complete verse (Psalm 38:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 38:12:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Those who are seeking my life have laid their traps,
    the ones to hurt me talk about my destruction;
    all day they prepare frauds.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “At the same time those who are trying to kill me
    have been setting traps,
    Those who wish me evil
    have been threatening to finish me off.
    Everyday they have been setting traps for me.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “The people who want to-kill me set trap to-capture me.
    They who want to-hurt me talk-with-one-another how they could-destroy me.
    All day they plan to-betray me.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “People who want to kill me, they set traps for me, and they look for ways to harm me, they never stop discussing how to do that.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “The people trapped me who wanted to kill me put traps.
    People speak who need to bring suffering to me wanted to kill me.
    They plan deceit all the day.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Ambao wanataka kuniua wanatega mitego,
    ambao wanataka kuniumiza wana maneno ya kuogofya,
    siku zote wanawaza ya kuniharibu.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “And those who want to kill me set traps to catch me;
    those who want to harm me discuss ways to get rid of me;
    they plot against me all day.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 38:12

The hostility of the psalmist’s enemies is described in conventional terms: they lay their snares (see similar language in 31.4; 35.7; for snares see discussion at 18.5); they speak of ruin, that is, discuss how they can ruin him (see similar situation in 35.4), and plot against him (see similar situation in 35.20c). Good News Translation has put into clear, natural English what is expressed in Revised Standard Version in stilted “biblical” language. New English Bible takes all three lines of the verse to refer to verbal assaults: “defame me … spread cruel gossip … mutter slanders.”

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 .