Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 45:5:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“Let your sharp arrows pierce the enemies of the king,
let the races of people fall down at your feet.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“Let Your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of Your enemies!
May the nations fall prostrate at Your feet!” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“With your (sing.) sharp arrows wound the hearts of your (sing.) enemies.
Nations will-be-defeated by you (sing.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Eastern Bru:
“Your arrows are very sharp, enabling them to pierce into the heart of people who hate you. All other countries surely fall near your feet.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
Laarim:
“You let your sharp arrows shoot the hearts of your enemies,
let the nations fall down under your feet.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Mishale yako mikali,
iichome mioyo ya maadui wako,
nayo makabila yote yananguka chini yako.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“Your arrows are sharp, and they pierce the hearts of your enemies. Soldiers of many nations will fall dead at your feet.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the HausaCommon Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
This verse is taken as a wish by Bible en français courant and New International Version; while possible, it seems better to translate it as a statement, as Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others do.
In Hebrew the line translated in the heart of the king’s enemies is the last one of the verse; both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have joined it to the first line, for clarity of meaning. This line refers to the king in the third person, which could be mistakenly understood to be someone other than the king himself, who is addressed in the second person (Your arrows); so in this line Good News Translation keeps the second person, “your enemies.”
The last line portrays the defeat of the king’s enemies.
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 .
The following are presentations by the Psalms: Layer by Layer project, run by Scriptura . The first is an overview and the second an introduction into the exegesis of Psalm 45.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.