s trade, and seeming important;
      Getting the weak in their clutches is their profession;
      But the Lord will not let them keep the fruits of their labour,
Trust in the Lord; he will keep you out of their hands;
      You will yet live to see the land you love rejoicing;
      You will see those that ruined it come down themselves to ruin.
Up to all sorts of tricks, the unworthy will rise;
      I have seen them dining in their successful villas;
      I have passed again, and seen them gone and forgotten.
Virtue and honesty leave good things behind them
      Worthy to carry on a good man’s name;
      But they try to conceal their names, the disgraced one’s children.
When trouble comes to the good, the Lord is their lawyer;
      He will take their case, he will use the law to save them;
      Because they were innocent; because they trusted in him.

And lastly, Brenda Boerger (2024) translated this psalm while maintaining the acrostic (click or tap here for the complete psalm in Boerger’s translation).

1 Avoid your frets regarding evil powers.
 And do not envy those who’re doing wrong.
2 All of them wither like the grass and flowers,
 And fading, they become pale, soon are gone.
3 But put your trust in Yahweh; do what’s right.
 Build in the land, know safety set apart.
4 Based on who God is make him your delight,
 Because he’ll give you longings of your heart.
5 Commit your future to Yahweh, my friend,
 Confident he will act on your behalf.
 Can’t you stop worrying? Why do you fret?
 Count on God for petitions you have.
6 Dear God will make your righteousness to shine —
 Dawn’s light has never been beaming so bright.
 Declaring you have vindication so fine —
 Due to its being like noonday sun’s light.
7 Entrust your way to Yahweh, let him lead.
 Earnestly wait for Lord Yahweh to act.
 Enough fretting when others might succeed,
 Engaged in making evil schemes and pacts.
8/9 Forsaking anger, stop being so bitter.
 For evildoers will lose in the end.
 Fretting will not help, nor being a quitter,
 For God-trusters will inherit the land.
10 Godless ones soon will meet their just ends.
 Go looking and they’ll no longer be seen.
11 God’s oppressed people are blessed by his hands,
 Granted the land, shalom, prosperity.
12 Hateful men plot against those doing right,
 Hounding them so that they might do them wrong.
13 How God laughs at the wicked and their plight.
 He knows that they’ll all be judged before long.
14 Insolent men draw swords and bend their bows,
 Intending to tear the upright apart.
15 Instead broken bows are found by the foes;
 Instead they’ll find swords pierce into their hearts.
16 Just the few things belonging to good men,
 Justly surpass all evil-gotten wealth.
17 Justice dictates the wicked be broken;
 Just God upholds the righteous by his strength.
18 King Yahweh makes his blessings theirs forever;
 Kindly he cares for those who have no blame.
19 Kept by God in famine without any hunger;
 Kind ones in troubled times won’t suffer shame.
20 Look, Yahweh brings the wicked to their end,
 Like being burned up in a furnace fire.
  Little will be heard from his enemies again.
 Like going up in smoke, they all expire.
21/22 Master and Lord gives good things to his own,
 Meaning the righteous can give without end.
 Malicious men are rejected and wiped out.
 Men like that borrow; won’t pay back or lend.
23 Now Yahweh teaches his children to walk.
 Naturally, pleased when they choose to obey;
24 Needing a grip on their hands lest they fall;
 Never fails to uphold them on their way.
25 Older and wiser, but once I was young.
 On this my journey, I’ve never yet seen
 Our Lord forsaking any godly one,
 Or his offspring with not a thing to eat.
26 Profusely generous, these righteous men,
 Put other folks as priority one,
 Providing grace, they happily will lend.
27 Plus God will bless them with daughters and sons.
 Quickly obey, you’ll have good things forever.
 Quit doing evil. Practice what is right.
28 Quelling the wicked for their bad behavior;
 Quite rightly God loves those who do what’s right!
 Refusing to see his children forlorn;
 Renewing his own with gifts from his hand;
 Rewarding the righteous ones yet to be born.
29 Right-hearted people inherit the land.
 So they know its provision for all times.
30 Such are your steps if you want to do right:
 Say only things that are both just and wise,
 So that you please God and walk in his light.
31 Take Yahweh’s teachings deep into your heart,
 Truly then you will walk and stumble not.
32 Treacherous ones wait to tear you apart,
 Trying to kill off the people of God.
33 Unwav’ringly, he keeps away the foe.
 Under Yahweh’s care, never fear the vile.
 Upholding his own, we’re not condemned although
 Under a foeman’s judgment at our trial.
34 Voice your trust. Follow the way of your Lord.
 Vic-to-ry’s yours; you will possess the land.
 Violent men will receive their reward —
 Vanquished before your eyes by Yahweh’s hand.
35 Wicked, violent, and unruly men
 Will grow and flourish like weeds in good ground.
36 When they die though, that truly is the end.
 Where did they go? Now they cannot be found.
37 Examine blameless who follow instructions.
 Expect that men of peace have futures true.
38 Except for the rebels who end in destruction.
 Expect those sinners have no future too.
39 Yahweh’s the source of salvation for those
 Yielding themselves to him completely and
 Yearning for his refuge in times of woes.
 Yahweh is their stronghold when times are bad.
40 Zion’s Lord will deliver his children,
 Zeroing arrows at each wicked heart.
 Zealously he saves his own, draws them in —
 Zones keeping his own safe never depart.

Another published English translation with acrostics is The Psalms Chronologically Arranged by the “Four Friends” (C.T. Arnold, A.W. Potts, F.E. Kitchener, S. Philpotts) of 1870.

Another 19th century translation with maintained acrostics is the German 1883 commentary and translation by Franz Delitzsch . Unlike the other translations, he translates the acrostics of this and the other acrostic psalms by following an approximation of the German sound of the 22 letters (alef/א‎ = a; bet/ב‎ = b; gimel/ג‎ = g; dalet/ד = d; he/ה‎ = h; vav/ו = u; zayin/ז‎ = s; chet/ח‎ = h; tet/ט = t; yod/י‎ = i or j; kaf/כ = k; lamed/ל = l; mem/מ = m; nun/נ = n; samech/ס‎ = s; ayin/ע = e; pe/פ = f; tsadi/צ‎ = z; qof/ק = k; resh/ר = r; shin/ש‎ = sch; tav/ת = t).

complete verse (Psalm 37:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 37:8:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Avoid burning (in your) heart and turn away from anger,
    do not struggle because these lead to evil (things).” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Don’t be angry, stop being angry.
    Don’t be annoyed.
    It drives you toward evil.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “[You (sing.)] do- not -be-angry or be-hostile toward them.
    [You (sing.)] do- not -be-angry/[lit. be-hot], for that can- only -make- you (sing.) -evil.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “Don’t become angry, and don’t worry about anything in your heart. That only leads you into trouble.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Do not be angry, escape from anger.
    Do not be worried, because worry will take you
    only to the bad matter.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Usiwe na hasira, usiwe na ghadhabu,
    vinaleta kutenda mabaya.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Do not be angry about what wicked people do. Do not want to punish them yourself. Do not be envious of such people because you will only harm yourself if you try to envy them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 36:7 - 37:8

The psalmist praises God for his steadfast love for his people and for protecting them (refuge); for the figure the shadow of thy wings, see comment at 17.8b. The adjective precious in this context means that God’s love is worth having, it is valuable; it brings blessings and benefits to people. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “Your love is incomparable,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “How marvelous…!” In verse 7b the translator may find it necessary to add a simile in order to make the comparison easier for the reader to grasp; for example, “You protect people like a bird protects its young under its wings.” For the Hebrew phrase “the sons of men” (Revised Standard Version The children of men), see 11.4 and comments. Instead of “We” (Good News Translation), it is better to say “People” or “Everyone.”

Instead of O God! The children of men take refuge in verse 7a-b, the Hebrew text may be understood to say “gods and men find protection…” (so Dahood, New English Bible). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project regards this as possible, and the form of the Masoretic text seems to make it more probable than the other rendition.

The inexhaustible blessings of God are compared to abundance of thy house and the river of thy delights. The noun translated abundance is “fatness”; it is used to refer to olive oil, food, and rich food. Some take of thy house to be the Temple, and that sacrificial feasts are being spoken of (see 23.5, 6 and comments); it seems best to understand the expression figuratively.

The river spoken of here is that which flows from the upper waters stored above the heavenly dome (see 33.7 and comments; Job 38.25a), from which come the life-giving rains that cause plants and crops to grow (see 65.9; 104.13). Delights translates a noun that is related to the place name Eden. The idea is that which is pleasant and enjoyable. The expression the river of thy delights can usually be kept as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation by recasting in the form of a simile; for example, “receive your good things that flow like a river” or “your good things flow like a river, and people drink from it.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Psalm 37:8 - 37:9

Carrying on the thought of the previous strophes, in this one the psalmist counsels not to nourish anger and wrath against the evildoers (verse 8a); and again he says Fret not yourself, as in verse 1. The last part of verse 8 is difficult; the phrase is literally “to do evil,” which is interpreted by most as Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version have it, “it only leads to trouble” (so New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Dahood; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “it makes things worse”); New English Bible, however, “strive not to outdo in evildoing.” In some languages Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath are expressed somewhat idiomatically as “Don’t let worry and anger hold you.”

Good News Translation has represented anger and wrath by the one word “anger,” and uses “worry” to carry the force of Fret (not) yourself.

The reason for this advice is given in verse 9: the wicked shall be cut off. The verb may mean to be put to death, to be destroyed, or else to be driven out of the land. The thought is that they will suffer the same fate as that of the original inhabitants of Canaan, who were removed from their land either by being killed in battle or else by being put to flight by the invading Israelites.

By contrast, those who wait for the LORD (see 25.3 and comment), that is, who trust in him, will possess the land, a promise repeated in verses 11, 22, 29, 34 (see also 25.13 and comments). The promise is that they will continue to live safely and in prosperity in Canaan, the Promised Land. Nothing certain can be inferred from this statement as to the time the psalm was written. It seems probable that this was a conventional way of saying that they would continue to be blessed and protected by the LORD in the land of Israel. The expression possess the land may be rendered more explicitly as “possess the land the LORD has promised.”

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 .