hate

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “hate” or a form thereof is translated in Tabasco Chontal as “don’t want to see [the person who is hated].” (Source: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.)

See also hate.

complete verse (Psalm 41:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 41:8:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “‘A dangerous sickness has seized him;
    he will not rise from the place where he has slept.’” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “‘A serious disease has struck him,
    and now he will not be able to get out of bed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “They say, ‘He has a deadly/terrible/awful disease,
    so he can- not -rise-up anymore.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “They say like this: "He is very sick. He is not able to stand up from the place where he lies. Surely he is no longer able to go anywhere."” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “‘He is sick from terrible disease,
    he will never wake up from his bed."” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Wanasema, ‘Ugonjwa mbaya sana umemshika,
    hatakuja kuamka hata mara moja.’” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “They say, ‘He will soon die because of his being sick;
    he will never get up from his bed before he dies.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 41:8

The first part of this verse in Hebrew is “a wicked thing is poured on him.” It is unclear what is the precise force of the words. One suggestion is “An evil power attacks him,” and New English Bible has “An evil spell is cast upon him”; these regard the evil thing either as a demon or as a spell. See also New Jerusalem Bible “Something baneful has settled in him.” “It is not impossible that the speakers had in mind a curse which, they believe, had been infused into the unfortunate man, operating like a fatal poison” (Anderson; similarly Weiser). Toombs and Taylor also see it as a sorcerer’s formula. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “His illness is caused by the Devil.” Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible take the phrase “a wicked thing” to mean a disease. “Fatally ill” can sometimes be rendered “He is ill and will soon die” or “He is ill and cannot get well again.”

Line b means “he will not get well; he is going to die.”

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 .