smooth

The Hebrew that is translated as “smoother” or “softer” (than oil) in English is reinforced in Sar with the ideophone (a word that expresses what is perceived by the five senses) lɔ́ḿ lɔ́ḿ to express the slowness and flexibility (“His words are colder lɔ́ḿ lɔ́ḿ than oil.”) (Source: Ngarbolnan Riminan in Le Sycomore 2000, p. 20ff. )

See also smooth.

drawn sword

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “drawn sword” in English is translated in Newari as “naked sword” (source: Newari Back Translation).

fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Psalm 55:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 55:21:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “His words are smooth more than butter
    however war is in his heart;
    his words are very smooth more than oil,
    but those words are swords that are drawn.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “His voice is
    as smooth as ghee,
    but his heart is
    full of discord,
    his words seem as soft as ghee,
    [but they] are sharper than a sword.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “He (is) gentle and good in-speech/well spoken
    but bears-a-grudge in his heart,
    and what he speaks can- indeed/[surprise particle] -wound like a sharp sword.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “His voice is like oil for smearing,
    but instead, he hates people in his heart,
    his words are like the oil for smearing,
    but instead they are like sharp knife.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Maneno yake matamu kuzidi siagi,
    lakini mawazo yake yamejaa vita.
    Usemi wake wa upole kuzidi mafuta,
    lakini umekata kama vile upanga mkali.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “What he said was easy to listen to, like butter is easy to swallow,
    but in his inner being he hated people;
    his words were soothing like olive oil,
    but they hurt people like sharp swords do.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 55:20 - 55:21

In these verses the psalmist refers again to his former friend (see verses 12-14). The Hebrew of verse 20a begins “he stretched out his hand,” which most, like Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, take to refer to the former friend of verses 12-14; but New English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy take it to refer to the enemies of verses 18-19. My companion may sometimes be rendered “the one I went around with” or “the one who was one heart with me.” The expression used should resemble or be the same as the one in verse 13.

He “attacked” (sent out his hand against) his friends (literally “those who were at peace with him” or “those who had a covenant with him,” that is, his allies).

In this verse covenant means the “promises” or vows the psalmist and his friend had made to each other, to be friends and to help each other. The verb translated violated means basically “to profane”; in this context it means, as Good News Translation, New English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible translate, “broke”; or else “dishonored.”

With vivid figures (verse 21) the psalmist accuses his former friend of hypocrisy; his friendly words hide hostility and hatred. Smoother than butter as a reference to talking in a hypocritical and deceitful fashion must be translated by an equivalent expression in the receptor language and not simply copied. It may be possible in some languages to say, for example, “his words were heard as smoothly as butter is swallowed” or “he spoke as smoothly as one swallows butter.” Likewise softer than oil may sometimes be rendered “his words soothed the mind like oil soothes the body.” In line b war means destructive wishes, or hatred, which he nourished in his heart; so the figure of drawn swords follows naturally, meaning destructive curses or wishes. It may be better to use a simile, as Good News Translation does, “like sharp swords.”

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 .