complete verse (Psalm 72:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 72:5:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “He will have life in all generations,
    all the times when the sun and moon are shining.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “and may your people fear you continually
    as long as the sun and the moon exist.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “May-it-be that his reign continue forever/[lit. until whenever] through his descendants, while there-is still sun and moon.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “God, people will fear you forever,
    like as when the sun and the moon shine forever.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Yeye astawi na kukuabudu daima,
    kama vile jua na mwezi ambavyo vinaangaza katika vizazi vyote.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I desire that your people will revere you as long as the moon shines, forever.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 72:5

In the Hebrew text (followed by Syriac, Targum, Jerome) the psalmist suddenly switches from the king to the people, “may they fear you,” which Good News Translation translates “May your people worship you” (see also New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “may the king fear you”). “You” is God, not the king, who is always spoken of in the third person. Revised Standard Version and most other translations follow the Septuagint, May he live, a prayer for the continued reign of the royal dynasty (see 21.4). This makes more sense in the context and may be original.5 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors the Septuagint (“C” decision), judging that there is an unintentional scribal error in the Masoretic text (factor 12).

In translation it is important to avoid a confusion of pronominal reference in this verse, and accordingly one may translate, for example, “I pray that your people, God, may worship you” or “I ask that the people worship God.” If translators follow Revised Standard Version May he live, they may refer to Psalm 22.26 for translational suggestions.

While the sun endures translates what is literally “with the sun,” and as long as the moon translates “in the presence of the moon.” For similar language see 89.36-37. The psalmist is not implying by this that some day the sun and the moon will quit shining; he is speaking of a never-ending rule of the royal dynasty, and it may be more effective to state this explicitly, as follows: “May the king and his descendants rule for all time to come, as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon exists.” In languages in which “as long as the sun shines” would appear to contradict “all time to come,” one may say “rule the people forever, until there is no more sun or moon to shine.”

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 .