flop

The interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) uses the ideophone thapsa to describe a flopping motion when going down. (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 105)

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

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Ps 44:25)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding the Lord.

complete verse (Psalm 44:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 44:25:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “We have been brought down up to the dust;
    Our bodies are stuck to the soil.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “We have become all messed up in the dust.
    Our bodies are stuck in the mud.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “We (excl.) have-fallen to/on the ground and can- not -rise-up anymore.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “It is like we have fallen to the ground, and others step on us like dust.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “We are push down to the ground
    and our faces stay on the dust.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Tumeangukia chini penye udongo,
    miili yetu inalala penye vumbi.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “We are pushed down to the ground and we cannot get up.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 44:25 - 44:26

In verse 25 the picture could be that of people bowed down in prayer and supplication (so Taylor, Weiser, Dahood); it seems more likely, however, as Good News Translation has interpreted it, that it is a picture of complete humiliation and defeat.

In both lines our soul (nefesh, see 3.2) and our body are ways of speaking of persons. The picturesque our body cleaves to the ground may not be a natural expression in many languages (just as it isn’t in English). New English Bible has “lie prone on the earth”; New Jerusalem Bible “lie prone on the ground”; and Knox has the best rendering of all: “prostrate, we cannot lift ourselves from the ground.”

With a final appeal to God’s steadfast love (see comments on 5.7), the psalmist asks God to take action and save his people. Deliver translates the verb which in 25.22 is translated “redeem.” See comments there. For the sake of in verse 26b means “on account of (your constant love),” that is, “because you love us.” The expression for the sake of thy steadfast love must often be rendered in translation by a verb phrase; for example, “help us because you have always loved us faithfully.”

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 .