Song (Psalm) 131

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

131:1 Explaing inner peace

Song of Quiet Trust; A Prayer of Humble Trust

A song by David while walking uphill to Yerushalem.

A song of ascents. Of David.; A Song of Ascents. Of David.; A song of the ascents: for David; A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.

131 Yahweh, ≈I’m not boastful or full of pride,

nor do I ≈pretend to understand amazing things that are beyond me.

2 ≈Instead I’ve worked to maintain inner peace and quietness

like a child who’s been weaned yet still trusts fully in its mother.

3 Yisra’el, put your hope in Yahweh

from now on and forever.

↑ 131  The_song_of the_ascents of_Dāvid\f + \fr 131:1 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.

131.

1\f* Oh_YHWH not it_has_been_haughty heart_of_my and_not they_have_been_uplifted eyes_of_my and_not I_have_walked in/on/at/with_great and_in/on/at/with_difficult too_for_me.

2 If not I_have_made_still and_quieted soul_of_my like_weaned on his/its_mother like_the_weaned within_me soul_of_my.

3 Wait Oh_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) to YHWH from_now and_unto perpetuity.