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)
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.
Click or tap here for both Psalm 9 and 10 successively in Natügu
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.
The Dutch translation Tot Lof van God by Frans Croese (publ. 2010) also maintained the acrostic.
Click or tap here for the psalms in the Tot Lof van God translation
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.
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 9:7:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“Jehovah is reigning forever;
he has established his kingship seat of judgment.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“The LORD will rule forever.
He has prepared His throne for rendering judgment.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“But you (sing.), LORD, reign without end,
your (sing.) throne (is) now ready to-judge.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Eastern Bru:
“God is King forever and ever. He has already prepared the place to judge people.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
Laarim:
“The LORD rule the world forever.
He rules the world with his great chair, so that he will judge the matters.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Lakini BWANA anatwala milele na milele,
ameweka kiti chake cha enzi,
katika makao ya kuhukumia.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“But Yahweh rules forever.
He judges people while he sits on his throne to judge people,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-za (御座), mi-kura (みくら) (Psalm 7:7), or mi-kurai (御位) (Psalm 113:5) in the referenced verses, all relating to the “throne (or: high seat) (of God)”.
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
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 rare (られ) 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, tate-rare-ru (立てられる) or “establish/erect” is used.
God transcends gender, but most languages are limited to grammatical gender expressed in pronouns. In the case of English, this is traditionally confined to “he” (or in the forms “his,” “him,” and “himself”), “she” (and “her,” “hers,” and “herself”), and “it” (and “its” and “itself”).
Modern Mandarin Chinese, however, offers another possibility. Here, the third-person singular pronoun is always pronounced the same (tā), but it is written differently according to its gender (他 is “he,” 她 is “she,” and 它/牠 is “it” and their respective derivative forms). In each of these characters, the first (or upper) part defines the gender (man, woman, or thing/animal), while the second element gives the clue to its pronunciation.
In 1930, after a full century with dozens of Chinese translations, Bible translator Wang Yuande (王元德) coined a new “godly” pronoun: 祂. Chinese readers immediately knew how to pronounce it: tā. But they also recognized that the first part of that character, signifying something spiritual, clarified that each person of the Trinity has no gender aside from being God.
While the most important Protestant and Catholic Chinese versions respectively have opted not to use 祂, some Bible translations do and it is widely used in hymnals and other Christian materials. Among the translations that use 祂 to refer to “God” were early versions of Lü Zhenzhong’s (呂振中) version (New Testament: 1946, complete Bible: 1970). R.P. Kramers (in The Bible Translator 1956, p. 152ff. ) explains why later versions of Lü’s translation did not continue with this practice: “This new way of writing ‘He,’ however, has created a minor problem of its own: must this polite form be used whenever Jesus is referred to? Lü follows the rule that, wherever Jesus is referred to as a human being, the normal tā (他) is written; where he is referred to as divine, especially after the ascension, the reverential tā (祂) is used.”
In that system, one kind of pronoun is used for humans (male and female alike) and others for natural elements, non-liquid masses, and some spiritual entities (one other is used for large animals and another one for miscellaneous items). While in these languages the pronoun for spiritual entities used to be employed when referring to God, this has changed into the use of the human pronoun.
Lynell Zogbo (in The Bible Translator 1989, p. 401ff. ) explains: “From informal discussions with young Christians especially, it would appear that, at least for some people, the experience and/or concepts of Christianity are affecting the choice of pronoun for God. Some people explain that God is no longer ‘far away,’ but is somehow tangible and personal. For these speakers God has shifted over into the human category.”
In Kouya, God (the Father) and Jesus are referred to with the human pronoun ɔ, whereas the Holy Spirit is referred to with a non-human pronoun. (Northern Grebo and Western Krahn make a similar distinction.)
Eddie Arthur, a former Kouya Bible translation consultant, says the following: “We tried to insist that this shouldn’t happen, but the Kouya team members were insistent that the human pronoun for the Spirit would not work.”
In Burmese, the pronoun ko taw (ကိုယ်တော်) is used either as 2nd person (you) or 3rd person (he, him, his) reference. “This term clearly has its root in the religious language in Burmese. No ordinary persons are addressed or known by this pronoun because it is reserved for Buddhist monks, famous religious teachers, and in the case of Christianity, the Trinity.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 202ff. )
In Thai, the pronoun phra`ong (พระองค์) is used, a gender-neutral pronoun which must refer to a previously introduced royal or divine being. Similarly, in Northern Khmer, which is spoken in Thailand, “an honorific divine pronoun” is used for the pronoun referring to the persons of the Trinity (source: David Thomas in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 445 ). In Urak Lawoi’, another language spoken in Thailand, the translation often uses tuhat (ตูฮัด) — “God” — ”as a divine pronoun where Thai has phra’ong even though it’s actually a noun.” (Source for Thai and Urak Lawoi’: Stephen Pattemore)
The English “Contemporary Torah” addresses the question of God and gendered pronouns by mostly avoiding pronouns in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (unless God is referred to as “lord,” “father,” “king,” or “warrior”). It does that by either using passive constructs (“He gave us” vs. “we were given”), by using the adjective “divine” or by using “God” rather than a pronoun.
Some Protestant and Orthodox English Bibles use a referential capitalized spelling when referring to the persons of the Trinity with “He,” “His,” “Him,” or “Himself.” This includes for instance the New American Standard Bible or The Orthodox New Testament, but most translations do not. Two other languages where this is also done (in most Bible translations) are Twents as well as the closely related Indonesian and Malay. In the latter two languages this follows the language usage according to the Qur’an, which in turn predicts that usage (see Soesilo in The Bible Translator 1991, p. 442ff. and The Bible Translator 1997, p. 433ff. ).
The beginning of verse 7 should be marked by a contrast: the enemies and the cities perish, but the LORD remains forever.
The LORD is again pictured in his role as ruler and judge of all people. Sits enthroned translates the verb “to sit”; see comments on “thy seat” in 7.7. Here the LORD’s throne is thought of as being in heaven (contrast with verse 11, below). The verb “to sit” may have the more general sense of “dwell, abide, remain,” and that is how the Septuagint has translated it here; so New Jerusalem Bible “But the LORD abides forever.”
The verb translated he has established means “make firm, set up”–see 7.9; 8.3.
For judgment means “in order to judge (humankind).”
Verses 7-8 are a semantic unit in which the images of throne and judgment in verse 7 are carried forward into verse 8. In the latter, as in verse 6, there is a focusing taking place. This focusing is upon the manner of God’s judgment, with righteousness. In order to make clear the relation of verse 8 to verse 7, a connective is needed in English; for example, verse 8 can begin with “In fact, God rules the world with righteousness” or “Furthermore, God judges….” Another way is to begin verse 7 “But not only is the LORD on his throne” and begin verse 8 “he even judges the world…” or “he also rules the world….”
The two lines in verse 8 are parallel and synonymous; the two verbs for “to judge” are those used in 7.8; the world is expanded with the peoples; and righteousness and equity are identical in meaning. A common English idiom for saying the two is “fairly and squarely.” Righteousness and equity are expressed idiomatically in some languages in a negative manner; for example, “he does not judge with two mouths” or “he does not judge with money.” Rendered positively, “he judges with a true word” or “he judges with one mouth.”
Some translations (New English Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible) have the two verbs in verse 8 in the future tense, “He will rule … he will judge.” This may be followed by the translator, but the present tense seems preferable.
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.
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