sunrise, sunset

The Hebrew and Greek terms that is translated as “sunrise” and “sunset” or similar in English are translated in Chichewa as “sun coming out” and “sun entering.” The understanding is that the sun moves and that when it is evening it goes back where it belongs. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also periods of the night.

complete verse (Psalm 139:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 139:9:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “If I fly where the sun comes out from,
    if I stay at the ends of the lake,” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Even if [I] fly far away to the east,
    or if [I] go to the west arriving at a distant ocean shore,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “If I also go to-the-east or settle/live on the-very-farthest place in the west,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “If I would fly with wings to go to east,
    or if I go to the side of the sea where the sun goes down,” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Iwapo naruka mpaka mashariki,
    au kwenda kukaa magharibi,” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “If I had wings and flew very far east, or if I flew west and made a place to live on an island in the ocean,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Psalm 139:9 - 139:10

In verse 9 the psalmist refers to the extreme east and the extreme west. Revised Standard Version gives the wrong impression that the actions of the two lines are part of one event, take the wings … and dwell. The Hebrew lines show two distinct events, “If I take…, if I dwell….” The exact meaning of the language in verse 9a, If I take the wings of the morning, is in dispute; in parallel with verse 9b (which clearly refers to the farthest west) it seems probable that the language is a figurative way of speaking of going to the east, where the sun comes up (so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “if I were to fly away to the east”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Were I to fly to where the sun rises”; and Bible en français courant is similar). In verse 9b the uttermost parts of the sea means as far as one could go to the west; the sea is the Mediterranean, which is west of Palestine. In many languages the directions in verse 9 can best be expressed as “where the sun rises” and “where the sun sets.” However, if the translator wishes to keep the geography of Palestine in view, he may translate “west” as does Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, “the borders of the western sea.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “to the end of the seas, where the sun sinks.”

Wherever he may go, the psalmist knows that Yahweh is there to lead him and to hold him (verse 10); the second verb in Hebrew is “to hold, grasp,” in the positive sense of helping or sustaining, not in the negative sense of seizing or arresting.

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 .