swept away utterly by terrors

The now commonly-used German idiom ein Ende mit Schrecken nehmen, today often used in the phrasing “lieber ein Ende mit Schrecken nehmen als ein Schrecken ohne Ende” (meaning that it’s preferable to end an unsatisfying state of affairs painfully to having a painful experience without ever experiencing an end to that) was first coined in 1534 in the German Bible translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 60)

For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

complete verse (Psalm 73:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 73:19:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Very quickly they are destroyed,
    they are swept completely with fear.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “They will be destroyed
    before they can rub their eyes.
    What dreadful destruction
    will come upon them.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Suddenly they will-be-destroyed;
    they will- all -die in their frightful/dreadful end-result.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “They will be killed suddenly,
    worry will defeated them completely.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Watakuja kuangamizwa mara moja!
    Watakuja kushushwa wakati wameshikwa na hofu.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “They will be destroyed instantly;
    they will die in terrible ways.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 73:18 - 73:19

The psalmist describes how God punishes (Revised Standard Version) or will punish (Good News Translation) the wicked. A translator should feel free to use either the present or the future tense, whichever seems to make better sense. Dahood takes the four nouns in the Hebrew text of verses 18-19 to be titles for Sheol, the world of the dead: “Perdition … Desolation … Devastation … Terrors.” For slippery places in verse 18a, see similar language in 35.6. Fall to ruin and Good News Translation‘s “fall to destruction” must often be recast as simply “to fall” or, in some languages, “to be brought to death.” Bible en français courant has “you cause them to fall into a trap.”

How they are destroyed in a moment: verse 19 is nearly a repetition of verse 18; the only difference is that the rapidity of the destruction of the wicked is emphasized in verse 19. It is probable that in verse 19b the terrors are the terrors of death, that is, “terrible Death” or “Death, the terrible One.”

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 .