complete verse (Psalm 60:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 60:11:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Give us help that we contend with our enemy,
    for the help coming from a person is without profit.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Help us to fight our enemies
    For the human help is useless.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Help us (excl.) against our (excl.) enemies,
    for the help of a person/man has-no value.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Help us defeat our enemies,
    because, the help of human be nothing.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Utupatie msaada kwa maadui wetu,
    msaada wa mtu haifanyi kitu chochote.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “We need you to help us when we fight against our enemies,
    because the help that humans can give us is worthless.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

Japanese benefactives (tasukete)

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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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, tasukete (助けて) or “help” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Psalm 60:11 - 60:12

The final prayer for God’s help recognizes that “human help is worthless” (Good News Translation) and that victory is achieved only with God’s help. Vain is the help of man in some languages must be rendered, for example, “the little help people can give is worthless” or, more generally, “all the help that people can give is worthless.”

In verse 12a do valiantly is, in this context, “gain the victory,” “win the battle,” “triumph.”

Tread down in verse 12b is a way of speaking of defeat (as in 44.5b).

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 .