Barrick, "Early Versions & Psalm 23"
ETS -- November 2005
© William D. Barrick 2005
15
NIV he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
15 100
TEV He gives me new strength.
He guides me in the right paths, as he has promised.
10 67
Observations on verse 3:
·
TEV's interpretive translation obscures the potential reference to conversion in the text. Inaccuracy = -1.0.
·
The psalmist employs a different verb for "lead/guide" in this verse as compared to verse 2. That difference ought to be
maintained in translation so that the reader understands that it is different. Inaccuracy = -1.0.
·
"Paths of righteousness" proves to be another point of differentiation between the translations. The Hebrew construction
(
qd<c,©÷-yleG>[.m;b.
, b
e
ma`
e
g
e
lêy-tsedeq) represents an indefinite rather than a definite noun phrase. No definite article appears in the
text. "The paths of righteousness" is too specific as far as the grammar of the Hebrew is concerned. Inaccuracy = -1.0.
·
NRSV's "right paths" represents a different interpretation that can be taken as "correct paths" or "moral paths." Neither has
any definite connection to the concept of "righteousness" in the Hebrew text. "Right paths" is overly interpretive. Ambiguity =
-0.5.
·
Both "life" (HCSB) and "me" (TEV) for "soul" is ambiguous = -0.5.
·
"As he has promised" (TEV) is interpretive and obscures the original wording badly. Inaccuracy = -3.0 (for three elements of
particle, noun, and pronominal suffix).
·
Principles derived from the examination of the translations of verse 3:
Principle #6: Different vocabulary words in the same context should be translated by different terms in the receptor language
when possible.
Principle #7: The absence of the definite article ought to be retained in translation unless other contextual or idiomatic factors
indicate clearly otherwise.
Principle #8: Interpretive translations should be kept to a minimum.
v. 4 MT
[r"ª ar"Ûyai«-al{ tw<m'l.c; aygEáB. %le'ae-yKi( ~G:Ü
ydI_M'[i hT'îa;-yKi
`ynImU)x]n:)y> hM'heä ^T,ªn>[;v.miW÷ ^ïj.b.vi
%
Base Indeed, though I walk in a very dark valley, I do not fear
trouble,
Because You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
27 100