The Hebrew that is translated as “before you,” “to you” or similar in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) as pamaso panu, lit. “on your eyes.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 51:11:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“Do not remove me from your sight
or remove your Holy Spirit in me.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“Do not put me far away from Your presence,
and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“Do- not -drive- me -away from your (sing.) presence,
and do- not -take your (sing.) holy Spirit from me.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Laarim:
“Do not chase me from your presence,
do not take away your Holy Spirit from me.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Usinifukuze mbele yako,
usimtoe Roho Mtakatifu wako.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“Do not send me away from you because of my sin,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Translators of different languages have found different ways with what kind of formality God is addressed. The first example is from a language where God is always addressed distinctly formal whereas the second is one where the opposite choice was made.
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Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.
As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.
In these verses, in which humans address God, the informal, familiar pronoun is used that communicates closeness.
Voinov notes that “in the Tuvan Bible, God is only addressed with the informal pronoun. No exceptions. An interesting thing about this is that I’ve heard new Tuvan believers praying with the formal form to God until they are corrected by other Christians who tell them that God is close to us so we should address him with the informal pronoun. As a result, the informal pronoun is the only one that is used in praying to God among the Tuvan church.”
In Gbaya, “a superior, whether father, uncle, or older brother, mother, aunt, or older sister, president, governor, or chief, is never addressed in the singular unless the speaker intends a deliberate insult. When addressing the superior face to face, the second person plural pronoun ɛ́nɛ́ or ‘you (pl.)’ is used, similar to the French usage of vous.
Accordingly, the translators of the current version of the Gbaya Bible chose to use the plural ɛ́nɛ́ to address God. There are a few exceptions. In Psalms 86:8, 97:9, and 138:1, God is addressed alongside other “gods,” and here the third person pronoun o is used to avoid confusion about who is being addressed. In several New Testament passages (Matthew 21:23, 26:68, 27:40, Mark 11:28, Luke 20:2, 23:37, as well as in Jesus’ interaction with Pilate and Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well) the less courteous form for Jesus is used to indicate ignorance of his position or mocking (source Philip Noss).
In Dutch and Western Frisian translations, however, God is always addressed with the formal pronoun.
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-tama (御霊) or “Spirit (of God)” in the referenced verses.
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, -naide (ないで) or “do not (for their sake)” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”
The psalmist now pleads for a complete spiritual renewal. He asks for a clean heart, by which is probably meant not so much a heart free of impurity as a single-minded, wholehearted devotion to God’s will (as in Matt 5.8; see Anderson).
In verse 10b put a new and right spirit within me translates “renew a loyal spirit in me.” Here “spirit” has to do with attitude, will, desire, and not with “spirit” as opposed to body. The word right translates a Hebrew word which means steadfast, firm; so it is a spirit that is constant in its devotion to God. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “a new and faithful spirit”; another possibility is “a new and constant spirit”; Bible en français courant “renew and strengthen my spirit.” In many languages if the local word for spirit is used in line b, the meaning is apt to refer to the spiritual existence in contrast to the physical. Therefore in those languages it may be advisable to use the word for heart in both lines a and b; for example, “a heart which is pure and a new heart which is loyal.”
The two lines in verse 11 express the same thought. Cast me not away: the psalmist prays that God will not abandon him because he has sinned. God’s presence is the same as his holy Spirit, that is, his power, which is called holy because it is God’s and accomplishes his will. From thy presence must sometimes simply be translated “from you.”
In many languages the term holy Spirit can here be translated as “your spirit.” God’s breath-spirit is the source of all human life and vitality; in the creation of humankind (Gen 2.7) God breathed life-giving breath into a clay model and it became a living being; in Psalm 104.29-30 it is the breath-spirit of God which gives life to all animals; when he holds it back, they die. So God’s breath-spirit is the source of life, not only of physical existence but, in a higher sense, of meaningful life, life in fellowship with and dependent upon God, life that is dedicated to him.
The phrase God’s holy Spirit does not carry the developed ideas it has in the New Testament and in Christian theology. Only here and in Isaiah 63.10, 11 (which see) is the phrase used in the Old Testament. Eaton, who believes the psalm was composed by a king, defines “holy spirit” here as “the power or presence of God at the centre of Israel and working in his chosen ruler” (Kingship and the Psalms, page 71).
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 .
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-mae (御前) or “before (God)” in the referenced verses. In some cases in can also be used in reference to being before a king, such as in 1 Samuel 16:16.
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