The Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Aramaic that is translated into English as “(to) bless” or “blessed” is translated into a wide variety of possibilities.
The Hebrew term barak (and the Aramaic term berak) also (and originally) means “kneel” (a meaning which the word has retained — see Gen. 24:11) and can be used for God blessing people (or things), people blessing each other, or people blessing God. While English Bible translators have not seen a stumbling block in always using the same term (“bless” in its various forms), other languages need to make distinctions (see below).
In Bari, spoken in South Sudan, the connection between blessing and knees/legs is still apparent. For Genesis 30:30 (in English: “the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned”), Bari uses a common expression that says (much like the Hebrew), ‘… blessed you to my feet.'” (Source: P. Guillebaud in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 189ff. .)
Other examples for the translation of “bless” when God is the one who blesses include (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight):
“sprinkle with a propitious (lit. cool) face” (a poetic expression occurring in the priests’ language) (Toraja Sa’dan) (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
“give good things” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004)
“ask good” (Yakan) (source: Yakan Back Translation)
“praise, say good things” (Central Yupik) (source: Robert Bascom)
“showing a good heart” (Kutu) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
“good luck — have — good fortune — have” (verbatim) ꓶꓼ ꓙꓳ ꓫꓱꓹ ꓙꓳ — ɯa dzho shes zho (Lisu). This construction follows a traditional four-couplet construct in oral Lisu poetry that is usually in the form ABAC or ABCB. (Source: Arrington 2020, p. 58)
wodala — denoting a person who is considered fortunate because he/she has something good that the majority of people do not have. It also acknowledges someone as a causative agent behind “being blessed.” (Chichewa) (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
In Tagbanwa a phrase is used for both the blessing done by people and God that back-translates to “caused to be pierced by words causing grace/favor” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation) and in Benabena a term denoted “good spell” or “good magic” (source: Renck 1990, p. 112).
Ixcatlán Mazatec had to select a separate term when relating “to people ‘blessing’ God” (or things of God): “praise(d)” or “give thanks for” (in 1 Cor. 10:16) (“as it is humans doing the ‘blessing’ and people do not bless the things of God or God himself the way God blesses people” — source: Robert Bascom). Eastern Bru and Kui also use “praise” for this a God-directed blessing (source: Bru back translation and Helen Evans in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) and Uma uses “appropriate/worthy to be worshipped” (source: Uma back translation).
When related to someone who is blessing someone else, it is translated into Tsou as “speak good hopes for.” In Waiwai it is translated as “may God be good and kind to you now.” (Sources: Peng Kuo-Wei for Tsou and Robert Hawkins in The Bible Translator 1962, pp. 164ff. for Waiwai.)
Some languages associate an expression that originally means “spitting” or “saliva” with blessing. The Bantu language Koonzime, for instance, uses that expression for “blessing” in their translation coming from either God or man. Traditionally, the term was used in an application of blessing by an aged superior upon a younger inferior, often in relation to a desire for fertility, or in a ritualistic, but not actually performed spitting past the back of the hand. The spitting of saliva has the effect of giving that person “tenderness of face,” which can be translated as “blessedness.” (Source: Keith Beavon)
Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators for the DanishBibelen 2020, comments on the translation of this term: “As for ‘blessing’, in the end we in most instances actually kept the word, after initially preferring the expression ‘giving life strength’. The backlash against dropping the word blessing was too hard. But we would often add a few words to help the reader understand what the word means in a given context — people often understand it to refer more to a spiritual connection with God, but in the Hebrew texts, it usually has to do with material things or good health or many children. So when e.g. in Isaiah 19:25 the Hebrew text says ‘God bless them’, we say ‘God bless them’ and we add: ‘and give them strength’. ‘And give them strength’ is not found in the overt Hebrew text, but we are again making explicit what we believe is the meaning so as to avoid misunderstanding.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )
The Hebrew text of Psalms 9/10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145 uses acrostics, 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 an 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 the complete psalm in Natügu
1 Awi Yawe! Glqpxku Yawe!
Bilvzx nide mz nabznge atwrnrngr, mz nzyrlwr-lxblr-krgr badr leplz nedeng.
2 Clvele nrlc x da kcng tqwz-ngrde, tqaletileng nzmyalzng.
Delc, leplz amrlx na-aotingr drtwrdr da lcng mz nzabrtzlvz-krdrleng.
3 Eu, da lcng amrlx nzaelwapx-ngrdr zmrlue x zmatq rde.
Glqpxku nztubq-krde kc tqvzpe tqvzpe.
4 Ipqle nigu mz zmrlz ngrde kxmyalz x ycngr drtwrde nigu.
Jzsle nigu x nayc zvz mz drtwrgu rkx ngrdeng.
5 Kabzle dakxnzng mz leplz kcng tzamrluelr nide.
Lolvz-amqngile mz drtwrde da kx esalz-ngrbzle badr.
6 Mz nzaprc-krbzle drtc’ ngr lr mrkzbleng mz doa nedeng,
Nide kc tqaelwapx-ngrbzle zmatq rde badr.
7 Okatrle nidr mz nzaclve-krdeng kxtubq.
Prlxpx-zvzle da angidr x nzrsakrlrngr.
8 Rkapx zvz natq kx rsakrlrngr.
Sa na-atutrleng murde nqmq krde mrlz x tubq.
9-10 Takitrde nzangio-krgu drtqde kxtr mz nzamrluengr murde
Vz-nqblq-zvzle nzesalz-krde x
Witi nelzde nzarlapx-krde leplz nedeng.
X aelwapx-ngrgu nzyrplapx-krgu mz nzamrlue-krgu nide.
Yawe kabzle nzrkrlz-angidrngr mz krkcng tzyrlq-angidrlr natqde.
Zbq kalvz nzrglqpxngr nide navz zvz x tqvzpe, tqvzpe.
The DanishBibelen på Hverdagsdansk (publ. 1985, rev. 2015 et al.) translated Psalm 111 into an acrostic. Iver Larsen who worked in this translation explained (in Roelie Van der Spuy in Old Testament Essays 2008, p. 513ff. ) the choice of letters: “We don’t use c, q, w, x and z. On the other hand we do use the extra Danish vowel symbols æ, ø and å, and the y is a vowel, not a consonant. Since Danish has more than 22 letters, we cannot use all the letters, so among those last ones (æ, ø, å) I chose what fits best.”
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Danish with its English translation
1. Af hele mit hjerte vil jeg takke Herren,
[From all of my heart I will thank the Lord]
berømme ham midt i de gudfrygtiges forsamling.
[extol him in the midst of the assembly of the God-fearing.[
2. De ting, han gør, er vidunderlige,
[The things he does are wonderful,[
enhver, der oplever dem, må juble og glæde sig.
[all who experience them rejoice and are happy.]
3. Fantastiske er alle hans undere,
[All his wonders are fantastic,]
glem ikke hans uendelig godhed.
[never forget his unending goodness.]
4. Herren er nådig og barmhjertig,
[The Lord is compassionate and merciful]
ingen må glemme hans velgerninger.
[no one should ever forget his good deeds.]
5. Jeg ved, at han altid sørger for sit folk.
[I know that he always provides for his people,]
Kan han nogensinde glemme sin pagt med dem?
[Could he ever forget his covenant with them?]
6. Landet, som tilhørte de fremmede, gav han til sit eget folk,
[The land that belonged to foreigners he gave to his own people,]
med magt drev han de andre væk for øjnene af sine udvalgte.
[he forced them away before the eyes of his chosen ones.]
7. Når han handler, gør han altid det rigtige,
[When he acts, he always does what is right,]
ordene fra ham kan man stole på.
[his words are trustworthy.]
8. Pas på, at I trofast adlyder hans bud,
[Be careful to faithfully obey his commands,]
retsindighed har evighedsværdi.
[uprightness/justice is of eternal value.]
9. Sit folk har han sat i frihed,
[He has given his people their freedom,]
til evig tid varer hans pagt med dem.
[his covenant with them will last forever.]
Underfuld og hellig er Herren.
[Wonderful and holy is the Lord.]
10. Visdom udspringer af ærefrygt for Gud.
[Wisdom results from respectfully honoring God.]
Ypperlig er den indsigt, man får ved at adlyde ham.
[The insight you get from obeying him is superb.]
Æren er hans for evigt!
[He is to be honored forever!]
There are two Dutch translations that maintain the acrostic: Naardense Bijbel (publ. 2004) and the Tot Lof van God by Frans Croese (publ. 2010).
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in the Dutch translations
Naardense Bijbel:
1
Alleluia, ik dank de Ene van ganser harte, ✡
binnen de kring der oprechten,
een samenkomst;
2
groot zijn de daden van de Ene, ✡
doorvorsbaar
voor elk met behagen daarin;
3
en glans en luister straalt van zijn werk, ✡
fleur houdt zijn gerechtigheid
voor altijd;
4
genadig en barmhartig is de Ene, ✡
hij doet zijn wonderen voorgoed gedenken;
5
indachtig is hij voor eeuwig zijn verbond, ✡
ja, wie hem vrezen gaf hij teerkost; de
6
kracht van zijn daden
heeft hij zijn gemeente gemeld; ✡
leende hun
het erfdeel van volkeren;
7
machtig zijn zijn handen in trouw en recht, ✡
nooit onbetrouwbaar zijn
al zijn inzettingen;
8
ondersteund voor altijd en eeuwig, ✡
product
van trouw en oprechtheid;
9
redding, loskoop zond hij zijn gemeente,
sloot voor eeuwig zijn verbond, ✡
te vrezen en heilig is zijn naam!-
10
vreze voor de Ene
is het beginsel van wijsheid,
weg tot goed inzicht
voor wie daarnaar dóen; ✡
zijn lof
blijft staande voor altíjd!
Tot Lof van God translation:
Looft Jah!
Aan Jehovah betuig ik dank, van ganser harte prijs ik Hem,
bij het beraad der oprechten, maar ook in vergadering bijeen.
2
De daden van Jehovah zijn waarlijk groots,
en fascinerend voor een ieder die er behagen in schept.
3
Fenomenaal is Zijn werk in luister en pracht,
gezien ook Zijn rechtvaardigheid die voor alle eeuwigheid staat.
4
Hij stelde voor Zijn wonderdaden een gedachtenis in
– inderdaad, Jehovah is goedgunstig en barmhartig,
5
ja, zoals Hij proviand verschafte aan hen die Hem vreesden –
kortom, Hij zal Zijn verbond voor altijd gedenken.
6
Louter de kracht van Zijn daden al, zoals Hij die Zijn volk verhaalde,
met daarbij hetgeen Hij hun gaf: het erfdeel der natiën.
7
Naar waarheid en recht, dat zijn de werken van Zijn handen;
onveranderlijk zijn al Zijn voorschriften,
8
pal en onwrikbaar staan die, voor altijd en eeuwig;
recht en waarachtig, zo zijn zc gemaakt.
9
Schonk Hij Zijn volk destijds de verlossing,
toen was daar tevens Zijn blijvend verbond.
Uniek, ontzagwekkend en heilig, dat is Zijn naam.
10
Vrees voor Jehovah is het begin van de wijsheid,
waarbij allen scherp van inzicht zijn die daar ook naar doen.
Zijn lof staat voor alle eeuwigheid!
With thanks to Thamara van Eijzeren
In the Zürich German dialect (Züritüütsch) of Swiss German, the Psalms were translated while maintaining the acrostic by Josua Boesch (publ. 2009 ).
Click or tap here for the complete psalm in Zürich German
1 Halleluja! ER isch is mee wèrt als ales.
Au iich wil IMM tanke vo ganzem hèrze,
Bi siine friind i siinere gmäind.
2 Chumm lueg, was èr ales ttaa hät für öis.
Die, wo s ggluschtet, psined sich drüber.
3 ER hat ales herrlich und schöön gmacht.
Für eewig bliibt siini grächtigkäit fescht.
4 Gaar nie wil iich sini wunder vergässe.
Häsch ghöört, ER isch barmhèrzig und güetig.
5 I siinere hand isch z ässe fur d fründ.
Käine chunnt z chuurz, èr haltet s verschpräche.
6 Lueg, was er mit chraft fur siis volk tuet,
Mit welere liebi èr ine s land gitt.
7 Nüüt isch nöd zueverlèèssig und rächt vo dèm, won er gmacht hät.
Ooni siis soorge hett ales kä sinn.
8 Probier nöd z flicken a siineren oornihg, suscht hebt si nöd eewig.
Rue hetsch au nümen und ales gieng schieff.
9 Siim volk hät èr emaal d freihäit ggèè.
Tänk doch an bund, won èr mit em gschlosse.
Uurhäilig isch IMM sini nööchi bi öis.
10 Vo aafang aa hämer nur INN als mitti vo öisere wiishäit.
Wèr siich dernaa richtet, hät s imer guet.
Zum schluss wämer inn rüeme imer und eewig, ER isch is mee wèrt als ales.
The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) maintains most Hebrew acrostics (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew). Due to the higher number of letters in the English alphabet, it skips the letters J, Q, X, and Z.
1 All my heart goes out to the Lord in praise, Before the assembly where the just are gathered.
2 Chant we the Lord’s wondrous doings, delight and study of all who love him.
3 Ever his deeds are high and glorious, faithful he abides to all eternity.
4 Great deeds, that he keeps still in remembrance!
5 He, the Lord, is kind and merciful. In abundance he fed the men who feared him, keeping his covenant for ever.
6 Lordly the power he shewed his people,
7 making the lands of the heathen their possession. No act but shews him just and faithful; of his decrees there is no relenting.
8 Perpetual time shall leave them changeless; right and truth are their foundation.
9 So he has brought our race deliverance; to all eternity stands his covenant. Unutterable is his name and worshipful;
10 vain without his fear is learning. Wise evermore are you who follow it; yours the prize that lasts for ever. (Source )
Another English translation that maintains the acrostic is by Gordon Jackson (The Lincoln Psalter, 1997):
Hallelujah!
All that I am I offer in praise of the Lord,
Being in the band of the blessed, all good men and true.
Can we give adequate, accurate praise for his works?
Dearer and dearer he is to us, as we consider them.
Exalt him as much as we may he is always more worthy
For the meters of mortals are useless to measure his good with.
Great is his name, and yet he deserves a far greater;
Heaven’s his nickname, and Holiness, Mercy, Truth, Grace.
If those who fear him hunger, see how he feeds them!
Keeping his word for his own honour’s sake;
Look how he gave his people the lands of others,
Making them gifts of cities by his own strength.
Nothing he does that is not done deeply with justice;
On stone his laws are written, and they will not adjust;
People and fashions will change, but not his wisdom;
Right is right with him, and truth is truth.
Saving his people again and again he is faithful
To a promise his people have broken again and again.
Unworthy as we are, his holy name honours us;
Vital wisdom it is that we trust him and fear him,
Wanting his teaching, enjoying our own understanding,
Yielding our wisdom to his, and gaining by giving.
Another published English translation with acrostics is The Psalms Chronologically Arranged by the “Four Friends” (C.T. Arnold, A.W. Potts, F.E. Kitchener, S. Philpotts) of 1870.
Another 19th century translation with maintained acrostics is the German1883 commentary and translation by Franz Delitzsch . Unlike the other translations, he translates the acrostics of this and the other acrostic psalms by following an approximation of the German sound of the 22 letters (alef/א = a; bet/ב = b; gimel/ג = g; dalet/ד = d; he/ה = h; vav/ו = u; zayin/ז = s; chet/ח = h; tet/ט = t; yod/י = i or j; kaf/כ = k; lamed/ל = l; mem/מ = m; nun/נ = n; samech/ס = s; ayin/ע = e; pe/פ = f; tsadi/צ = z; qof/ק = k; resh/ר = r; shin/ש = sch; tav/ת = t).
This blog post mentions several English translation of Psalm 111 with an acrostic that were not published in official Bible translations. The above-quoted Van der Spuy also has his own Afrikaans translation with an acrostic (quoted in Old Testament Essays 2008, p. 513ff. ).
In the Hebrew text, each verse of the acrostic in Proverbs 31:10-31 is started with the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. While most translations mention that in a note or a comment, a number of Bible translations have been able to use the same the rhetorical device. The SwedishBibel 2000 had the advantage of an additional three letters in the Swedish alphabet aside from the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet (A-Z) — Å, Ä, and Ö are added behind Z — and by skipping some of the more difficult letters (source: Staphan Lindström). The letters that are successively employed are A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, Å, Ä, Ö.
Click or tap here for the complete 22 verses in Swedish:
10 Att finna en driftig hustru, vem förunnas det —
långt mer än pärlor är hon värd.
11 Blint litar hennes man på henne,
och vinsten uteblir inte.
12 Dagligen är hon honom till nytta,
aldrig till skada.
13 Efter att ha skaffat ull och lin
arbetar hon med flinka händer.
14 Från avlägsna trakter hämtar hon förråd,
hon är som köpmannens skepp.
15 Gryningen är inte inne när hon stiger upp,
sätter fram mat åt familjen och ger pigorna deras portioner.
16 Hon ser ut en åker och köper den,
planterar en vingård för det hon själv har tjänat.
17 Ivrigt går hon till verket
och hugger i med starka armar.
18 Kan hon märka att affärerna går bra
får hennes lampa brinna hela natten.
19 Lätt hanterar hon sländtrissan
och håller sländan i handen.
20 Mot de svaga räcker hon ut handen,
hon öppnar sin famn för de fattiga.
21 När snön kommer ängslas hon inte:
hela familjen har kläder av ylle.
22 Också täcken väver hon själv,
hon är klädd i linne och purpur.
23 På hennes man ser alla med aktning,
där han sitter bland de äldste i porten.
24 Rockar av linne syr hon och säljer,
handlaren förser hon med bälten.
25 Styrka och värdighet utstrålar hon
och ser leende framtiden an.
26 Talar gör hon med klokhet,
vänliga förmaningar delar hon ut.
27 Uppmärksamt följer hon allt i huset,
aldrig äter hon lättjans bröd.
28 Välsignad blir hon av sina barn,
och hennes man lovprisar henne:
29 Åtskilliga duktiga kvinnor har jag sett,
men du överträffar dem alla! —
30 Älsklighet kan bedra, skönhet förgår,
för sin gudsfruktan skall en hustru prisas.
31 Överlämna åt henne hennes mödas lön,
må hon prisas i portarna för sina verk.
Likewise, Danish also has additional letters in its alphabet (Æ, Ø, and Å) and the DanishBibelen på Hverdagsdansk (publ. 1985, rev. 2015 et al.) also maintained an acrostic in this passage:
Click or tap here for the verses in Danish:
10 At finde den ideelle hustru er enhver mands drøm.
Lykkes det, har han fundet en uvurderlig skat.
11 Bedre kan ingen mand ønske sig det,
altid har hun hans fulde tillid.
12 Charmerende er hun tillige,
støtter og opmuntrer ham livet igennem.
13 Dagene bruger hun flittigt,
hun samler uld og hør og har travlt med at spinde.
14 Eksotiske retter forstår hun at frembringe,
for hun har en bred horisont.
15 Før daggry står hun op for at lave mad til familien
og fordele opgaverne mellem husets piger.
16 Går hun forbi et frugtbart jordstykke, køber hun det
og planter en vingård for, hvad hun har tjent.
17 Hun går energisk i gang
og arbejder med stor udholdenhed.
18 Indsatsen bærer frugt,
og der er lys i hendes vindue til langt ud på natten.
19 Jævnligt sidder hun ved sin rok
eller spinder dygtigt ved tenen.
21 Kulden er ikke noget problem,
for hun er klar med det varme tøj.
20 Lider de fattige nød,
er hun der straks med en hjælpende hånd.
23 Man ser hendes mand som en af byens ledere,
for han er en mand, der aftvinger respekt.
22 Nydeligt er hun klædt i dragter af det fineste stof,
hun syr selv sit tøj og væver sine tæpper.
25 Optimistisk ser hun fremtiden i møde,
hun optræder værdigt og karakterfast.
24 Penge har hun nok af,
for hun sælger af det pragtfulde tøj, hun fremstiller.
26 Råd og opmuntring giver hun gerne,
hun taler med visdom og venlige ord.
27 Sit hus har hun styr på,
hun kender ikke til lediggang.
28 Til hver en tid får hun ros af sine børn,
og hendes mand lovpriser hende med følgende ord:
29 „Utallige kvinder er dygtige,
men du overgår dem alle!”
30 Ydre skønhed falmer, og charme kan bedrage,
men en kvinde, der følger Herren, er al beundring værd.
31 Ære og hæder fortjener hun fuldt ud,
og hendes gerninger lovprises overalt i byen.
Like the Hebrew alphabet, the Tok Pisin alphabet has 22 letters (A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y) which the translators saw as a challenge to maintain the Hebrew acrostic: “One of the ways the Israelites followed in writing was a bit different. In the Hebrew alphabet there are 22 letters. Well sometimes they used to divide the talk that they wanted to write into 22 parts, and each part had to start with a different letter. When people translate Hebrew into other languages, they are not able to follow this custom in the translation. But Tok Pisin has 22 letters in its alphabet, the same number as in Hebrew. So in just this one passage in the Bible, we (translators) have followed this custom and reproduced it (the form of the Hebrew), so that you can see how it goes.” (Source: Note in the translation, translated by Timothy Lloyd Wilt in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 207ff. ).
Click or tap here for the verses in Tok Pisin:
10 Ating man i laik maritim meri i gat gutpela pasin tru, a? Orait bai em i hatwok tru long painim. Kain meri olsem i winim olkain ston i dia tumas.
11 Bai man bilong dispela kain meri i save gut long meri i bihainim gutpela pasin oltaim. Na meri bai i helpim em na em i gat planti samting.
12 Dispela meri i save mekim gutpela pasin tasol long man bilong en.
13 Em i save wokim kain kain tret na em i amamas long lumim olkain laplap.
14 Famili bilong en i gat planti kain kaikai, long wanem, em i save go longwe tumas long kisim kaikai, olsem ol bikpela sip i save mekim.
15 Gutpela meri olsem i save kirap taim tulait i no bruk yet na i kukim kaikai bilong famili bilong en na makim wok bilong ol wokmeri bilong en.
16 Hapmeri olsem i save lukluk gut pastaim long graun em i laik baim, na bihain em i baim. Na bihain, em i kisim mani long bisnis bilong em na baim ol yangpela diwai wain bilong planim.
17 I no gat wanpela taim em i les. Em i strongpela meri na i save taitim bun na i wok.
18 Jak bilong lam bilong en i pulap long wel na lam i lait i stap, na em i wok i go inap biknait tru long taim em i lukim bisnis bilong en i go het gut.
19 Kain meri olsem i save wokim ol tret bilong em yet na lumim ol laplap.
20 Long taim em i lukim ol man i sot long ol samting na i rabis, em i save givim ol samting long ol.
21 Maski ren ais i pundaun, em i no save wari long ol famili bilong en, long wanem, em i bin wokim klos bilong ol long laplap i gutpela tumas.
22 Na em yet i save wokim ol blanket bilong ol bet long haus bilong en. Na em i save kisim ol gutpela waitpela laplap na ol gutpela retpela laplap na wokim ol klos bilong en.
23 Ol hetman bilong ples i givim biknem long man bilong en. Na man bilong en i wanpela bilong ol dispela hetman.
24 Planti taim dispela meri i save samapim ol gutpela klos na wokim ol let, na ol bisnisman i save kam baim.
25 Rispek na biknem i olsem klos bilong en na em i gat strong. Em i no save wari long ol samting bai i kamap bihain.
26 Sapos em i skulim ol manmeri, em i mekim tok isi tasol. Na olgeta tok bilong en i kamapim gutpela tingting na save bilong en.
27 Taim em i lukautim ol samting long haus bilong en, em i no save les. Nogat. Em i save wok strong na mekim gutpela wok tumas.
28 “Ure, ure long mama bilong mipela.” Ol pikinini bilong dispela meri i save tok olsem. Na man bilong en i litimapim nem bilong em moa yet na i tok,
29 “Viles na taun bilong yumi i gat planti meri i save mekim gutpela pasin tru, tasol yu winim ol moa yet.”
30 Wanpela meri inap givim switpela tok long yumi, tasol pasin bilong en i narakain. Na maski meri i luk nais tru, em i no inap i stap olsem oltaim. Mobeta yumi litimapim nem bilong meri i save aninit long Bikpela.
31 Yumi mas tingting long gutpela pasin bilong meri na long gutpela wok em i bin mekim, na givim biknem long em. Olgeta manmeri i ken litimapim nem bilong en.
The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) is the only English translation that — aside from Psalm 9/10 — maintains every Hebrew acrostic (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew):
10 A man who has found a vigorous wife has found a rare treasure, brought from distant shores.
11 Bound to her in loving confidence, he will have no need of spoil.
12 Content, not sorrow, she will bring him as long as life lasts.
13 Does she not busy herself with wool and thread, plying her hands with ready skill?
14 Ever she steers her course like some merchant ship, bringing provision from far away.
15 From early dawn she is up, assigning food to the household, so that each waiting-woman has her share.
16 Ground must be examined, and bought, and planted out as a vineyard, with the earnings of her toil.
17 How briskly she girds herself to the task, how tireless are her arms!
18 Industry, she knows, is well rewarded, and all night long her lamp does not go out.
19 Jealously she sets her hands to work, her fingers clutch the spindle.
20 Kindly is her welcome to the poor, her purse ever open to those in need.
21 Let the snow lie cold if it will, she has no fears for her household; no servant of hers but is warmly clad.
22 Made by her own hands was the coverlet on her bed, the clothes of lawn and purple that she wears.
23 None so honoured at the city gate as that husband of hers, when he sits in council with the elders of the land.
24 Often she will sell linen of her own weaving, or make a girdle for the travelling merchant to buy.
25 Protected by her own industry and good repute, she greets the morrow with a smile.
26 Ripe wisdom governs her speech, but it is kindly instruction she gives.
27 She keeps watch over all that goes on in her house, not content to go through life eating and sleeping.
28 That is why her children are the first to call her blessed, her husband is loud in her praise:
29 Unrivalled art thou among all the women that have enriched their homes.
30 Vain are the winning ways, beauty is a snare; it is the woman who fears the Lord that will achieve renown.
31 Work such as hers claims its reward; let her life be spoken of with praise at the city gates.
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:6:
Uma: “Yesus Kristus, he is God’s Child who arrived in the world. Yohanes the Baptizer baptized him with water. His blood flowed when he died crucified. So, it is clear that Yesus is God’s Child, not only from his being baptized, but from his dying too And the Holy Spirit also affirms-the-truth that Yesus is God’s Child, and what the Holy Spirit says is certainly true.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Isa Almasi is God’s Son. We (dual) know that because when he was here in the world he was bathed/baptized with water and his blood flowed when he died. We (dual) know that he is God’s Son because of the water he was bathed/baptized in and the blood that flowed, not just because of the water. And God’s Spirit also witnesses that this is true, for everything that God’s Spirit says is really true.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus Christ is the one whom His Father sent here to the earth. This can be perceived by means of water and blood. This is not perceived only by water which was His baptism, but rather also by means of the blood which was the flowing of His blood at the time He was nailed to the cross. The Holy Spirit is the one who testifies this to us (incl.) for what He says is always true.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When Jesu Cristo came to this earth, there were three-things which confirmed that he was the Child of God. The one, it was his being baptized in/with water. But it wasn’t only his being baptized which confirmed-it but rather his blood as well which flowed-down at his death. As for the third, it was the Holy Spirit, and all that he says is true. These three, what they confirmed regarding Jesu Cristo was the same.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “As for this Jesu-Cristo, he’s the one who came down here to the world. He was baptized in water. His blood was shed (lit.caused-to-drip) at his death. He really didn’t just have himself baptized in water, but rather he also caused his blood to be shed too. And the one who testifies to this is the Espiritu Santo, because wholly truth is what this Espiritu Santo gives-out/reveals.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “This Jesus Christ came here. It was made known that he was the Son of God when he was baptized in the water and when his blood was shed where he died. But not only was he just baptized, rather he was baptized and he was killed. The Holy Spirit himself gives his testimony about who Jesus Christ is and the Holy Spirit speaks all that is true.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Yatzachi Zapotec: “Jesus Christ came to this world, he was baptized, and he shed his blood dying. He did not come and just be baptized, but also he shed his blood and died. And the Spirit of God speaks about him. The Spirit speaks true words.”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “Jesus Christ came here to the world. He was baptized with water, he is the same one who spilled out his blood, he died, and not only was he baptized with water, but also he spilled his blood, in that he died. He is Jesus Christ, God’s Chosen-One. This is what God’s Good Spirit tells us, who shows us the truth.”
Tzotzil: “It is the Son of God, it is Jesus Christ that came and was baptized here in the world, who came and shed his blood on the cross. It was not only that he came and was baptized. He also came and shed his blood on the cross. Thus the Holy Spirit tells us. He tells the truth. The Holy Spirit does not know how to lie.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Danish (Bibelen på Hverdagsdansk, 2022): “Jesus Christ came through water and blood. Not only did he have to be born as a human being through the water, but he also had to die as a human being, so that his blood was shed. …” (Source: Iver Larsen)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Jesus Christ takes effect in water and blood. For he shed blood in his death, and this takes effect in the water of baptism, which washes us. The Holy Spirit bears witness to what happens in baptism: We become children of God. And the Holy Spirit is God’s reality in the Word.”
The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated as “sin” in English has a wide variety of translations.
The Greek ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) carries the original verbatim meaning of “miss the mark” and likewise, many translations contain the “connotation of moral responsibility.”
Loma: “leaving the road” (which “implies a definite standard, the transgression of which is sin”)
Navajo (Dinė): “that which is off to the side” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
Toraja-Sa’dan: kasalan, originally meaning “transgression of a religious or moral rule” and in the context of the Bible “transgression of God’s commandments” (source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 21ff. )
Bariai: “bad behavior” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
Sandawe: “miss the mark” (like the original meaning of the Greek term) (source for this and above: Ursula Wiesemann in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 36ff., 43)
In Shipibo-Conibo the term is hocha. Nida (1952, p. 149) tells the story of its choosing: “In some instances a native expression for sin includes many connotations, and its full meaning must be completely understood before one ever attempts to use it. This was true, for example, of the term hocha first proposed by Shipibo-Conibo natives as an equivalent for ‘sin.’ The term seemed quite all right until one day the translator heard a girl say after having broken a little pottery jar that she was guilty of ‘hocha.’ Breaking such a little jar scarcely seemed to be sin. However, the Shipibos insisted that hocha was really sin, and they explained more fully the meaning of the word. It could be used of breaking a jar, but only if the jar belonged to someone else. Hocha was nothing more nor less than destroying the possessions of another, but the meaning did not stop with purely material possessions. In their belief God owns the world and all that is in it. Anyone who destroys the work and plan of God is guilty of hocha. Hence the murderer is of all men most guilty of hocha, for he has destroyed God’s most important possession in the world, namely, man. Any destructive and malevolent spirit is hocha, for it is antagonistic and harmful to God’s creation. Rather than being a feeble word for some accidental event, this word for sin turned out to be exceedingly rich in meaning and laid a foundation for the full presentation of the redemptive act of God.”
Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators for the DanishBibelen 2020, comments on the translation of this term: “We would explain terms, such that e.g. sin often became ‘doing what God does not want’ or ‘breaking God’s law’, ‘letting God down’, ‘disrespecting God’, ‘doing evil’, ‘acting stupidly’, ‘becoming guilty’. Now why couldn’t we just use the word sin? Well, sin in contemporary Danish, outside of the church, is mostly used about things such as delicious but unhealthy foods. Exquisite cakes and chocolates are what a sin is today.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )
In many English translations the Greek terms “hieron” (the whole “temple” in Jerusalem or specifically the outer courts open to worshippers) and “naos” (the inner “shrine” or “sanctuary”) are translated with only one word: “temple” (see also for instance “Tempel” in German [for exception see below] and “tempel” in Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans).
Other languages make a distinction: (Click or tap here to see more)
Navajo (Dinė): “house in which worship is carried out” (for naos)
Balinese: “inner part of the Great Temple” (“the term ‘inner part’ denoting the hindmost and holiest of the two or three courts that temples on Bali usually possess”) vs. “Great Temple”
Telugu: “womb (i.e. interior)-of-the-abode” vs. “abode”
Thai: a term denoting the main audience hall of a Buddhist temple compound vs. “environs-of-the-main-audience-hall”
Kituba: “place of holiness of house-God Lord” vs. “house-God Lord”
Shipibo-Conibo: “deep in God’s house” vs. “God’s house” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Germandas Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022): “inner court of the temple” (Tempelinnenhof) vs. “temple”
Languages that, like English, German, Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans, don’t make that distinction include:
Toraja-Sa’dan: “house that is looked upon as holy, that is sacred, that is taboo and where one may not set foot” (lit. “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” — because taboo is violated — using a term that is also applied to a Muslim mosque) (source for this and the three above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Aguaruna: “the house for talking to God” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Guhu-Samane: “festival longhouse of God” (“The biiri, ‘festival longhouse’, being the religious and social center of the community, is a possible term for ‘temple’. It is not the ‘poro house’ as such. That would be too closely identified with the cult of poro. The physical features of the building, huge and sub-divided, lend it further favor for this consideration. By qualifying it as ‘God’s biiri’ the term has become meaningful and appropriate in the context of the Scriptures.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. )
Enga: “God’s restricted access house” (source: Adam Boyd on his blog )
Another distinction that tends to be overlooked in translations is that between hieron (“temple” in English) and sunagógé (“synagogue” in English). Euan Fry (in The Bible Translator 1987, p. 213ff. ) reports on this:
“Many older translations have simply used transliterations of ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ rather than trying to find equivalent terms or meaningful expressions in their own languages. This approach does keep the two terms separate; but it makes the readers depend on explanations given by pastors or teachers for their understanding of the text.
“Translators who have tried to find meaningful equivalents, for the two terms ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ have usually made a distinction between them in one of two ways (which focus on the contrasting components of meaning). One way takes the size and importance of the Temple to make a contrast, so that expressions such as ‘sacred meeting/ worship house of the Jews’ and ‘big sacred meeting/worship house of the Jews’ are used. The other way focuses on the different nature of the religious activity at each of the places, so that expressions such as ‘meeting/worship house of the Jews’ and ‘sacrifice/ceremony place of the Jews’ are used.
“It is not my purpose in this article to discuss how to arrive at the most precise equivalent to cover all the components of meaning of ‘temple’. That is something that each translator really has to work through for himself in the light of the present usage and possibilities in his own language. My chief concern here is that the basic term or terms chosen for ‘temple’ should give the reader of a translation a clear and correct picture of the location referred to in each passage. And I am afraid that in many cases where an equivalent like ‘house of God’ or ‘worship house’ has been chosen, the readers have quite the wrong picture of what going to the Temple or being in the Temple means. (This may be the case for the word ‘temple’ in English too, for many readers.)”
Here are some examples:
Bambara: “house of God” (or: “big house of worship”) vs. “worship house” (or: “small houses of worship”)
Toraja-Sa’dan: “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” (see above) vs. “meeting house for discussing matters concerning religious customs” (and “church” is “house where one meets on Sunday”)
Navajo (Dinė): “house in which worship is carried out” vs. “house of gathering” (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida)
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Herod’s temple (source: Bible Lands 2012)Click or tap here to see a short video clip showing synagogues in New Testament times (source: Bible Lands 2012)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 2:15:
Uma: “That’s why women endure suffering in their childbearing. But even so, they will get goodness [often means salvation] if they keep believing in the Lord, keep loving others, and live holy according to good customs.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But women are saved in their giving-birth-to-(children) if their trust in Isa Almasi is steadfast and if they love their companions and their liver is clean. And their behavior ought to be good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But inspite of that, women can be freed from punishment just the same by means of bearing children if they not let go of their faith and their holding their companions dear, and doing what God wants them to do, and their arranging properly all of their behavior.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “This is the reason that women are hardshipped in giving-birth, but they will be saved nevertheless provided they continue to believe and to love their companions and follow a holy way-of-life while at the same time they exercise-carefulness/prudence in what they are doing.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But even though it’s like this now, that women are under the curse of God, they will indeed by saved without mishap when giving birth, provided they hold fast to their belief, value their fellowman and put far away all sin, and live a life of self control.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “But the woman will save her soul if she does the work given her by God in raising children. It is just that she must have faith, love her fellowman, live good. She must not be proud.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Danish (1948): “But she shall be saved through the fulfillment of her call as a mother – if they hold on to faith and love and holiness with respectability.”
Danish (1992): “But she shall be saved through the childbirth – if they hold on to faith and love and holiness with self-control.”
Danish (2020): “But since the woman bears children, she can still be saved, if she lives a decent life and holds on to faith, love and God.” (source for this and two above: Iver Larsen)
The Hebrew text of Lamentations 1-4 uses acrostics, 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 an acrostic in a note or a comment, few implement it in their translation. One such exception is the DanishBibelen på Hverdagsdansk (publ. 1985, rev. 2015 et al.).
Click or tap here for Lamentations 3 in Danish
1 Afstraffelsen var hård, hans vrede imod mig stor.
2 „Af sted med dig!” sagde han, og førte mig ind i det dybeste mørke.
3 Angrebene haglede ned over mig, jeg oplevede hans straf dagen lang.
4 Bedøvet ligger jeg med knuste knogler, min hud er flået i laser.
5 Bitterhed og smerte er blevet min lod, han omringede mig og angreb fra alle sider.
6 Bunden er nået, dødens mørke omslutter mig, som om jeg allerede lå i graven.
7 Det føles, som om jeg er låst inde og lagt i lænker, jeg er ude af stand til at slippe fri.
8 Desperat råber jeg om hjælp, men han har besluttet ikke at høre mine bønner.
9 Der er ingen vej ud af mit fængsel, for enhver flugtvej er spærret af forhindringer.
10 En løve lå på lur efter mig, en vild bjørn overfaldt mig.
11 Enden var nær, for han trak af med mig og begyndte at flå mig i småstykker.
12 Eller han var som en bueskytte, der brugte mig som skydeskive.
13 Forfærdet så jeg hans pile komme flyvende og bore sig ind i mit hjerte.
14 Folk lo blot ad mig, de sang spotteviser dagen lang.
15 Frygteligt var det at drikke et bæger så fuldt af sorg og smerte.
16 Gruset fyldte min mund, da han trykkede mig ned i jorden.
17 Glemt er den glæde, jeg havde engang, og fred hører fortiden til.
18 Grænsen for min udholdenhed er nået, jeg har mistet håbet om, at Herren vil redde mig.
19 Hjemløs og ulykkelig ligger jeg her, jeg kan ikke holde ud at tænke på min smerte.
20 Hver gang jeg tænker over det, bliver jeg dybt deprimeret.
21 Håbet er dog ikke helt udslukt, for én ting holder jeg fast ved:
22 Herrens trofasthed er stor, hans barmhjertighed er ikke brugt op.
23 Hans trofasthed er stor, hans nåde er ny hver morgen.
24 „Herren er min Gud,” siger jeg, „derfor vil jeg sætte min lid til ham.”
25 Ingen, der søger Herren, bliver skuffet, han hjælper dem, der håber på hans svar.
26 Imødese hans svar med tålmodighed, for før eller siden vil han gribe ind.
27 I ungdommen må man lære at bære sit åg.
28 Ja, når Herren lægger sit åg på mig, må jeg acceptere det i stilhed.
29 Jeg vil bøje mig for ham i ydmyghed, for der er stadig håb om redning.
30 Jeg vil vende den anden kind til og tage imod alle fjendens fornærmelser.
31 Lidelsen varer ikke ved, for Herren forkaster os ikke for evigt.
32 Leder han os ind i sorg og smerte, viser han os bagefter nåde og barmhjertighed.
33 Lad ingen tro, at han glæder sig over at straffe vores ulydighed.
34 Mon Herren ikke ser, når et land mishandler sine fanger?
35 Mon Herren ikke ser, når nogen dømmes uretfærdigt?
36 Mon Herren ikke ser, når et menneske fratages sine rettigheder?
37 Nogle tror, at de handler i egen kraft, men Herren står bag det.
38 Når vi oplever velsignelse eller bliver straffet, kommer begge dele fra Herren.
39 Nu kan vi lige så godt se i øjnene, at vi straffes for vore egne synder.
40 Oprigtig selverkendelse er nødvendig, lad os erkende vores synd og bede om nåde.
41 Og lad os så løfte vore hjerter og hænder og råbe til Gud i Himlen.
42 Oprørskhed førte os ud i store synder, som Herren var nødt til at straffe.
43 På grund af vore synder blev du vred på os, du ramte os hårdt uden skånsel.
44 Påkaldte vi dig i vore bønner, var det, som om du gemte dig bag en sky.
45 Provokationen fra folkeslagene var ikke til at bære, de så på os som det værste skidt.
46 Ringeagt og trusler var alt, hvad vi mødte fra alle vore fjender omkring os.
47 Rædsel og angst fyldte vore hjerter, for hele vores verden blev lagt i ruiner.
48 Reaktionen på mit folks ødelæggelse kunne ikke blive andet end en strøm af tårer.
49 Strømmen af tårer, der flyder fra mine øjne, er ikke til at standse.
50 Se i nåde til os, Herre, for kun du kan redde os.
51 Synet af Jerusalems befolkning er en stadig smerte i min sjæl.
52 Tænk på, hvordan fjenderne overfaldt mig, selv om jeg ikke havde gjort dem noget.
53 Triumferende smed de mig i et dybt hul og overdængede mig med sten.
54 Til sidst troede jeg, at alt var forbi, og jeg sagde: „Det er ude med mig!”
55 Uden noget af mit eget tilbage råbte jeg til dig, Herre.
56 Udmattet og ussel skreg jeg om hjælp, og du hørte mine tryglende bønner.
57 Uden at tøve kom du mig til hjælp og trøstede mig med et: „Vær ikke bange!”
58 Ved at høre min bøn, Herre, har du reddet mit liv.
59 Vær min dommer, Herre, og døm mine fjender for deres ondskab imod mig.
60 Vend dig mod mine fjender, alle dem, der vendte sig mod mig.
61 Øgenavne brugte de imod mig, Herre, du kender deres ondskabsfulde tanker.
62 De håner mig dagen lang og lægger hele tiden nye planer imod mig.
63 Hør, hvor de håner mig. Fra morgen til aften er jeg skydeskive for deres spot.
64 Åh, Herre, de fortjener, at du straffer dem for alt det onde, de har gjort.
65 Gør dem ude af sig selv af rædsel, udøs din forbandelse over dem.
66 Forfølg dem i din vrede og udslet dem. Udryd dem fra jordens overflade.
The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) maintains most Hebrew acrostics (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew):
1 Ah, what straits have I not known, under the avenging rod!
2 Asked I for light, into deeper shadow the Lord’s guidance led me;
3 Always upon me, none other, falls endlessly the blow.
4 Broken this frame, under the wrinkled skin, the sunk flesh.
5 Bitterness of despair fills my prospect, walled in on every side;
6 Buried in darkness, and, like the dead, interminably.
7 Closely he fences me in, beyond hope of rescue; loads me with fetters.
8 Cry out for mercy as I will, prayer of mine wins no audience;
9 Climb these smooth walls I may not; every way of escape he has undone.
10 Deep ambushed he lies, as lurking bear or lion from the covert;
11 Drawn aside from my path, I fall a lonely prey to his ravening.
12 Dread archer, of me he makes a target for all his arrows;
13 Each shaft of his quiver at my vitals taught to strike home!
14 Evermore for me the taunts of my neighbours, their songs of derision.
15 Entertainment of bitter herbs he gives me, and of wormwood my fill,
16 Files all my teeth with hard gravel-stones, bids me feed on ashes.
17 Far away is my old contentment, happier days forgotten;
18 Farewell, my hopes of long continuance, my patient trust in the Lord!
19 Guilt and suffering, gall and wormwood, keep all this well in memory.
20 God knows it shall be remembered, and with sinking of the heart;
21 Gage there can be none other of remaining confidence.
22 His be the thanks if we are not extinguished; his mercies never weary;
23 Hope comes with each dawn; art thou not faithful, Lord, to thy promise?
24 Heart whispers, The Lord is my portion; I will trust him yet.
25 In him be thy trust, for him thy heart’s longing, gracious thou shalt find him;
26 If deliverance thou wouldst have from the Lord, in silence await it.
27 It is well thou shouldst learn to bear the yoke, now in thy youth,
28 Just burden, in solitude and silence justly borne.
29 Joy may yet be thine, for mouth that kisses the dust,
30 Jeering of the multitude, and cheek buffeted in scorn, bravely endured.
31 Know for certain, the Lord has not finally abandoned thee;
32 Kind welcome the outcast shall have, from one so rich in kindness.
33 Kin of Adam he will not crush or cast away wantonly;
34 Let there be oppression of the poor under duress,
35 Law’s right denied, such as the most High grants to all men,
36 Lying perversion of justice, then he cannot overlook it.
37 Man may foretell; only the Lord brings his word to pass;
38 Mingled good and evil proceed both from the will of the most High;
39 Mortal is none may repine; let each his own sins remember.
40 Narrowly our path scan we, and to the Lord return;
41 Never hand or heart but must point heavenward this day!
42 Nothing but defiant transgression on our part; and shouldst thou relent?
43 Over our heads thy angry vengeance lowered; smiting, thou wouldst not spare.
44 Oh, barrier of cloud, our prayers had no strength to pierce!
45 Offscouring and refuse of mankind thou hast made us,
46 Put to shame by the mocking grimaces of our enemies.
47 Prophets we had, but their word was peril and pitfall, and ruin at the last.
48 Poor Sion, for thy calamity these cheeks are furrowed with tears;
49 Quell if thou wouldst the restless fever of my weeping,
50 Quickly, Lord, look down from heaven and pay heed to us,
51 Quite forspent, eye and soul, with grief Jerusalem’s daughters bear.
52 Relentless as hawk in air they pursued me, enemies unprovoked,
53 Reft me of life itself, sealed with a stone my prison door.
54 Round my head the waters closed, and I had given myself up for lost,
55 Save for one hope; to thee, Lord, I cried from the pit’s depth,
56 Sure of thy audience; wouldst thou turn a deaf ear to sighs of complaint?
57 Summoned, thou didst come to my side, whispering, Do not be afraid.
58 Thine, Lord, to take my part; thine to rescue me from death;
59 The malice of my enemies to discover, my wrongs to redress.
60 Thrust away from thy sight, the grudge they bear me, the ill they purpose,
61 Unheard by thee their taunts, their whispered plottings?
62 Uttered aloud or in secret, their malice assails me from morn till night;
63 Up in arms, or met in secret conclave, ever against me they raise the battle-song.
64 Visit them with the punishment their ill deeds have earned;
65 Veiled be those blind hearts with fresh blindness of thy own making;
66 Vanish from the earth their whole brood, ere thy vengeance leaves off pursuing them! (Source )
Spanish has a different tradition of acrostics. It uses non-alphabetic acrostics where the first letters of each line (or verse) together form a word or phrase. In the Traducción en lenguaje actual (publ. 2002, 2004), the translators used the first letters of this chapter of Lamentation to spell out “YO SOY EL SIERVO SUFRIENTE” (“I am the Suffering Servant”) as a reference to the “Suffering Servant” passage in Isaiah 53 (for more on the translation process of this, see Alfredo Tepox in The Bible Translator 2004, p. 233ff. ).
Click or tap here for Lamentations 3 in the Traducción en lenguaje actual
1 Yo soy el que ha sufrido
el duro castigo de Dios.
2 Él me forzó a caminar
por los caminos más oscuros;
3 no hay un solo momento
en que no me castigue.
4-6 Oscura tumba es mi vida;
¡es como si ya estuviera muerto!
Dios me rodeó por completo
de la miseria más terrible.
Me dejó sin fuerzas;
¡no tengo un solo hueso sano!
7-9 Se niega Dios a escucharme,
aunque siempre le pido ayuda.
A cada paso me pone tropiezos
y me hace perder el camino.
Me tiene preso y encadenado.
¡No puedo escaparme de él!
10-12 Objeto soy de sus ataques;
¡soy el blanco de sus flechas!
Como animal feroz me vigila,
esperando el momento de atacarme.
¡Me obliga a apartarme del camino
para que no pueda defenderme!
13-15 Ya me partió el corazón
con sus terribles flechas.
Dios ha llenado mi vida
de tristeza y amargura.
Todo el día y a todas horas,
la gente se burla de mí.
16 Estoy completamente derrotado,
porque Dios me hizo caer.
17 Ya no tengo tranquilidad;
la felicidad es solo un recuerdo.
18 Me parece que de Dios
ya no puedo esperar nada.
19 Los más tristes recuerdos
me llenan de amargura.
20 Siempre los tengo presentes,
y eso me quita el ánimo.
21 Pero también me acuerdo
de algo que me da esperanza:
22 Sé que no hemos sido destruidos
porque Dios nos tiene compasión.
23 Sé que cada mañana se renuevan
su gran amor y su fidelidad.
24 Por eso digo que en él confío;
¡Dios es todo para mí!
25 Invito a todos a confiar en Dios
porque él es bondadoso.
26 Es bueno esperar con paciencia
que Dios venga a salvarnos,
27 y aprender desde nuestra juventud
que debemos soportar el sufrimiento.
28 Es conveniente callar
cuando Dios así lo ordena.
29-30 Y olvidar la venganza
cuando alguien nos golpea.
Debemos esperar con paciencia
que Dios venga a ayudarnos.
31 Realmente Dios nos ha rechazado,
pero no lo hará para siempre.
32-33 Nos hace sufrir y nos aflige,
pero no porque le guste hacerlo.
Nos hiere, pero nos tiene compasión,
porque su amor es muy grande.
34-36 Violar los derechos humanos
es algo que Dios no soporta.
Maltratar a los prisioneros
o no darles un juicio justo,
es algo que Dios no aprueba.
37 ¡Oye bien esto: Nada puedes hacer
sin que Dios te lo ordene!
38 ¡Todo lo bueno y lo malo
pasa porque él así lo ordena!
39 ¡No tenemos razón para quejarnos
si nos castiga por nuestros pecados!
40-42 Si pecamos contra Dios,
y él no quiere perdonarnos,
pensemos en qué lo hemos ofendido.
Dirijamos al Dios del cielo
nuestras oraciones más sinceras,
y corrijamos nuestra conducta.
43-44 Una nube envuelve a Dios;
no le deja escuchar nuestra oración.
Lleno de enojo, Dios nos persigue;
nos destruye sin ninguna compasión.
45 Nos ha expuesto ante las naciones
como si fuéramos lo peor.
46 Fuimos la burla del enemigo.
47 Sufrimos en carne propia
los horrores de la destrucción.
48 Cuando vi destruida mi ciudad
no pude contener las lágrimas.
49-51 Realmente me duele ver sufrir
a las mujeres de Jerusalén.
Se me llenan de lágrimas los ojos,
pero no hay quien me consuele.
¡Espero que desde el cielo
Dios nos mire y nos tenga compasión!
52-53 ¡Intentaron matarme,
y no sé por qué razón!
Mis enemigos me atraparon,
me encerraron en un pozo.
54 Estuve a punto de ahogarme;
¡creí que había llegado mi fin!
55 En la profundidad de ese pozo
te pedí ayuda, Dios mío,
56 y tú atendiste mis ruegos;
¡escuchaste mi oración!
57 Te llamé, y viniste a mí;
me dijiste que no tuviera miedo.
58 No me negaste tu ayuda,
sino que me salvaste la vida.
59 Dios mío, ¡ayúdame!
Mira el mal que me causaron,
60 mira el mal que piensan hacerme,
¡quieren vengarse de mí!
61 Tú sabes cómo me ofenden;
tú sabes que me hacen daño.
62 Tú bien sabes que mis enemigos
siempre hacen planes contra mí.
63 ¡Míralos! No importa lo que hagan,
siempre están burlándose de mí.
64-66 ¡Espero que los castigues
con toda tu furia!
¡Bórralos de este mundo!
Mi Dios, ¡dales su merecido
por todo lo que han hecho!
¡Maldícelos y hazlos sufrir!