The Greek that is translated into English versions as “throne” is translated into Naro as ntcõó-q’oo: “he will rule.” The figure of the “throne” cannot be translated in the egalitarian Naro culture, so the idea had to be expressed more explicitly. (Source: Gerrit van Steenbergen)
In other languages it is translated as “stool/seat of the king” (Marathi), “seat of commanding/chieftainship” (Highland Totonac, Kituba), “seat of the Supreme one (lit. of-him-who-has-the umbrella)” (Toraja-Sa’dan — the umbrella being a well-known symbol of power in various parts of South and South-East Asia), “glorious place to sit” (Ekari) (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel), “where God sits and rules” (Estado de México Otomi), “where God reigns” (Central Mazahua) (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation, March 1965, p. 2ff.), or “bed of kingship” (Kafa) (source: Loren Bliese).
In Elhomwe it is translated as “seat of the king,” unless it refers to the throne of God (such as in Matthew 19:28. Then the translation is the “seat of God.”) (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 89:36:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“that his grandchildren will live forever
and his kingship chair will be established before me like the sun;” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“His dynasty will exist for ever,
and his throne will continue to exist before me like the sun.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“Each king of Israel will-come-from his descendants forever/[lit. until whenever].
His kingdom will-last in my sight the-same-as the duration of sun;” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Laarim:
“The sons of his sons will rule the land forever,
and his kingdom will remains to stay like the sun still shines,” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“kuwa wa katika uzao wake watakuwamo milele na milele,
ufalme wake utakuwako muda wote, kama vile jua.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“I promised that the line of kings descended from him will go on forever;
it will last as long as the sun shines.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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.
God repeats his promise, taking a vow by my holiness, that is, by his holy name, that he will not lie to David. By my holiness means that God guarantees that what he says is true and trustworthy. This may be translated, for example, “I have sworn by my own name” or “I have promised and will do what I say because I am God.” The promise “by my holy name” may be translated as Bible en français courant has done, “as sure as I am God.” Here not lie may be translated as “not be unfaithful (or, disloyal),” as some do; or else, “not deceive” or “not break my promise.”
The promise in verse 36a repeats the promise made in verse 29a; it may be well to use the same noun here as in verse 29, as Biblia Dios Habla Hoy does.
In verse 36b the Hebrew is “and his throne (will last) like the sun before me.” Good News Translation joins before me to the verb (which carries over from the first line), and understands before me to mean God’s care and protection. Most translations have simply before me, joining it either to his throne or to the sun. It may well be that before me adds little to the thought, and that the line means only “and his kingdom will last as long as the sun” (see verse 4b). Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translates the verse “His descendants will reign in his place always, as long as the sun exists.”
It may be necessary in translation to reintroduce the subject “David’s kingdom” at the beginning of verse 37. Verse 37a repeats the thought of permanence, the same idea expressed in different words in verse 29b. Verse 37b in Hebrew is “and a witness in the sky (is) sure.” Good News Translation “that faithful witness in the sky” is like Bible de Jérusalem, New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Weiser; New Jerusalem Bible has “an enduring witness in the sky.” Bible en français courant has “a faithful witness behind the clouds.” Revised Standard Version emends the Hebrew text (so Briggs, An American Translation, New English Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) to get it shall stand firm while the skies endure.35-37 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says the whole verse can be interpreted: (1) “as the moon, (which) is established for ever and (which) is faithful (as) witness in the clouds”; or (2) “as the moon (which) is established for ever, and the witness (which) is faithful in the clouds.”
Some take “the witness” to be God himself; others take it to be the rainbow, but this seems rather unlikely. If the translator follows Good News Translation and others, taking the moon to be the “faithful witness in the sky,” it may be necessary to recast this expression to say, for example, “the moon in the sky that is always watching” or “the moon in the sky that sees everything.”
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 .
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