grain

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “grain” (or: “corn”) is translated in Kui as “(unthreshed) rice.” Helen Evans (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) explains: “Padddy [unthreshed rice] is the main crop of the country and rice the staple diet of the people, besides which [grain] is unknown and there is no word for it, and it seemed to us that paddy and rice in the mind of the Kui people stood for all that corn meant to the Jews.” “Paddy” is also the translation in Pa’o Karen (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. ).

Other translations include: “wheat” (Teutila Cuicatec), “corn” (Lalana Chinantec), “things to eat” (Morelos Nahuatl), “grass corn” (wheat) (Chichimeca-Jonaz) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), “millet” (Lambya) (source: project-specific notes in Paratext), “food” (Nyamwezi) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)or ntimumma lujia / “seeds for food” (Lokạạ — “since Lokạạ does not have specific terms for maize and rice that can be described as grains”) (source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

complete verse (Psalm 72:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 72:16:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Allow that wheat be increased in the whole land;
    on top of the mountains let there be wheat.
    May its fruits increase like those from Lebanon;
    let them increase like grass from the bush” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “May much grain be borne in the land,
    may the harvest be full on the mountains.
    May it be full of fruit like Lebanon.
    May the fields be as full of grass as the cities are full of people.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “May-it-be that the harvest of the land will-become-great even on the top/peak of the hills/mountains,
    like the harvests in Lebanon.
    May-it-be that the residents of the cities will-become-many,
    like the grass in the fields.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “You (sing.) let grain to fill the earth,
    let mountains be full of grain,
    to stay like the grains of Lebanon,
    to stay like the grass which grow well.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Vyakula viwe vingi katika nchi yetu,
    pia na katika milima mirefu.
    Mashamba yawe na mavuno mengi,
    kama vile miti ya katika Lebanoni.
    Miji ijae watu,
    kama vile majani mengi.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I hope/desire that the fields will produce plenty of grain everywhere, even on the tops of the hills in the land where they rule,
    like the grain that grows on the hills in Lebanon.
    I hope/desire that the cities in Israel will be full of people
    like the fields are full of grass.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 72:15 - 72:16

The psalm closes with a final petition for the king’s long and prosperous reign (verses 15-17). For a translation of Long may he live, see 22.26.

For Sheba see verse 10. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation passive constructions may require shifting to active constructions in translation, in which case the object of May prayer be made for him may be stated as “May the people pray for him continually and ask God to bless him always.” In languages which do not use a passive, may gold of Sheba be given to him may have to be rendered “may the people of Sheba give him gold.”

In verse 15d the Hebrew is “may he be blessed all the day,” which may be a prayer for “God’s blessings” to rest on him (so Good News Translation) or, as Revised Standard Version has it, the people’s blessings, that is, their prayers on his behalf, which is parallel with the preceding line (also New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, New International Version). It seems best to follow Revised Standard Version here.

Verse 16 has some words not occurring elsewhere in the Old Testament, whose meaning is in doubt. In line a the word translated abundance is unknown elsewhere; in line b the word translated wave means elsewhere “to shake” (usually of earthquakes). In line d the verb translated “be filled” by Good News Translation means “to bloom,” used of plants (Revised Standard Version blossom forth). The petition for cities full of people seems a bit odd, and some commentators and translators emend the text to get a reference to crops; so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “may there be ears of grain like grass in the fields” (similarly New English Bible). But the Masoretic text can be translated; so Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation; New Jerusalem Bible “and let men sprout up in towns like country grass”; New American Bible “the city dwellers shall flourish like verdure of the fields.” (There was no problem of overpopulation at that time.)

If there is no generic term for grain, translators may consider using the dominant plant grown in the area. In areas where farming is possible only in the valleys, never on mountain tops, some adjustment may be necessary to express the thought of grain waving on the tops of the mountains; either as in Good News Translation or, for example, “may the crops grow everywhere, even on the hill tops.” In order to make clear the reference to fruit be like Lebanon, it will often be necessary to say “may the grain grow as well as it does on the mountains called Lebanon.” (Modern readers may only know Lebanon as the name of a Mediterranean country.)

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 .