complete verse (Psalm 59:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 59:14:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “They also come in evening,
    while making noise like dogs
    and wander around the city.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “My enemies will come back in the evening.
    and crying out like dogs they will walk all around the city.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “My enemies return at night growling/snarling like dogs while going-around the city.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “They come back in evening
    crying like dogs
    as they walk in the town.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Maadui zangu wanarudi kila jioni,
    wanabweka kama mbwa na kuzunguka katika mji.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “My enemies return each evening, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl around this city.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 59:14 - 59:15

Verse 14 is a repetition of verse 6.

It seems better in verse 15 to carry on the figure of dogs and not (as Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Weiser) speak directly of the psalmist’s enemies, as though they were actually scavenging the city for food and would growl (Revised Standard Version), or “howl” (New International Version), or “complain,” or “whine” (New Jerusalem Bible) if they didn’t get enough.

Growl translates a verb which means “to murmur”; the form of the verb in the Masoretic text is actually “stand, spend the night” (see the verb in 55.7b), but only a change of vowels is needed to get “murmur.” Only Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, of the translations consulted, tries to stay with the Masoretic text vowels: “they spend the night (complaining)”–and see footnote, which speaks of a “deliberate mistake in the text”!14-15 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says the verb has two meanings: “to spend the night” and “to murmur, to growl.” The comment is made: “For the interpreters of the Masoretic text tradition, the intended meaning was ‘to spend the night,’ but the other meaning is well attested also by old witnesses.” It is best to translate growl. The alternative translation in the Bible en français courant footnote gives the meaning “they remain the whole night.”

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 .