1.7 KiB
hit me
The psalmist speaks as if giving a rebuke were physically hitting someone. AT: "rebuke me" or "hit me so I will listen when he corrects me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
it will be a kindness to me
The abstract noun "kindness" can be translated with an adverb. AT: "he will be acting kindly to me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns)
it will be like oil on my head
Possible meanings are that the psalmist speaks as if a person correcting him were putting oil on his head 1) to honor him. AT: "when he corrects me, I will know that the one who corrects me is doing a good deed to me" or 2) to make his head feel better. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
may my head not refuse to accept it
The head is a synecdoche for the person. The litotes can be translated as a positive statement. AT: "may I accept it gladly" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-litotes)
my prayer is always against their wicked deeds
The words "wicked deeds" are a metonym for the people who do the wicked deeds. AT: "I always pray that Yahweh will stop wicked people from doing evil deeds" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
Their leaders will be thrown down
Possible meanings are 1) "Someone will throw their leaders down" or 2) "Their leaders will throw them down." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)
cliffs
ground that goes straight down a long way
our bones have been scattered
Possible meanings are 1) "people have thrown our bones around in different directions" or 2) as a result of the fall from the cliffs (141:6) "our bodies are broken and our bones lie in disorder."