Translating the Psalms: Considering target language orality strategies

Abstract

Can biblical poetry be rendered into a poetic style that suits the culture of the target language, using its oral strategies? Many translations of biblical poetry are produced without considering the poetic system of the intended audience. This article proposes that translating biblical poetry into the language’s poetic style would enhance orality and resonate more deeply with the target audience. It explores the implications of oral versus written traditions in biblical performance, performance and translation theory, and the similarities and differences between the source and target contexts in translating the psalms into Rigwe, a language of central Nigeria. It further gives practical examples of the translation of Psalm 103. The goal is to maintain the poetic power of the incipient text in the subsequent product, enriched with the target community’s traditional means of expressing similar or near-similar genres for performance.