Hebrew poetry is often repetitive, but this verse in Hebrew consists of four lines which are even more repetitive than usual. The identical phrase in Hebrew, “the LORD avenges,” occurs in the first three of the four lines, though no major English version uses the same expression three times. Before attempting to translate the details of this verse, the translator will have to decide which of the following approaches will sound best in the receptor language:
(1) to use the same expression three times, as the Hebrew does;
(2) to use three related but slightly different expressions, as Revised Standard Version does;
(3) to avoid the repetition and make the statements in different terms, as Good News Translation does.

For the translation of LORD, see k A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Ruthk*, 1.6; k A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Jonahk*, 1:1 and 1:9; and k A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Amosk*, 3:7.

The LORD is a jealous God and avenging: this phrase recalls such passages as Exodus 20.5; 34.14; Deuteronomy 32.21. In English versions the traditional translation here is jealous (Revised Standard Version and most other versions). Since the word jealous in modern English speech almost always carries bad overtones and means “resentful about and envious of that which belongs to someone else,” it is not appropriate to apply it to God. The meaning when applied to God is rather “desirous to preserve that which is rightly his.” Good News Translation has therefore avoided the word jealous, and instead it has stated the real meaning in this context by saying “The LORD God tolerates no rivals.” In some languages the idea of “rivals” may need to be made more explicit. It is possible to translate this as “The LORD God will not tolerate people worshiping other gods.”

As mentioned above, the word avenging occurs three times in the Hebrew but only twice in Revised Standard Version; Good News Translation expresses it with the words “punishes” and “pays … back.” The word rendered as “punishes” in this context refers to a very strong action by God. So the translator should, if possible, use a word which conveys the idea of drastic punishment. The phrase “pays … back” is of course an English metaphor originally related to the use of money, but it is now in common use and has practically lost its figurative sense. This idiom carries the overtones of threat and goes well with the earlier word “punishes.” Here the prophet means that God’s enemies have done evil things against him in the past, and now God is going to punish them (pay them back) in a similar way.

The words adversaries and enemies are expressed in a single clause in Good News Translation as “those who oppose him.” But many languages will have two or more synonyms, as does the Hebrew. If a translator plans to use a structure similar to that in Revised Standard Version, synonyms should certainly be employed. The two Hebrew terms wrathful and keeps wrath are expressed in Good News Translation by the single phrase “in his anger.” In certain languages it will be helpful to expand this sentence and say “He pays them back because they have made him angry” or “He is angry with his enemies, and so he pays them back.” In some languages his adversaries can be translated “those who hate him.” Wrath (Good News Translation “anger”) in many languages is often stated in physiological terms as, for example, “hot heart” or “hot liver.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• The LORD God will not tolerate (or, put up with) people worshiping other gods. He punishes those who hate him, and because they have made him angry, he pays them back.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .