כִּ֤י לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח אֶבְי֑וֹן תִּקְוַ֥ת ענוים תֹּאבַ֥ד לָעַֽד׃
18For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor perish forever.
The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “forget” in English is translated in Noongar as dwangka-anbangbat, lit. “ear-lose.” (Source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018).
See also remember and forget (Japanese honorifics).
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 9:18:
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin that is often translated as “gentiles” (or “nations”) in English is often translated as a “local equivalent of ‘foreigners,'” such as “the people of other lands” (Guerrero Amuzgo), “people of other towns” (Tzeltal), “people of other languages” (San Miguel El Grande Mixtec), “strange peoples” (Navajo (Dinė)) (this and above, see Bratcher / Nida), “outsiders” (Ekari), “people of foreign lands” (Kannada), “non-Jews” (North Alaskan Inupiatun), “people being-in-darkness” (a figurative expression for people lacking cultural or religious insight) (Toraja-Sa’dan) (source for this and three above Reiling / Swellengrebel), “from different places all people” (Martu Wangka) (source: Carl Gross).
Tzeltal translates it as “people in all different towns,” Chicahuaxtla Triqui as “the people who live all over the world,” Highland Totonac as “all the outsider people,” Sayula Popoluca as “(people) in every land” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Chichimeca-Jonaz as “foreign people who are not Jews,” Sierra de Juárez Zapotec as “people of other nations” (source of this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), Highland Totonac as “outsider people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Uma as “people who are not the descendants of Israel” (source: Uma Back Translation), “other ethnic groups” (source: Newari Back Translation), and Yakan as “the other tribes” (source: Yakan Back Translation).
In Chichewa, it is translated with mitundu or “races.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
See also nations.
Psalms 9 and 10 constitute one psalm in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate translations. Accordingly all Orthodox and some Catholic translations also treat it as one psalm. One indication that it might in fact have been intended to be one psalm is the fact that both Psalm 9 and 10 together constitute one acrostic, a literary form in which each verse is started with one of the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. According to Brenda Boerger (in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. ) there are three different reasons for acrostics in the Hebrew text: “for ease of memorization,” the representation “of the full breadth and depth of a topic, all the way from aleph to taw (tav),” and the perception of “the acrostic form as aesthetically attractive.” (p. 191)
While most translations mention the existence of the acrostic in a note or a comment, few implement it in their translation. The Natügu translation is one such exception. Boerger (see above) cites a strong tradition in singing the psalms and the fact that Natügu, like Hebrew, also has 22 possible initial letters as motivating factors to maintain the acrostics in that language.
Psalm 9
1 Awi Yawe! Naglqpx-atwrnr-ngrne nim.
Ale-zvzq da kcng tzkctipxng, x napipxxng.
2 Angrlvzx drtqm.
Bilvzx nim kc tqmyalz-esz’ngr.
3 Brngzvxitx nzyzlukr enqmi rnge mz nzmc-krde nim.
Bz x tao-ngrde nzulrm.
4 Clvetio-lzbqx x rpiq kx tubqx.
Clveq leplz amrlx mz nzwxbuo-krme mz tron, x ayzlu-ngrbzme da badr.
5 Dalr nrlc nzmailzlr kxdrka’-ngrng.
Delc napnanati-ngrn nidr x
Drtqdr na-amrbrtx-alobzme.
6 Doa ngr alwx lcng nzyrkrtrpeng.
Enqmi rngeng trpengr nzdcpx-krdr mz drtwr leplz x mztea nyzdr amznrpe-ngrnq.
7 Eu, a’ Yawe ngini-alom King.
Elalvzx nzwxbuo-krme mz tron nyzm murde nzayzlu-krbzme da mz leplz tubq.
8 Eu, murde nzaclve-krm nrlc tubq-esz’ngr,
Esakrlrngr nzpipx-krm nztubqkr leplz o trtingr.
9 Gct, nim lrpalvc nyz kxnzobqszong.
Glxx kx nim me nzrlakitrkr mzli kx prtzngr da.
10 Gct, krkcng tzkrlzlr nim nzabrtrpzlr drtwrdr bam.
Itoto x doa amrlx kcng tzrtangrtilr nim, trmrbrtru mz drtwrm.
11 Itoto x nigu amrlx napipxbzku mz kxnzmnc-mrbrng da kcng tqale Yawe.
Jerusalem ngi mzteadau nyzde mrkc tqmnc-ngrde. Na-angrlvzku nide.
12 Jzsle krkcng tzrnibqting leplz mz nzayzlu-kr-mopwzle badr da kcng tqtrka tzalelr.
Kxnzmncng mz drtq kxetq sa na-ayzlu-kzpzle badr natq ngr nzyrni-krbzlr bade.
13 Kxetu, nayc mz drtwrm ninge x mcom kxmu nzaetq-krm enqmi rngeng drtqnge.
Kxrpalz, bzkq rlrpx-ngrn nzbz-krnge.
14 Kxarlapx, naelalz-ngrm drtwrnge nzarlapx-krm ninge.
Leplz kxkqlu Jerusalem sa naxlrlr nzglqlz-krnge nim.
15-16 Lalztqmamu! Yawe aelwapx-lzbqngr mz nztubqkr nzayzlu-krbzle da mz leplz.
Murde lr mrkzbleng nztao-moung mz gq kx nzekqtilr.
Mz br kx nzatu-kapqlr, nzdwatr-moung elr.
Mz trtxki kx nzamwilr, nzprtz mou kxdrka’-ngrng elr.
17 Mz nzesablqti-krdr Gct,
Nabz-ngrdr leplz ngr nrlc.
18 Nzmu nakxpung, trtxpnzngr nzmrbrtitrkr drtwr Gct nidr.
Nzobqtipxngr kxtrnzrngiscung trtxpnzngr nzbotxpx-krde.
19 Natulzme Yawe, mz nzaryplapx-krm lr mrkzbleng amrlx.
Na-aelwapx-ngrn kx drtwr kxnzetung amrlx ngi brmrda.
20 Namwxlrtilr x na-amrluelr nim.
Nakrlzlr kx nidr leplz txneng, x sa nabzng.
Psalm 10
1 Opxm kx mncme rlru, Yawe.
Opxm kz kx mnc-kapqq mzli kc tqkxpu-ngrgr.
2 Obqm! Kxdrka’ngr glqpx-lzbqmile nzayoti-krde leplz kxnzkxpung.
Pnz drtwrnge kx sa namwati-lzbq mz br scde.
3 Pipxle kx nzaotikr drtwrde da kxtrka zlwz ngi da kxmrlz mz nzbilvz-zvz-krdele.
Pivxile Yawe x pxtxpx-ngrde nide, a’ amrlzle leplz kx nztrkibrng.
4 Rblx nzrtangrti-krde Gct murde glqpx-lzbq.
Rblx nzrmcti-krde Gct murde mz drtwrde trtxpnzngr Gct.
5 Rlr! Xplrmi-zlwzle nzmncngr kxtrka, a’ pxtxpx-ngrde me pnz drtwrm.
Suti txpwz drtwrde nzyrpalelvz-krde enqmi rdeng.
6 Sc tqrpipele kx, “Trpnzngr da kxtrka kx naprtzm bange,
X trpnzngr nzodatingr ninge kalr.”
7 Sc tqglqlz-zvzle alwx x nzpokiangr.
Natqdeng amrlx ngi dalr nzrpikitingr, nzrpibqtingr, x nzrpilzngr. Rom 3:14
8 Trmrlzu nzmnc-kapq-aepztr-krde mztea mz nzrnibq-krde kx nabzdr lq.
Tu zvz mz nzaenzli-krde ncblo kxesz’nebz.
9 Tqtu-kapq apule laion kc
Tqtcngzpxm mz gq nyzde mz nzkivzti-krde ncblo kx trxplru.
10 Vz zvz nzxplr-zlwz-krde.
Vz zvz nzatrkati-krde nzmnckr kxnzkxpung.
11 Vz-rbr kxdrka’ngr mz nzrpi-krde kx, “Gct trobqpepuu bange.
Wzx a’ trkrlzleu da kcng trka tqalex.”
12 Wztitxpxbz nzwzkr ncblo kxdrka’ngr, kx Yawe, mz nzayrplapx-krm nide.
Wai-ngrn da lc murde bzkq mrbrtr mz drtwrm kxnzkxpung.
13 Wai-ngrdele kxdrka’ngr pxtxpx-ngrde nim.
X rpile kx, “Gct trtxpnzngr nzayrplapx-krde ninge.”
14 Xlqkqamu nimu kxdrka’-ngrng, murde Gct mcle da kxtrka lcng amrlx tqaleamu.
X oliqtile nzokatr-krde kxnzkxpung kcng tzrtangrtilr nide.
Xlrle nidr murde nide kc tqokatr zvz kxnzobqszong.
15 Yawe, katxpxbz zmatq ngr kxdrka’-ngrng.
Yrpalelvz nidr x ayrplapxng mz da kxtrka kcng tzalelr, navz x naesaki zpwx.
16 Yawe, nim King.
Yc zvz nzaclve-krm nrlc.
Yrlqtxpx mz drtc’ nyzm krkcng trnzangiolru nim.
17 Zmatq ngrm etu-esz’ngr, murde krlzpe-kaiq nike narlxtibz kxnztubqng.
Zbq kalvz axplrq nidr x kabzme badr nike nzrlxtilr.
18 Zbo ngr leplz kxnzobqszong x kxnzkxpung, sa na-arlapxbzmeng mz zmatq ngr leplz mz nrlc ka.
Zmwxlr amrlx sa na-aesaki-zvzq.
© 2008, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Dutch translation Tot Lof van God by Frans Croese (publ. 2010) also maintained the acrostic.
Psalm 9
Voor de concertmeester: op ‘De dood, voor de zoon’; een muziekstuk op naam van David.
2
Alom en van ganser harte, zo dank ik Jehovah!
AI Uw wonderdaden, van hen wol ik vertellen!
3
Aangaande U zij mijn verheugen, mijn juichen,
Allerhoogste, maar al te graag bezing ik Uw naam!
4
Bij de aftocht van mijn vijanden
vergingen die struikelend van voor Uw aangezicht;
5
U hebt immers het pleit beslecht, mijn rechtsgeding,
gezeten op de zetel van de rechtvaardige Rechter.
6
De heidense volkeren hebt U bestraft,
het wetteloze te gronde gericht,
hun namen hebt U voor altijd en eeuwig gewist.
7
Het is gedaan met de vijand,
verwoesting alom en voor eeuwig,
waar U complete steden hebt uitgerukt.
Vergaan is hun gedachtenis sowieso.
Feitelijk geldt dat voor henzelf evenzo.
8
Jehovah daarentegen zetelt voor immer,
Zijn zetel gereed voor het gericht.
9
Hij is het die de wereld naar gerechtigheid oordeelt;
eerlijk en billijk, zo richt Hij de staten.
10
Gerechtigheid is er voor de verdrukten;
voor hen is Jehovah een burcht,
een burcht in tijden van nood en ontbering.
11
Wie Uw naam werkelijk kennen, vertrouwen op U;
wie naar U werkelijk vorsen, Jehovah, liet U nooit in de steek.
12
Heft dus aan de muziek voor Jehovah die zetelt op Sion,
verhaalt van Zijn handelen onder de volkeren;
13
Hij heeft gedacht aan wie onschuldig bloed te wreken had,
zoals Hij evenmin de noodkreet der misdeelden vergat:
14
‘Ik smeek U Jehovah, wees mij goedgunstig,
zie de ellende, mij berokkend door hen die mij haten,
door mij op te heffen uit de poorten des doods,
15
zodat ik van al Uw roemrijke daden mag vertellen,
daar, in de poorten van Sions dochter.
Ik wil dansen van vreugde om redding door U!’
16
Jammerlijk zijn zij weggezakt, de natiën, in hun zelfgemaakte kuil,
hun voet verward in het net dat zijzelf zo geniepig hadden gezet.
17
Zo zal men weten: Jehovah verschaft daadwerkelijk recht,
de wetteloze raakt verstrikt in hetgeen hij eigenhandig bewerkt.
biggajon, sela
18
Kortom, die wettelozen keren rechtstreeks richting dodenrijk,
al die natiën die God zo gaarne vergeten.
19
Luister, de behoeftige wordt nimmer vergeten,
nooit zal de hoop van wie arm zijn vergaan.
20
O Jehovah, sta toch op,
opdat de macht niet gaat naar ‘mensen slechts’.
Mogen die natiën voor Uw aangezicht worden berecht.
21
O Jehovah, zet hun desnoods het mes op de keel.
De heidense volkeren dienen te weten:
‘mensen slechts’ zijn ook zij. sela
Psalm 10
Maar waarom, Jehovah, staat U zo veraf,
houdt U terug, met daardoor tijden van nood en ontbering?
2
Met gewetenloze hoogmoed brandt men los op de misdeelde,
ze zijn in de ban van ‘listen en lagen’, heel handig bedacht.
3
De gewetenloze geeft hoog op van zijn persoonlijke genoegens,
zijn zegen geldt het winstbejag.
Overduidelijk heeft hij Jehovah veracht,
4
want de gewetenloze, de neus arrogant in de lucht, kijkt nergens naar;
al zijn kwalijke spinsels hebben ‘God is er niet’ als gedachte.
5
En zo gaat hij voort in handel en wandel;
hoe verheven Uw oordelen zijn, ontgaat hem geheel,
allen die hem tegenstaan blaft hij verachtelijk af.
6
Hij zei bij zichzelf: ‘Mij kan toch niets gebeuren,
geen malheur immers, en dat al van geslacht op geslacht.’
7
En vloeken daarbij!
Stijf staat zijn mond van bedrog en intrige,
ongeluk en onrecht liggen paraat onder zijn tong.
8
Zo zet hij zich neer in dicht omheinde hinderlagen,
op verscholen plekken vermoordt hij wie totaal onschuldig is!
Richt zijn spiedend oog zich op zo’n stakker,
9
terwijl hij in zijn schuilplaats op de loer ligt,
als een leeuw in het kreupelhout, op de loer om een ellendige te vangen,
door zijn vangnet dicht te trekken vangt hij de ellendige.
10
Die zakt dan gebroken in elkaar,
gevallen, ten prooi aan zijn brute kracht – de stakkers.
11
Terwijl hij bij zichzelf feitelijk zei:
‘God? Die is het allang vergeten!
Die heeft Zijn gezicht verborgen, heeft nooit iets gezien.’
12
U echter wil ik smeken, Jehovah, sta toch op!
O God, hef op Uw hand,
vergeet niet wie ellendig zijn.
13
Waartoe leidt die gewetenloze godsverachting wel niet,
door wie bij zichzelf zei dat U ‘nergens naar kijkt’?
14
Vast en zeker zag U het, want die ellende en ontsteltenis
neemt U toch waar om het zelf ter hand te nemen?
Op U immers verlaat zich de stakker,
U was de wees toch tot hulp?
15
Welnu, verbreek de sterke arm van we doortrapt gewetenloos is,
met daarbij tevens het kwaad;
speur diens wetteloze sporen na tot U echt niets meer vindt
16
– Jehovah is Koning voor altijd en eeuwig,
de heidense volkeren zullen voorgoed zijn vergaan van Zijn aarde.
17
Zeker zult U luisteren, Jehovah, naar wat die misdeelden verlangen,
U bemoedigt hen, leent hun aandachtig het oor,
18
om recht te verschaffen aan de wees en aan de gekwelde.
Niet langer zal men dan nog proberen
om, waar ook op aarde, gewone mensen te terroriseren.
With thanks to Thamara van Eijzeren
Brenda Boerger (2024) translated psalms 9 and 10 into English and maintained the acrostic:
1 All my thanks I give you, Lord;
And my heart says, “You’re adored.”
2 Accolades for all you’ve done,
Ballads to Almighty One.
3 Blessedly foes flee in fright,
Bad men die when you’re in sight.
4 Cleared name; so I am set free.
Case closed for you act justly.
Court says heathen are condemned!
5 D’feated, seething, in the end.
Don’t consider them again.
Dictate evil be wiped out;
6 Endless ruin in their house.
Erased, gone hither. Amen.
7 Ever Yahweh, ruler, yes!
Faithful rule in righteousness,
8 Fixed on earth your judgment throne:
Filled with justice, yours alone.
9/10 God, you keep the battered safe.
Glad hearts leap now toward your grace.
Glorious Turret, be our host.
High security; none lost.
11 Holy one enthroned in Zion.
Heathens, hear us sing of God.
12 Ignoring not our troubled cries,
It is true our God replies.
13 I say, Mercy! That’s my plea.
Just pluck me from th’enemy.
Justly come, deliver me!
14 Joyous, Zion-bound I stand
Keeping praise sounds in our band;
Keeping joy; saved by your hand!
15 Killers dig a hole, and bait it,
Lured to roll into that same pit.
16 Lord, you showed your fair decrees
Lies the wicked sowed they reaped.
Men rejecting God must go: Must be destined for Sheol.
17 Make the needy hold to hope. Not concede or fold up. Nope.
18 Now, Lord Yahweh, raise your hand.
Nullify the rebel band.
Overwhelm with your great law.
Only then, let their fate dawn—
19 Overawed and frightened men. Only light weights, mortal men.
❊ ❊ ❊ ❊
1 Please Yahweh, why far away?
Persecuted day by day.
2 Pulling weaker ones aside.
Patron, times are bleak. Why hide?
3 Quite proud, they love evil rot.
Quarrel, say, “Above’s no God”.
4 Quickly impure ones all say,
“Quite sure we won’t have to pay. ”
5 Rebels cheer in all they do.
Ruthless sneering at foes too.
6 Resolutely won’t withdraw;
Ruling out King Yahweh’s law.
7 Speak assaults in lie, threat, curse;
Speech is salted with set slurs.
8 Shadow-hid, they slink around,
Search out victims to bring down. Traitors tear the innocent;
9 Terrify like tigers, rend.
Trap the helpless, lie in wait;
10 Troll their net and dangle bait,
Unaware ones feel the snare.
11 Until men judge God won’t care.
Unaddressed ills stay ignored,
Unseen still by Yahweh Lord.
12 Vict’ry, Yahweh, raise your hand.
Vindicate us, take a stand.
13 Violent foes revile our God,
“Villains will not get the rod.”
14 Well aware, you see our grief;
We wait, trusting, for relief.
Wise one rescues orphaned, poor.
Wants to father them, restore.
15 Expunge all evil influence.
Exact their lull recompense.
Expose evil, wicked plans.
16 Yahweh, ever, you command;
You drive heathens from your land.
17 Yahweh hears all our requests,
Yields hope for the fatherless.
18 Zealous God lifts the oppressed.
Zapped, our foes cannot cause fear.
Zero hour for man is here.
Ho’o-ho’o-Ho’osana. Hale-hale-hallelu-Yah.
Ho’o-ho’o-Ho’osana. Hale-hale-hallelu-Yah.
The psalmist affirms the concern of Yahweh for the oppressed, as contrasted with the fate of the wicked in verse 17. The passive verb shall not … be forgotten has God as the implied actor: “God will not forget them.” Here “forget” means “not care for, neglect.” In translation a positive expression may be better: “God will help (or, rescue) the needy,” “God will answer the prayers of the needy.”
In two parallel lines the oppressed are described as the needy and the poor (same word as in verse 12). In many languages, particularly among marginal peoples, terms for the poor are often lacking. Consequently it is necessary to use a descriptive phrase such as “those who are weak and pitiful,” “people who have nothing,” “people who live far from the chief’s compound,” or “people who own only one small pig.”
Typical of parallel lines is the absence of a connector in Hebrew, particularly when the first clause expresses a negative. Here the second clause in Good News Translation can be improved by beginning it “nor shall the hope.”
The hope of the poor is their hope that God will rescue them from their troubles. Hope may sometimes be rendered “to look forward with confidence.” In many languages it is not possible to speak of an emotional event such as hope perishing, as in Revised Standard Version, or “crushed,” as in Good News Translation, but one can destroy or crush the poor who hope. Consequently this statement may be recast as “the poor who look forward with confidence in God will not be crushed forever.” In an active sense this may be rendered “God will not forever destroy the poor people who look to God with confidence that he will help them,” or hope can be kept in focus by translating “the poor will always continue to hope that God will save them.”
For ever appears to suggest that, although the poor seem to be forgotten by God, they will not always remain that way. In time their hope for God’s help will be rewarded.
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 .
In exaggerated fashion the psalmist promises absolute safety to those who trust in Yahweh. The figures thousand and ten thousand, which represent step-up parallelism, if taken literally, suggest either warfare or an epidemic; but it is probable that no specific danger is intended. Dahood, New Jerusalem Bible, and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translate, in verse 7a-b, “at your left” and “at your right.” “You will not be harmed” translates it will not come near you, in which it refers to whatever may have caused the deaths of the others.
In verse 8a only may be translated “Just open your eyes and you will see…” or “All you have to do is look, and you will see….”
In verse 8b recompense translates a word found nowhere else in the Old Testament; it is here used in a bad sense of punishment, destruction; see a similar statement in 54.7b. In languages in which the passive is not used, God will have to be introduced as the subject of the action; for example, “see how God punishes wicked people.”
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, the second an introduction into the poetry, and the third an introduction into the exegesis of Psalm 9.
Copyright © Scriptura
Copyright © Scriptura
Copyright © Scriptura
Copyright © Scriptura
Copyright © Scriptura
John Wu Ching-hsiung (1899-1986) was a native of Ningbo, Zhejiang, a renowned jurist who studied in Europe and the United States, and served as a professor of law at Soochow University, as a judge and the Acting President of the Shanghai Provisional Court, and as the Vice President of the Commission for the Drafting of the Constitution of the Republic of China, before becoming the Minister of the Republic of China to the Holy See. Wu has written extensively, not only on law but also on Chinese philosophy, and has also written his autobiography, Beyond East and West, in English. Wu was a devout Catholic and had a personal relationship with Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975). Wu began translating the the Psalms in 1938, and was encouraged by Chiang to translate the entire New Testament, which he corrected in his own handwriting. (…) John Wu Ching-hsiung’s translation of the Psalms (first draft in 1946, revised in 1975) was translated into Literary Chinese in the form of poetic rhyme, with attention paid to the style of writing. According to the content and mood of the different chapters of the original psalm, Wu chose Chinese poetic forms such as tetrameter, pentameter, heptameter [4, 5 or 7 syllables/Chinese characters per stanza], and the [less formal] Sao style, and sometimes more than two poetic forms were used in a single poem. (Source: Simon Wong)
“Nothing could have been farther from my mind than to translate the Bible or any parts of it with a view to publishing it as an authorized version. I had rendered some of the Psalms into Chinese verse, but that was done as a part of my private devotion and as a literary hobby. When I was in Hongkong in 1938, I had come to know Madame H. H. Kung [Soong Ai-ling], and as she was deeply interested in the Bible, I gave her about a dozen pieces of my amateurish work just for her own enjoyment. What was my surprise when, the next time I saw her, she told me, “My sister [Soong Mei-ling] has written to say that the Generalissimo [Chiang Kai-shek] likes your translation of the Psalms very much, especially the first, the fifteenth, and the twenty-third, the Psalm of the Good Shepherd!”
“In the Autumn of 1940, when I was in Chungking, the Generalissimo invited me several times to lunch with him and expressed his appreciation of the few pieces that he had read. So I sent him some more. A few days later I received a letter from Madame Chiang [Soong Mei-ling], dated September 21, 1940, in which she said that they both liked my translation of the few Psalms I had sent them. ‘For many years,’ she wrote, ‘the Generalissimo has been wanting to have a really adequate and readable Wen-li (literary) translation of the Bible. He has never been able to find anyone who could undertake the matter.’ The letter ends up by saying that I should take up the job and that ‘the Generalissimo would gladly finance the undertaking of this work.’
“After some preliminary study of the commentaries, I started my work with the Psalms on January 6, 1943, the Feast of the Epiphany.
“I had three thousand years of Chinese literature to draw upon. The Chinese vocabulary for describing the beauties of nature is so rich that I seldom failed to find a word, a phrase, and sometimes even a whole line to fit the scene. But what makes such Psalms so unique is that they bring an intimate knowledge of the Creator to bear upon a loving observation of things of nature. I think one of the reasons why my translation is so well received by the Chinese scholars is that I have made the Psalms read like native poems written by a Chinese, who happens to be a Christian. Thus to my countrymen they are at once familiar and new — not so familiar as to be jejune, and not so new as to be bizarre. I did not publish it as a literal translation, but only as a paraphrase.
“To my greatest surprise, [my translation of the Psalms] sold like hot dogs. The popularity of that work was beyond my fondest dreams. Numberless papers and periodicals, irrespective of religion, published reviews too good to be true. I was very much tickled when I saw the opening verse of the first Psalm used as a headline on the front page of one of the non-religious dailies.”
A contemporary researcher (Lindblom 2021) mentions this about Wu’s translation: “Wu created a unique and personal work of sacred art that bears the imprint of his own admitted love and devotion, a landmark achievement comparable to Antoni Gaudi’s Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain. Although its use is still somewhat limited today, it continues to attract readers for the aforementioned qualities, and continues to be used in prayers and music by those who desire beauty and an authentic Chinese-sounding text that draws from China’s ancient traditions.”
The translation of Psalm 9 from the 1946 edition is in heptameter (the 1946 edition did not have verse numbers either and underlined proper names):
神與人
我欲一心頌雅瑋。縷述眞神一切妙。 歡忭鼓舞主懷中。心歌腹詠至尊號。 吾敵已潰退。紛紛仆主前。 公義已見伸。睿斷洵無愆。 主已懲萬邦。消滅諸悖逆。塗抹不肖名。終古歸沈寂。 敵國城邑已荒蕪。樓臺亭閣悉成墟。繁華事散逐輕塵。欲尋遺跡蕩無存。 恆存惟有天主國。雅瑋皇座永不移。 審判世界與萬民。聰明正直豈有私。 困苦無告蒙哀矜。主是窮民避難城。 又為聖徒之保障。何曾孤負有心人。 西溫居民當絃歌。暢向億兆宣神蹟。 無辜之血主常恤。冤屈之人必得直。
雅瑋憐我苦。拯吾出兇門。 我在西溫門前立。中心感主發頌聲。
敵人掘穽自陷身。敵人布網自絆足。 雅瑋靈隲實昭著。陰謀詭計徒自辱。 世上忘主眾不肖。終須相將沈幽冥。 窮人豈能長被遺。鮮民之望終有成。 寧容人類勝眞宰。願主興起鞫頑民。 務使世間傲慢子。自知僅屬血氣倫。
Transcription into Roman alphabet:
shén yǔ rén
wǒ yù yī xīn sòng yǎ wěi 。 Lǚ shù zhēn shén yī qiē miào 。 huān biàn gǔ wǔ zhǔ huái zhōng 。 xīn gē fù yǒng zhì zūn hào 。 wú dí yǐ kuì tuì 。 fēn fēn pū zhǔ qián 。 gōng yì yǐ jiàn shēn 。 ruì duàn xún wú qiān 。 zhǔ yǐ chěng wàn bāng 。 xiāo miè zhū bèi nì 。 tú mǒ bù xiāo míng 。 zhōng gǔ guī shěn jì 。 dí guó chéng yì yǐ huāng wú 。 lóu tái tíng gé xī chéng xū 。 fán huá shì sàn zhú qīng chén 。 yù xún yí jì dàng wú cún 。 héng cún wéi yǒu tiān zhǔ guó 。 yǎ wěi huáng zuò yǒng bù yí 。 shěn pàn shì jiè yǔ wàn mín 。 cōng míng zhèng zhí qǐ yǒu sī 。 kùn kǔ wú gào mēng āi jīn 。 zhǔ shì qióng mín bì nán chéng 。 yòu wéi shèng tú zhī bǎo zhàng 。 hé zēng gū fù yǒu xīn rén 。 xī wēn jū mín dāng xián gē 。 chàng xiàng yì zhào xuān shén lì 。 wú gū zhī xuè zhǔ cháng xù 。 yuān qū zhī rén bì dé zhí 。
yǎ wěi lián wǒ kǔ 。 zhěng wú chū xiōng mén 。 wǒ zài xī wēn mén qián lì 。 zhōng xīn gǎn zhǔ fā sòng shēng 。
dí rén jué jǐng zì xiàn shēn 。 dí rén bù wǎng zì bàn zú 。 yǎ wěi líng cí shí zhāo zhù 。 yīn móu guǐ jì tú zì rǔ 。 shì shàng wàng zhǔ zhòng bù xiāo 。 zhōng xū xiāng jiāng shěn yōu míng 。 qióng rén qǐ néng cháng bèi yí 。 xiān mín zhī wàng zhōng yǒu chéng 。 níng róng rén lèi shèng zhēn zǎi 。 yuàn zhǔ xīng qǐ jú wán mín 。 wù shǐ shì jiān ào màn zǐ 。 zì zhī jǐn shǔ xuè qì lún 。
With thanks to Simon Wong.
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