complete verse (Psalm 66:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 66:18:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “If I had smiled at sin in my heart
    The Lord would not have listened to me.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “If my heart had been full of sin
    He would not have heard my prayer.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “If I just paid-no-attention-to my sins the Lord would not have-listened to me.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “If I favored sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened to me,” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Iwapo niliwaza mabaya katika moyo wangu,
    Bwana ingekuwa hajanisikia.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “If I had ignored the sins that I had committed, the Lord would not have paid any attention to me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (irete)

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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, irete (入れて) or “put in” 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 66:18 - 66:19

In verse 18 the Hebrew reads “If I had seen iniquity in my heart,” by which the psalmist means that if he had been aware of his sin yet done nothing about it; so Revised Standard Version If I had cherished iniquity; Good News Translation “If I had ignored my sins.” But Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates “If I had thought about (doing) evil”; New Jerusalem Bible “Had I an evil thought in my mind”; and Bible en français courant “If I had had wicked intentions.” This, however, had not happened; the psalmist had confessed his sins or else had not been guilty of any sins; and so his prayer was answered. Good News Translation “ignored my sins” is rendered in idiomatic forms in some languages; for example, “If I turned my head from my sins,” “If I had shut my eyes on the evil I had done,” and “If I had put deaf ears on my sins.”

Verse 18b states what would have happened if the psalmist had not been aware of and confessed his sins; God would not have listened to his prayer, that is, God would not have done what he had asked God to do.

Verse 19 shows that the psalmist has repented of his sins and confessed them to God, inasmuch as God has listened to his prayer and answered his pleas. Voice of my prayer means “sound of my prayer,” but Good News Translation “my prayer” is an adequate rendering. Or else, “when I spoke my prayer.”

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 .