Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 119:150:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“Those who prepare evil paths have approached me,
but they are far from your laws.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“Those with evil intentions to persecute me
have already come near.
They are far from Your teachings.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“The wicked ones who persecute/pursue me, who reject your (sing.) law, come-near to me.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Laarim:
“The people who plot bad matters are coming near to me,
but instead, they are far away from your Law.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Waliopotoka wako karibu wananiwinda,
hao wako mbali na sheria yako.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“Those evil people who oppress/persecute me are coming closer to me;
they do not pay any attention to your laws.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Translators of different languages have found different ways with what kind of formality God is addressed. The first example is from a language where God is always addressed distinctly formal whereas the second is one where the opposite choice was made.
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight
Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.
As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.
In these verses, in which humans address God, the informal, familiar pronoun is used that communicates closeness.
Voinov notes that “in the Tuvan Bible, God is only addressed with the informal pronoun. No exceptions. An interesting thing about this is that I’ve heard new Tuvan believers praying with the formal form to God until they are corrected by other Christians who tell them that God is close to us so we should address him with the informal pronoun. As a result, the informal pronoun is the only one that is used in praying to God among the Tuvan church.”
In Gbaya, “a superior, whether father, uncle, or older brother, mother, aunt, or older sister, president, governor, or chief, is never addressed in the singular unless the speaker intends a deliberate insult. When addressing the superior face to face, the second person plural pronoun ɛ́nɛ́ or ‘you (pl.)’ is used, similar to the French usage of vous.
Accordingly, the translators of the current version of the Gbaya Bible chose to use the plural ɛ́nɛ́ to address God. There are a few exceptions. In Psalms 86:8, 97:9, and 138:1, God is addressed alongside other “gods,” and here the third person pronoun o is used to avoid confusion about who is being addressed. In several New Testament passages (Matthew 21:23, 26:68, 27:40, Mark 11:28, Luke 20:2, 23:37, as well as in Jesus’ interaction with Pilate and Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well) the less courteous form for Jesus is used to indicate ignorance of his position or mocking (source Philip Noss).
In Dutch and Western Frisian translations, however, God is always addressed with the formal pronoun.
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-oshie (みおしえ) or “teaching (of God)” in the referenced verses.
Once more the psalmist complains about his enemies (verse 150) but relies upon the LORD’s presence to save him. In the Hebrew text they are described as “those who pursue wicked plans”; see New Jerusalem Bible “those who pursue intrigue” (also Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). But with the change of one vowel (as in a few Hebrew manuscripts), the text means “those who wickedly persecute me,” which most translations prefer. Revised Standard Versionpersecute me with evil purpose; New American Bible “malicious persecutors”; Good News Translation and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “cruel persecutors.” In line b the statement they are far from thy law means they have no use for the Law; they disregard it altogether.
In contrast with the psalmist’s enemies, who are far from the Law, Yahweh is near the psalmist, to protect and help him (verse 151a).
In verse 151b the adjective translated true can be understood to mean “firm, steadfast” (Good News Translation, New American Bible); or else the translation can be “reliable, trustworthy.” The translation here should be the same as in verse 142b.
The strophe closes with the confession that the Law (thy testimonies) is eternal. The verb in verse 152b means “to establish, found, appoint,” as though the Law were part of God’s universe, which he created to last forever. In line a the preposition “from (your testimonies)” seems to indicate that it was in the Torah itself that the psalmist had learned that Yahweh’s laws are meant to last forever; but the sense may be, as Bible en français courant has it, “For a long time I have known about your orders, that you issued them to last forever” (see Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “Since a long time ago I have known your rules, established by you eternally.”
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 .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.