The traditional Natügu song form uses stanzas of four lines (“quatrains”) “in which the first and last lines exhibit verbatim repetition in the words (…). Given that repetition, the form requires that the clause of the first line also be able to function syntactically as a final clause in the fourth line, or as an independent sentence. And because the lines of the quatrain are rather short, it involves a distillation of the message into one or two short sentences. The number of syllables in each set of two lines is usually in the 12-15 syllable range.” (Source: Brenda Boerger in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. )
Psalm 148 “with its extensive repetition” provided an ideal text to use the traditional Natügu literary form. Following is a back-translation from Natügu that follows the stanzas of four lines with the first and last line repeated (the Natügu original can be read right here ):
1-2 Ever exalt Yahweh, all you heavenly ones.
You his angels, ever exalt Yahweh.
3 Ever exalt Yahweh, sun and moon.
And all you stars, ever exalt Yahweh.
4 Ever exalt him, everything in the sky.
And you upper waters, ever exalt him.
5 Ever exalt his name. He who made you,
By the word he gave. Ever exalt Yahweh.
6 His word’s eternal. He set for each one
Where you’ll ever be. His word’s eternal.
7 Ever exalt Yahweh, you fish and monsters
Of the sea and deeps. Ever exalt Yahweh.
8 You obey his word, lightning and hail.
Clouds, wind and rain, you obey his word.
9 Ever exalt Yahweh, all mountains and hills.
You trees of the bush, ever exalt Yahweh.
10 Ever exalt him, all animals and birds.
And things that crawl, ever exalt Yahweh.
11 Let’s exalt Yahweh too, all of us in the world.
VIPs and leaders, we must also exalt Yahweh.
12 Let’s exalt him too, us lads and lasses.
Babes and elders, let’s exalt him too.
13 Let’s exalt his name, all of us.
His name is high. Let’s exalt his name.
His greatness surpasses the land
And the sky too. His greatness!
14 Let’s ever exalt Yahweh,
All us his Israelites.
He saves and loves us.
Let’s ever exalt Yahweh.
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 148:11:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“You kings of the earth and people of all races,
you princes and rulers of the earth.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“kings of the earth and nations,
princes and rulers of the lands,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“[You (plur.)] praise the LORD, you (plur.) who (are) kings, officials, leaders, and all people of the earth,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Laarim:
“the kings of earth and all people of nations,
people who rule country and judges,” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Muwe mnamsifu, enyi wafalme wa katika nchi na nchi zote,
enyi viongozi na watawala wote duniani.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“You kings on this earth and all the people that you rule,
you princes and all other rulers,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
In these verses all human beings, people of both sexes, all ages, and all social classes are commanded to praise Yahweh. In verse 11b princes are officials or authorities in general. All rulers translates “all judges”; here, as often, the Hebrew word means not “judges” in the restricted sense of the word, but all who occupy places of power and authority.
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 .
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