complete verse (Psalm 89:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 89:23:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “I will crush his enemies before him
    and strike his opponents.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “I will destroy his enemies from before him.
    and I will bring disaster to those who hate him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “While he is-looking I will-crush his enemies until they die.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “I will step on his enemies in his presence,
    and will kill people who hate him.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Lakini nitawaponda maadui wake mbele yake,
    nitawangamiza wote ambao wanampinga.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I will crush his enemies in front of him and get rid of those who hate him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

In Cherokee it is either translated as “the one(s) who reprimand(s) you” or “the one(s) feared.” (Source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 47)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Psalm 89:22 - 89:23

In verse 22 outwit translates a word whose form and meaning are disputed. The Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (BDB) derives it from the verb nashaʾ [I], “to be a creditor”; McCullough and others relate it to nashaʾ [II], “to deceive” (so Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch outwit; New American Bible “deceive”; Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Bible en français courant “take by surprise”). K-B derives it from a verb meaning “treat badly, oppress” (New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version); New English Bible “strike at” (similarly Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). The best thing to do is use a word that gives the general idea of “oppress” or “conquer.” Good News Translation‘s “succeed against him” is somewhat elliptical and difficult to translate, as it does not make clear what they will not succeed in doing against him. If the translator follows Good News Translation, it may be necessary to say, for example, “his enemies will not succeed in their battles against him.”

In verse 22b the wicked translates a Hebrew idiom, “son of wickedness.” The verb (not) humble means (not) to inflict a shameful defeat on him. Here there is no particular poetic movement between lines a and b. Both say very much the same thing. It is in such cases as this that translators may want to reduce the two lines to one by saying, for example, “His enemies who are wicked people will not be able to defeat him.”

God promises to defeat David’s enemies and destroy them completely (verse 23). The word translated crush is a process in which pressure is brought to bear on two sides of an object. However, in this context the sense of this action is in its results. The thing is crushed, destroyed, collapsed, broken to pieces. When the object is animate, crushing refers to disabling or to destruction. The sense here is to destroy, do away with. In some languages verse 23a may be rendered “While he is watching I will wipe out his enemies” or “… do away with his enemies.” In some languages this expression may best be handled as a simile, “I will crush his enemies as a person smashes an egg.” In verse 23 before him has not been included by Good News Translation; something like the following can be done: “In his presence (or, As he looks on) I will destroy his foes.” In line b strike down translates a verb that is used only here in the Psalms in this sense; see its use in 91.12b “strike (your foot).”

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 .