complete Psalm 24

The following is a complete back-translation of Psalm 24 from Nyaneka:

1 Earth and-what is-in-it is the Lord God’s,
world and-things all which-are-in it.
2 Lord world this he-built on-seas
it-is-carried established on-streams of-water.
3 On-the-mountain of-Lord God who can go-up?
In-sanctuary who can stand?
4 It-is-that-one that-one who-have-cleansed hands
and-who-has good heart,
that-one who-does-not-give life his to-idols
who-does-not swear to-idols.
5 This-one will-receive from-Lord God good blessing
with-righteousness the-salvation of-him from-God.
6 The-generation who seek-him like-this will-live,
those who-adore the-God of-Jacob.
7 Open the-gates, heavy-doors of-heads,
the-gates eternal
so-that King who-is-glorified can-enter.
8 King who-is-glorified is-who? \
Lord God, powerful of-force
Lord powerful in-war.
9 Open the-gates, heavy-doors of-heads,
the-gates eternal
so-that King who-is-glorified can-enter.
10 King who-is-glorified is-who?
Lord God of-the-host of-war,
this-one [is] King who-is-glorified.

Source: Christopher S. Tachick in Wendland / Zogbo 2019, p. 84ff.

Jacob

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Jacob” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies “lentil,” referring to the soup he gave his brother in exchange for his birthright (see Genesis 25:34). Note that another Spanish Sign Language sign for Jacob also users the sign for Jewish. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Jacob” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is a sign that shows the touching of the hip, described in Genesis 32:25:


“Jacob” in German Sign Language (source: Taub und katholisch )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the signs signifying “smooth arm” (referring to the story starting at Genesis 27:11). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Jacob” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

See also Esau.

Translation commentary on Psalm 24:6

The word generation, as in 12.7, refers to people who have certain moral qualities. Such is the generation may be rendered sometimes as “The people are like this” or “The people who come to God are like this.”

The two synonymous Hebrew verbs for seek are used in the sense of going to the Temple to worship Yahweh. If a rendering like Good News Translation “come into the presence” is used, care should be taken that the readers not understand that the psalmist was talking about going to heaven.

In line b the Masoretic text has “those who seek your face, Jacob”; two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac have “your face, God of Jacob” (the Septuagint has “those who seek the face of the God of Jacob”), which is the meaning preferred by Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy.6 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers “your face, Jacob” (“B” decision) but does not explain what this means. A translator should only prefer the vocative “Jacob” if he or she makes clear to the reader what it means.

For Selah see comments on 3.2.

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 .