Lovsångernas bok Några anteckningar till Bibelkommissionens nyöversättning av Psaltaren

Abstract

The Royal Swedish Bible Translation Commission presented in October 1995 a new version of the Psalms. The translation is analysed in this article as regards the Hebrew text, principles of translation, and the Swedish style. The Masoretic Text is emendated in more than 300 places; mostly small corrections. Conjectures of greater interest are found in, e. g., Ps 8:3 and 110:3. In its treatment of exegetical problems, the Commission exhibits very sound judgement.


The style of the Swedish language is intense, tangible, and dense. The abstract and paraphrasing tendency in the former translation (1917) is meticulously avoided. In this respect the new translation has more in common with its predecessor from the early 18th century than with the translation of 1917. The psalms of individual complaint are particularly well rendered.