the light of my eyes -- it also has gone from me

In Gbaya, the notion of dime eyes in Psalm 38:10 is emphasized with tamtuɗum, an ideophone that expresses indistinct, vague, blurred vision.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

throb (heart)

The Hebrew that is translated as “(my heart) throbs” in English is reinforced in its sound in Sar with the ideophone (a word that expresses what is perceived by the five senses) diw diw (“My heart throbs diw diw“). Diw diw “emphasizes the extreme weakness, the troubled spirit of the psalmist in the face of his triumphant friends.” (Source: Ngarbolnan Riminan in Le Sycomore 2000, p. 20ff. )

complete verse (Psalm 38:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 38:10:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “My heart is beating, my strength is ending;
    even light has gone out of my eyes.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “My heart is beating wildly,
    my strength has disappeared,
    my eyes have also become weak.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “My chest/breast pounds/thumps; I have- no -strength now,
    and my sight (is) blurry.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “My heart shakes and my strength is all gone. And light has already gone out of my eyes.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “My heart is beating, and strength disappears from me,
    even the light of my eyes are lost.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Moyo wangu unadunda,
    nguvu zangu zimeisha,
    nayo macho yangu hayatazami vizuri.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “My heat is pounding heavily, and all my strength is gone.
    I am no longer able to see well.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 38:9 - 38:10

In verse 9a the usual translation all my longing assumes that it refers to the psalmist’s wish to be healed; elsewhere Revised Standard Version has “desire” (see 10.3 and comments); so the word is translated “desires” by Biblia Dios Habla Hoy (see Bible en français courant), “entreaties” by New Jerusalem Bible; Dahood and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible have “sighing”; New English Bible (following G. R. Driver) has “lament.” The translator may have to be specific about what the psalmist desires or longs for: “O Lord, you know that I wish to be healed….” In line b my sighing represents suffering and distress (see the same Hebrew word in 6.6a “moaning”; 31.10b “sighing”; 102.5 “groaning”); so Good News Translation “groans.” It does not represent a wish or desire.

The opening words of verse 10 (My heart throbs) are taken as a physical symptom by most translations; New Jerusalem Bible, however, has “my mind is reeling,” which is possible, though not so appropriate here.

Bright eyes (verse 10b) were taken to be a sign of good health (see 13.3 and comments). The light of my eyes … has gone cannot be rendered literally in many languages without meaning that the person has become blind. Often one must say, for example, “my eyes no longer shine” or “my eyes are no longer clear as they were.”

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 .