Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 89:25:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“I will put his hand on the lake,
his right hand on rivers.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“I will cause his kingdom to extend
from the Mediterranean Sea
to the Euphrates River.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“I will-cause- him -reign from the Sea of Mediteraneo up-to the Eufrates River.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Laarim:
“I will make his hand to rule the seas,
his right hand will rule the rivers.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Nitaupa nguvu ufalme wake,
kuanzia katika bahari mpaka katika mto.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“I will cause his kingdom/the area that he rules to include all the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The various Greek, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation). Likewise, in Toposa all the different bodies of water are all called by one term as well: nya-name̥ (source: Schröder 2026, p. 101).
In Malagasy culture, the sea is perceived as sacred because it was a path taken by the ancestors. That is why the Malagasy word for the “sea” is ranomasina, which literally means “the sacred water.” The word masina actually has two different meanings: “salted” and “sacred/holy.” Salt is used for the conservation of some foods, such as meat or fish, that are to be set aside for later use. In this sense, the Malagasy phrase for “Holy Spirit” has the literal meaning of “Salted Spirit.” (Source: Brigitte Rabarijaona in The Bible Translator 2022, p. 103ff.)
“Sea” (or: “ocean”) is translated in Tepeuxila Cuicatec as “water land” and in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac as “very big lake.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
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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.
In verses 24-29 God promises to be with David always, to uphold him, bless him, and make him king over a mighty empire. The direct quotation of what God said to David is a long one (verses 19-37), and in some translations it may be helpful to make a break and reintroduce God as speaker; verse 24 can begin: “God also said, ‘I will love David….’ ”
In verse 24, as in verses 2, 14b, God’s faithfulness and … steadfast love are spoken of; here he pledges them to David for all time. In verse 24b the Hebrew is and in my name shall his horn be exalted (see verse 17b). In my name means “by means of my power (or, presence) with him.” His horn is a figure for power, strength (see also comments on 18.2; 75.4, 5). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “Because I will be with him, his power will grow,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “and by means of me his power will grow”; Bible en français courant translates “I am the one who will make his power grow.” Good News Translation has shifted from the noun phrases in Revised Standard Version to verb phrases, just as many translators will be required to do. “I will make him always victorious” must in many languages be recast to say, for example, “I will always enable him to defeat his enemies.”
One of the typical devices for heightening poetic effect in parallel lines is the use of a metaphor in the second line, here horn be exalted. This effect may be translated by saying, for example, “Not only will I love him and be loyal to him, I will always help him defeat his enemies.”
David’s kingdom will reach from the sea to the rivers. Good News Translation and others take this to mean “from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates River” (see discussion of similar expressions in 72.8; 80.11). Some take the language to mean that David’s reign will be universal, the sea and the rivers standing for the limits of the whole world (see 24.2 and comments). It is probable, as Dahood maintains, that here, as in verse 13b, hand and right hand mean “left hand” and “right hand.” It is also possible that the psalmist is dealing more with poetic word pairs than with geographical space.
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 .
The following are presentations by the Psalms: Layer by Layer project, run by Scriptura . The first is an overview and the second an introduction into the exegesis of Psalm 89.
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