inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Ps 108:12)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translations both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding the Lord.

complete verse (Psalm 108:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 108:12:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Help us contending with the enemy,
    for the help of a person is worthless.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Help us to fight our enemies.
    For human help is useless.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Help us (excl.) against our (excl.) enemies, for the help of man/people has-no value.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “You help us to defeat our enemies,
    because the helps of a person is just nothing.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Utupatie msaada kwa maadui zetu,
    msaada wa mtu hausaidii chochote.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “We need you to help us when we fight against our enemies,
    because the help that humans can give us is worthless.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

Japanese benefactives (tasukete)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, tasukete (助けて) or “help” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Psalm 108:10 - 108:13

Verses 10-13 are the same as 60.9-12, except that in verse 10a fortified translates a different word from the one used in 60.9; there is, however, no difference of meaning between the two.

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 .