Song (Psalm) 129

Note: This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public. Some things (like capitalisation of ‘him’ referring to Jesus or ‘father’ referring to God) in the RV haven’t been decided yet so we’re still testing both ways.

Note: The Readers’ Version on the left is a translation into contemporary English aimed at the person on the street who hasn’t necessarily been brought up with exposure to Biblical jargon and/or 500-year old English. It’s designed to be used alongside the Literal Version on the right which gives the English reader a window into what’s actually written in the original languages. (See the introduction for more details—we recommend that you read the introduction first if you’re wanting to fully understand the Literal Version.) By comparing the left and right columns, you should be able to easily get the message of the text, while at the same time keeping an eye on what it was actually translated from.

Note that greyed words in the RV are words that the translators consider were most probably in the mind of the writer, but as none of us can double-check with the original speakers or writers, the reader is free to disagree. They are clearly marked because we’ve tried to be as honest and transparent as possible.

The lighter coloured words in the LV are words which aren’t needed in the grammar of the original languages but are required or implied in English. You can read the Key to learn more about them. The underlines joining words in the LV show when one original language word needs to be translated into two or more English words. (Just hide them with the button if you don’t need that information and find it distracting.) Also, the majority of sentences in the LV don’t have the words put into a sensible English order yet. (This should be completed by the end of 2023.)

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

129:1 Praying against haters of Tsiyyon

A Prayer against Israel’s Enemies; Prayer for the Downfall of Israel’s Enemies

A song for walking uphill to Yerushalem.

A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.; A song of ascents.; A Song of Ascents.; A song of the ascents

129 Let Yisra’el (Israel) say:

“@My enemies have attacked me often since my youth.

2 Yes, often since my youth they’ve attacked me,

yet they haven’t defeated me.

3 &Their ploughmen ploughed on my back—

they made their furrows long.

4 Yahweh is righteous.

He’s cut the ropes of the wicked.”[fn]

5 May all those who hate Tsiyyon (Zion)

be humiliated and turned back.

6 May they be like the grass that sprouts up on a roof

then dries up and dies before it ≈can grow tall,

7 ≈so it’s no use to the harvester

≈or to the person tying up the bundles of grain.

8 May ≈no one who’s passing by say to those haters of Tsiyyon,

“May Yahweh’s blessing be on you all,”

or, “We bless you all in Yahweh’s name.”

↑ 129  The_song_of the_ascents\f + \fr 129:1 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.

129.

1\f* much_of attacked_me from_youth_of_my let_it_say please Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

2 Much_of attacked_me from_youth_of_my also not they_have_prevailed to_me.

3 On back_of_my they_have_plowed plowmen they_have_made_long X_furrows_of_their\f + \fr 129:3 \ft OSHB variant note: ל/מענות/ם: (x-qere) ’לְ/מַעֲנִיתָֽ/ם’: lemma_l/4618 n_0 morph_HR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp id_19suA לְ/מַעֲנִיתָֽ/ם\f*.

4 YHWH is_righteous he_has_cut_off the_rope_of wicked_people.

5 May_they_be_ashamed and_ backward _turned all_of (of)_Tsiyyōn those_who_hate_of.

6 May_they_be like_grass_of roofs which_before_of it_has_shot_up it_has_withered.

7 Which_not he_has_filled hands_of_his a_reaper and_arms_of_his one_who_binds_sheaves.

8 And_not they_say the_ the_blessing_of _pass_by of_YHWH upon_you_all we_bless DOM_you_all in/on_name_of YHWH.