Parallel PSA 97:11

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

א֭וֹר זָרֻ֣עַ

light sown

The psalmist is speaking as if light were actually seeds that could be sown in the ground. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state this as a comparison. Alternate translation: [He scatters light like seeds]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

א֭וֹר זָרֻ֣עַ

light sown

The psalmist is speaking here of good and beneficial things as if they were light. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation. If not, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [He gives good things]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

א֭וֹר זָרֻ֣עַ

light sown

The expression Light is sown is a passive verbal form. If your language would not use that form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who does the action, the context indicates that it is Yahweh. Alternate translation: [Yahweh sows light]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

לַ⁠צַּדִּ֑יק

(Some words not found in UHB: light sown for,[person] and,for_[people],upright_of heart joy )

The psalmist is using the adjective righteous as a noun to mean a certain kind of person. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this adjective with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [for those who are righteous]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וּֽ⁠לְ⁠יִשְׁרֵי־לֵ֥ב שִׂמְחָֽה

(Some words not found in UHB: light sown for,[person] and,for_[people],upright_of heart joy )

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of gladness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [and he makes glad the upright of heart]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וּֽ⁠לְ⁠יִשְׁרֵי־לֵ֥ב

(Some words not found in UHB: light sown for,[person] and,for_[people],upright_of heart joy )

The psalmist is using upright of heart as a common expression of his culture to mean “sincere in their inner beings” or “honest in their intentions.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and for those who are sincere in their inner beings]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

שִׂמְחָֽה

(Some words not found in UHB: light sown for,[person] and,for_[people],upright_of heart joy )

The psalmist is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from the context if that would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [gladness is sown]