Question From People Wey Dey Read Our Book

For the 2013 New World Translation Bible, Psalm 144:12-15 dey talk about God people. But for the former New World Translation, this place dey talk about the wicked strangers wey verse 11 talk about. Why dem change am?

Because of the way that verse be for Hebrew language, person fit use two way take translate am. As we don know this one, make we talk wetin make dem change am.

1. The way we translate am now match the way dem dey use word for Hebrew language. For Hebrew language, asher na the first word for verse 12. Na this word connect verse 12-15 with other verse before am. Wetin this word mean go help person understand this place for Bible. No be only one way dem fit take translate this word for English. For example, dem fit translate am as “who” or “whom”. Na “who” dem use for our former Bible. Because of this one, the verse come dey talk sey na the wicked strangers go get the better things wey verse 12 to 14 talk about. But this word asher fit still mean wetin dey come out of something wey happen. So dem fit still translate am as “that,” “so that,” or “then.” Our 2013 Bible use “then,” and na so e still be for other translation.

2. The way dem translate am match wetin the rest verse dey talk. The word “then” wey dey verse 12 mean sey all the better things wey verse 12 to 14 dey talk about go happen to righteous people. This people dey beg for verse 11 sey make dem ‘save dem and free dem’ from the wicked people hand. The way we translate am now come still change the way we understand verse 15. That verse use the word “happy” two times. So now, the people wey this verse talk sey go happy na the same people. Na this people this verse talk sey “their God na Jehovah.” Still get am for mind sey, the Hebrew language wey dem use take write Bible no get punctuation (sign wey dey make reading easy for person) like, quotation mark. So translators must try know the correct way to translate am. And dem go need to check the way dem take write am for Hebrew language, wetin the other verse dem talk, and other place for Bible wey talk something like that.

3. The way dem translate am match with other place for Bible wey talk sey God go bless people wey dey serve am well. Because of the new way wey dem take translate the word asher, the chapter come agree with the better hope wey David get. David get hope sey after God save im people from their enemy hand, God go bless dem with plenty things, and dem go happy. (Lev. 26:9, 10; Deut. 7:13; Ps. 128:1-6) For example, Deuteronomy 28:4 talk sey: “Your children, wetin you plant, your animal pikin, your small small cow and sheep, all of dem go get blessing.” True true, when Solomon wey be David pikin be king, Israel people really enjoy peace and Jehovah bless dem well well. Another thing be sey, some things wey happen for Solomon time dey show how things go be when Jesus dey rule.—1 Ki. 4:20, 21; Ps. 72:1-20.

So wetin we don talk? The new way wey dem take translate Psalm 144 no change the way we understand wetin Bible talk. But e make Psalm 144 rhyme with the better hope wey Jehovah servant get. E don tey wey dem believe sey Jehovah go destroy wicked people, and after that one, im people go get peace and enjoy better things.—Ps. 37:10, 11.