inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Ps 144:14)

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 144:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 144:14:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Our cattle will carry heavy loads.
    There will never be cracks on walls,
    there will never be going to captivity again,
    in our paths there will never be crying because of problems.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “May there not be a single calf miscarried,
    may [the herd] greatly increase.
    May our walls not be torn down,
    may we not be captured and deported,
    May the sound of weeping filled with sorrow,
    not be heard in our lanes.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “and our (excl.) cattle be-loaded with many products.
    May-it-be that we (excl.) will- no-longer -be-attacked by enemies
    and we (excl.) will- no-longer -be-taken-captive.
    May-it-be that there-are-no more cries of sorrow/sadness on our (excl.) streets/roads.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “our bulls will pull heavy loads.
    Not will walls of the city be destroyed,
    and there will be no people to be capture as slaves,
    and there will be no cry of suffering on our ways.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “ngʼombe wetu wabebe mavuno mengi.
    Maadui wasibomoe kuta zetu,
    wasitushike kuwa watumwa,
    kisiweko kilio katika miji yetu.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I wish/ hope that our cows will give birth to many calves
    without having any miscarriages or deaths when they are born (OR, that no enemies will break through our city walls and take us into exile/to their own countries).
    I wish/hope that there will not be a time when the people in our streets cry out in distress because foreign armies are invading.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 144:14

In line a the word translated cattle is not the normal form in Hebrew for “cattle”; and the verb translated be heavy with young (Good News Translation “reproduce plentifully”) means either “to load” or “to carry.” It may be taken to refer to pregnancy and gestation of cattle, but the difficulty is that the verb form is a masculine plural participle; and so, instead of taking it to refer to reproduction (parallel with the bearing of sheep of verse 13c-d), some take it to mean the strength of the cattle; so New English Bible “fat and sleek” (see New Jerusalem Bible “well cared for,” Dahood and New Jerusalem Bible “well fed”). New International Version‘s “our oxen will draw heavy loads” is unlike any other translation consulted.

Verse 14b is “may there be no break and no departure.” Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New English Bible, and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy take this to refer to the cattle, meaning without miscarriage or loss as cows give birth to calves. But New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and Dahood take it to mean a break in the walls of the city caused by invaders, and a going out of the inhabitants into exile. Dahood has “Let there be no invasion, and let there be no exile” (similarly Bible en français courant, New International Version, New American Bible; New Jerusalem Bible “free of raids and pillage”). There is no way of deciding which is correct; the second interpretation ties in with what follows, and the first with what precedes.

Verse 14c refers to the alarm and distress caused by imminent invasion of foreign troops.

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 .