Comparison of Different Translations of Psalm II

The most readily apparent difference between Alter’s translation and the Bay Psalm Book’s version of Psalm II is the metrical organization and diction. Although these two aspects of the Psalms are seemingly less important than the actual content, the changes in metrical structure and diction shift the emphasis of the Psalm itself and imbue it with alternative meaning. It is appropriate to note that both the Bay Psalm Book and Alter’s The Book of Psalms are translations that were created during different time periods in different cultures. As such, the translators of these works likely had different perspectives (lenses) through which they saw the world, and these effects are clearly seen in both of these translations.

The first aspect that I would like to focus on is the metrical organization of Psalm II in the Bay Psalm Book and Alter’s The Book of Psalms. Alter specifically chooses not to have a rigidly defined meter in his translation, as the original Hebrew texts have no such structure (xxi). However, the Bay Psalm Book has a defined metrical structure; the first and third lines contain eight syllables, while the second and fourth contain six (this pattern continues throughout the Psalm). The translators of the Bay Psalm Book omitted words in some places and added them in others to create this structure, but Alter chooses to stick with the most literal translation, claiming that the significant content is generally found within the Hebrew poetic style of parallelism (xxi).

Another interesting aspect of these two translations of Psalm II is the translators’ diction. For example, in the Bay Psalm Book the translators choose the words furiously, rage, and heathen. However, Alter simply uses the word aroused and substitutes nation for heathen. Throughout Psalm II, the language of the Bay Psalm Book is much more personal and intense, while Alter’s translation seems much more political, almost like a motivational speech. Furthermore, every other line of the Bay Psalm Book rhymes with another line (either two lines before or after it). For example, lines 12 and 10 rhyme suddenly/he, and lines 22 and 24 rhyme abroad/rod. This choice of words forced the Bay Psalm Book translators to rearrange sentences and this in turn shifted focus away from the parallel sentence structure.

The differences between these translations can probably be explained by an examination of the different perspectives that influenced the translations themselves. As Alter note in his foreword, he is particularly interested in preserving the original parallel structure and removing the distracting references, especially the ones with significant cultural baggage attached. Writing from this academic tone, it seems like Alter views Psalm II as more of a political call to arms than a personal expression of desire for help when one is surrounded by non-believers (he uses the word nation instead of heathens). However, the Bay Psalm Book appears to be much less concerned with an accurate representation of the original Hebrew text. In contrast to Alter’s translation, the Bay Psalm Book is much more accessible and applicable on an individual level; one could easily imagine a newly-arrived pilgrim praying for guidance as he/she stands surrounded by a land of so-called “heathens”. This use of the same religious ideas (the original Hebrew text) in different cultural contexts emphasizes the importance of the consideration of different perspectives when thinking about religion. Essentially, these different perspectives shifted the meaning of the Psalms to suit the cultural/social environment of the early Pilgrims and Alter, but this is certainly not the only place where this concept can be seen. Much like the Indian mounds of Wisconsin, similar original ideas were interpreted and used by different people in different manners as culture and society required it.