complete verse (Psalm 78:29)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 78:29:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “They ate until they remained with plenty
    for He gave them what they desired.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “In this way they had enough to eat,
    He fed these gluttons.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Therefore they ate and became-full, for God gave them what they wanted.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “They ate food until satisfied,
    for he gave them the things which they very much.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Wakala na kushiba sana,
    aliwapa ambavyo walikuwa wanataka.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “So the people cooked the birds and ate the meat and their stomachs were full,
    because God had given them what they wanted.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("do/make")

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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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, s-are-ru (される) or “do/make” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Psalm 78:29 - 78:31

In verses 29b, 30a what they craved and their craving translate the same noun, “desire, craving.” The Hebrew word taʾawah is represented in Numbers 11.34 as part of the name given the place, “Kibroth-hattaavah” (Revised Standard Version), “graves of craving.” The verb phrase they ate here refers to the Hebrews eating the birds, whereas in verse 25 it refers to their eating the bread or grain. In some languages the verb will differ in these two verses. Verses 29 and 30 in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation make it appear that the people were satisfied, but that their craving was not satisfied. If this is followed, in many languages the reader will be confused. It may be preferable therefore to say in verses 29-30 “And so the people ate the meat and filled their stomachs. God had given them what they wanted. But they still had their desire for meat and were still eating it when….”

No specific reason is given why God suddenly got angry with them and killed the strongest of them. Numbers 11.33 reports that it was with “a very great plague” (Revised Standard Version) that the LORD killed them. But the lesson the psalmist is seeking to teach is that it was lack of trust, it was rebellion and disobedience, that caused God’s anger. In verse 31c the picked men of Israel is parallel to the strongest of them in verse 31b and means “the best young men,” young men in the prime of life.

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 .