happiness / joy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the Hausa Common Language Ajami Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.

Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions, rejoiced greatly / celebrated, the Mossi translation of “righteous”, and joy.

Translation commentary on Psalm 35:19

Once more the psalmist asks the LORD to rescue him from his enemies. In line a rejoice over me means to be happy because of his, the psalmist’s, misfortunes. In line b the Hebrew may mean “(my enemies) those liars” (Good News Translation) or “traitors” (see New English Bible), or else “those who are wrongfully (my enemies)” (see Revised Standard Version), as a parallel with the last line, (who hate me) without cause (so New International Version). The quotation in John 15.25 comes from this passage or from Psalm 69.5.

The expression wink the eye may mean to gloat gleefully, “smirk with delight” (Good News Translation), “leer at me in triumph” (New English Bible). Or perhaps it is a signal to other enemies of the psalmist, or an evil spell they wish to cast on him. If the translator takes the expression let not those wink the eye to mean “smirk” as in Good News Translation, in some languages this can be rendered “Don’t let people smile with satisfaction because I have sorrow” or “Don’t let people laugh at me when they see that I am sad.”

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 .