darkened (eyes)

The Hebrew that is translated as “darkened” in English is emphasized in Sar with the ideophone (a word that expresses what is perceived by the five senses) nding which “means dense, thick, insensitive, immobile, impenetrable. Examples: very thick porridge, a place plunged into deep darkness, thick clouds, stagnant water, dense dust, standing still without speaking, having heavy eyes, feeling heavy, having a heavy head, a place that’s crowded with people, a door tightly closed.” (Source: Ngarbolnan Riminan in Le Sycomore 2000, p. 20ff. ).

Let their table be a trap for them . . .

For the phrases “Let their table be a trap for them, a snare for their allies. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.” see Romans 11:9 and Romans 11:10.

Note that this quote in the New Testament is not taken from the Hebrew Bible but from the Greek Septuagint (LXX) which translates into English as “Let their table become a trap before them, and a retribution and a stumbling block. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their back permanently.” (Translation by NETS — for the Greek version see the title’s tooltip)

complete verse (Psalm 69:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 69:23:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Let their eyes be dark so that they do not see again
    and their back be twisted until forever.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “May their eyes become blind,
    May their backbones be bent.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “May-it-be that they will-be-blinded and always tremble.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Would you make them all blind!
    You let their back to be bend always!” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Macho yao yawekwe giza,
    ili wasione kitu chochote,
    migongo yao iiname daima.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I hope/desire that their eyesight will become dim so that they cannot see anything,
    and that their backs/ bodies will become weaker and weaker.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 69:22 - 69:23

In a series of denunciations the psalmist calls on God to punish his enemies (see a similar series in 58.6-9). There is nothing idle or rhetorical about the language; the psalmist, convinced that his enemies had broken God’s law, uses the most extreme language possible in the curses that he hurls at them.

In verse 22a Good News Translation “banquets” are the sacrificial feasts at the Temple (verse 22b), where the people were supposedly worshiping Yahweh. The psalmist’s wish is that these celebrations be the occasion of their “ruin” (snare), of their “downfall” (trap, literally “a bird trap”), that is, that God will punish them as they partake of these sacrificial feasts. In many languages it will be possible to maintain the figurative language regarding the snare and the trap through the adaptation of a simile; for example, “when they eat their feasts, may they be caught like birds in a snare; when they eat the meat sacrificed to God, let them be like animals caught in a trap.”

In verse 22b sacrificial feasts translates the text of the Targum (see Revised Standard Version); the Masoretic text is “to those who are at peace,” that is, their companions; so New Jerusalem Bible “their allies”; Hebrew Old Testament Text Project “their guests”; Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “their friends.” New English Bible reads a slightly different Hebrew text but gets the same meaning; Dahood has “(make) their companions a snare.” Bible de Jérusalem and New Jerusalem Bible translate the Masoretic text by “their abundance.” The Septuagint has “for retribution.” It is recommended that the translator follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, or else the translation proposed by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, “their guests.”

In verse 23 the psalmist asks God to punish his enemies with blindness and weakness; in verse 23b the verb is “cause to shake.” This may be either a symptom of fear or of a disease. This line is translated in a number of ways: Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “may their legs always tremble”; New Jerusalem Bible “may their loins collapse continually” is strange, not to say ridiculous. Bible en français courant has “make their backs always bend down,” which is better.

As translated by the Septuagint, verses 22-23 are quoted by Paul in Romans 11.9-10; Romans 11.9 is different both from the Masoretic text and from the Septuagint of verse 22; Romans 11.10 is exactly like the Septuagint of verse 23.

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 .