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The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as a form of “save” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo with a phrase that means literally “make to live,” which combines the meaning of “to rescue” and “to deliver from danger,” but also the concept of “to heal” or “restore to health.”

Other translations include:

  • San Blas Kuna: “help the heart”
  • Laka: “take by the hand” in the meaning of “rescue” or “deliver”
  • Huautla Mazatec: “lift out on behalf of”
  • Anuak: “have life because of”
  • Central Mazahua: “be healed in the heart”
  • Baoulé: “save one’s head”
  • Guerrero Amuzgo: “come out well”
  • Northwestern Dinka: “be helped as to his breath” (or “life”) (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida),
  • Matumbi: “rescue (from danger)” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Noongar: barrang-ngandabat or “hold life” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • South Bolivian Quechua: “make to escape”
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl: “cause people to come out with the aid of the hand” (source for this and one above: Nida 1947, p. 222)
  • Bariai: “retrieve one back” (source: Bariai Back Translation)

See also salvation and save (Japanese honorifics).

complete verse (Psalm 59:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 59:2:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Rescue me from the people (who) do evil
    and you (should) save me from people (who) shed blood.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Save me from evil people.
    Save me from those who keep killing people.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Save me from the wicked people who (are) ones-who-murders.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Save me from people who are bad,
    and from people who want to kill people.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Uniokoe kwa watenda mabaya,
    uniokoe kwa watu wauaji.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Rescue me from men who want to do what is wicked,
    men who are murderers!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (sukuidashite)

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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, sukuidashite (救い出して) or “save/rescue” 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).”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Japanese benefactives (sukutte)

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 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, sukutte (救って) or “save/deliver” 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).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Psalm 59:1 - 59:2

The opening cry for help (verses 1-2) is made in four lines, all parallel and synonymous. Three verbs are used: deliver (verses 1a, 2a; see 7.1), protect (see 20.1b), and save (see 12.1). The enemies are described as those who rise up against me (verse 1b), those who work evil (verse 2a; see 28.3), and bloodthirsty men (verse 2b), literally “men of bloods” (see 5.6; 55.23).

Not only is the entire psalm in chiastic arrangement, but verses 1-2, which set forth the major theme, are given emphasis by their particular form. In the Hebrew both verses are built by placing verbs before and after each pair of noun phrases; that is, V1 Np Np V2. Verse 1 uses Deliver and protect respectively before and after enemies and those who rise up against me. Verse 2 repeats the same structure with deliver occurring before those who work evil and save after bloodthirsty men. Translators should not copy these structures but rather determine what devices in their own languages have equivalent stylistic functions. In both verses 1 and 2 there is a step-up of intensity which should be reflected in the translation. Good News Translation has done this to a degree in going from “enemies” in line a to “those who attack me” in line b, and from “evil men” to “those murderers” in line b of verse 2.

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 .