Psalms I 1-50

1965 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell Dahood
Keyword(s):  
Hebrew Text ◽  
Original Text ◽  
Direct Response ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Literary Achievement ◽  
Linguistic Evidence ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
King James Version ◽  
Ras Shamra

This is Volume 16 of The Anchor Bible, a new book-by-book translation of the Bible, each complete with an introduction and notes. Psalms I (1-50) is translated and edited by Mitchell Dahood, S.J., Professor of Ugaritic Language and Literature at The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. With Psalms, any new translation will be considered in the context of the literary achievement of the King James Version, and in the light of more recent renderings. A word of explanation is, therefore, appropriate. "The translation offered here," Father Dahood writes, "differs from earlier efforts in that it is not the fruit of a confrontation of the Hebrew text with the ancient versions, from which the least objectionable reading is plucked." Rather, from a close examination of the original text, a unique translation has been attempted, one which relies heavily on contemporary linguistic evidence. It is a translation "accompanied by philological commentary, that lays heavy stress on the Ras-Shamra texts and other epigraphic discoveries made along the Phoenician littoral," a translation prepared in direct response to W.F. Albright's statement (made a quarter of a century ago) "that all future investigations of the book of Psalms must deal intensively with the Ugaritic texts." This translation tries to capture as much as possible the poetic qualities of the original Hebrew. Its attempt is to render accurately not only the meaning of the Psalms but their poetic forms and rhythms as well. In this process of probing the original, Father Dahood unearths some striking examples of passages previously mistranslated, and arrives at many provocative readings.

Psalms III 101–150

1970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell Dahood , S.J.
Keyword(s):  
Recent Work ◽  
Original Text ◽  
Hebrew Poetry ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Linguistic Evidence ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
Biblical Verse ◽  
Ras Shamra

This is Volume 17A of The Anchor Bible, a new book-by-book translation of the Bible, each complete with an introduction and notes. Psalms III (101-150) is translated and edited by Mitchell Dahood, S.J., Professor of Ugaritic Language and Literature at The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. Having closely examined the original text, Father Dahood has attempted a unique translation which relies heavily on contemporary linguistic evidence. His work stresses the relation of the Psalms to the Ugaritic texts found at Ras-Shamra, and to other epigraphic discoveries along the Phoenician littoral. This translation tries to capture as much as possible within the limits of language and the scope of present scholarship the poetic qualities of the original Hebrew. It attempts to render accurately not only the meaning of the Psalms but their poetic forms and rhythms as well. It is particularly responsive to the terse, three-beat metrical line predominant in Hebrew poetry, and it reproduces the parallelism so characteristic of biblical verse. In this process of probing the original, Father Dahood unearths some striking examples of passages previously mistranslated, and arrives at many provocative readings. In addition to an introduction, text, and notes, this volume contains a comprehensive Grammar of the Psalter which makes use of much of Father Dahood's recent work with Ugaritic.

scholarly journals Creation accounts in Gen. 1 & 2: a feminist interpretation

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
Ubong Ekpenyong Eyo
Keyword(s):  
Hebrew Text ◽  
Male Gender ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Feminist Interpretation ◽  
Culturally Based ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Book Of Genesis ◽  
Holy Writ ◽  
King James Version

It is the view of most people who claim the authoritative nature of the Bible that, women assigned secondary status in relation to men is ordained and supported in the Bible. Many have quoted different texts of the holy writ to support their culturally-biased position on issue of gender equality. Most often views in respect to gender issues are culturally-based and interpreted rather than divinely-based and interpreted. There is therefore the need to look back at Jesus’ words, “But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.” (Matt 19:4; Mark 10:6 King James Version). The two accounts in the Book of Genesis by the Priestly and Yahwistic strands give a complimentary account of the creation of humankind (both male and female) in the image and likeness of God and their creation from a single stock אדם who was not a male gender. At a cursory reading of the creation accounts, one will tend to see האדם as the male gender, but looking at the Hebrew text more closely it will be noticed that the Hebrew words אישה and אישwere only introduced after the two genders have been separated. Note carefully that it was not איש that was asked to tend the garden, who named the animals, was given instruction of what to eat or what not to eat, who fell into a deep sleep or whose ribs was used in the creation of אישה but it was האדם . It was after the creation or ‘separation’ of אישה (woman – the female האדם) that the other part was called איש (man – the male האדם) (see vv 23 & 24 King James Version). It will therefore not be right to speak of the creation of אישה out of איש, because as at the time of the creation of the former, the later was not in existence as איש To view these creation accounts with the sense of gender superiority (either male over female or vice versa) is to read the texts using lenses which have been obscured and tainted by patriarchal, matriarchal or cultural biases.

Le prologue du livre de Ben Sirach le Sage et la traduction des écrits sacrés

Babel ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-149
Author(s):  
Bruno Rochette
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Modern Theory ◽  
Original Text ◽  
Religious Texts ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Religious Writings ◽  
Corpus Hermeticum

Abstract Examining the prologue to the Greek Ben Sirach, this article tries to describe how the Greek translators of religious texts perceive the difficulties and the limits of their task. Conscious of the changes resulting from the passage of one language to another, they conceive their work as inspired by God. Therefore the work translated does not appear as a simple translation mechanically done, but as a new text reflecting the conception of the inspired translator whose faith is the warrant for the quality and accuracy of the translation. Two other comments on translation are taken into account : Corpus Hermeticum XVI and the Letter of Pseudo-Aristeas on the translation of the Septuagint. The examination of these texts leads to the conclusion that ancient translators of religious writings strove to show the vision of truth as they saw it in the original text to the new audience using another language. This conception of translating will be followed by Latin translators adopting, like Hieronymus, the principle of literality for the translation of the Bible, since in the Holy Scripture even the word order is mystery, as the Father says. A comparison with the modern theory and practice of translation of religious texts is also instructive for the modern translator. It can incite him to be careful of the likelihood of changing the sense of the original he is translating. Résumé En examinant le prologue de la version grecque du livre de Ben Sirach le Sage, cet article décrit comment les traducteurs grecs de textes religieux perçoivent les difficultés et les limites de leur tâche. Conscients des changements consécutifs au passage d'une langue à l'autre, ils conçoivent leur travail comme inspiré par Dieu. Par conséquent, l'oeuvre traduite n'apparaît pas comme une simple traduction, réalisée mécaniquement, mais comme un nouveau texte reflétant la conception du traducteur inspiré. Sa foi est le garant de la qualité et de l'exactitude de la traduction. Deux autres commentaires sur la traduction sont pris en compte : Corpus Hermeticum XVI et la Lettre du Pseudo-Aristée sur la Septante. L'examen de ces textes conduit à la conclusion que les traducteurs anciencs de textes religieux se sont efforcés de montrer à un public nouveau parlant une autre langue la vision de la vérité telle qu'ils la perçoivent dans le texte original. Cette manière de concevoir la traduction sera suivie par les traducteurs latins qui adoptent, comme Jérôme, le principe de littéralité pour la traduction de la Bible, car, dans l'Écriture Sainte, meme l'ordre des mots est mystère, comme le dit le Père. Une comparaison avec la théorie et la pratique moderne de la traduction de textes sacrés peut aussi etre instructive pour le traducteur d'aujourd'hui. Elle devrait l'inciter à etre attentif à la probabilité de changer le sens de l'original qu'il traduit.

MARKETING THE TESTAMENTS: CANONGATE AND THEIR POCKET-SIZED BIBLES

2002 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-244
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Biblical Studies ◽  
Christian Tradition ◽  
The West ◽  
Positive Potential ◽  
Publishing Firm ◽  
Investment Promotion ◽  
The Bible ◽  
King James Version ◽  
As If

AbstractRecently the Edinburgh-based publishing firm Canongate has brought out the Bible in the form of single books in the King James Version. Each of these volumes is introduced by a writer not necessarily associated with the Christian tradition, thus inviting the readers to approach them as literary works in their own right. For long the Bible came with commentaries written by prominent religious scholars, but now it looks as if it needed an introduction by novelists, pop artists, scientists including and even by some who are outside the Christian tradition to make the once familiar texts now widely neglected in the West come alive again. The purpose of this essay is to look at the following: the positive potential of this Pocket Canon; the role of the interpreter's personal voice within the process of discovering meaning in a narrative; the marketing of the Bible and appropriation of religious themes by secular marketeers; the re-iconization of the Bible though the King James Version; the colonial parallels in the investment, promotion and dissemination of the Bible; and the challenge of personal-voice criticism to biblical studies. Put at its simplest, can this disparate group of essayists rescue the Bible, which is fast losing its grip and importance in the West, and discover fresh significance in it?

The Basset-Su Chinese new Testament

2021 ◽  
pp. 78-94
Author(s):  
Song Gang
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Direct Influence ◽  
Foreign Missions ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
History Of ◽  
Study Offer

This essay examines the first Chinese New Testament translated by the missionary of the Paris Foreign Missions Society (M.E.P.) Jean Basset (1662–1707) in collaboration with Confucian convert Johan Su in the early Qing period. Though they did not complete a full translation of the New Testament, the work carried unique characteristics that went beyond the limitations of its time. One of the original manuscripts also exerted direct influence on nineteenth-century Protestant translations. With in-depth analysis of this exemplary piece among early Catholic endeavors, the essay addresses a set of key concerns that have not been sufficiently studied, including Basset’s vision of a Chinese Bible, the translation principle and techniques, Christian and Chinese terminology, and the interface of biblical translations and Chinese language and literature. The findings of this study offer fresh insights and facilitate a re-evaluation of Catholic contributions and legacy in the history of the Bible in China.

The Prodigal Son and Shakespeare

2018 ◽  
pp. 47-68
Author(s):  
Alison M. Jack
Keyword(s):  
King Lear ◽  
Original Text ◽  
Prodigal Son ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Henry Iv ◽  
Geneva Bible

In this chapter the ubiquity of references to the Prodigal Son in Shakespeare’s work is explored, leading to a discussion of Shakespeare’s use of the Bible in general and of the Geneva Bible in particular. Two plays are considered in detail: Henry IV Part 1 and King Lear. It is suggested that Shakespeare offers a creative exegesis, or midrash, of the parable in both plays. In the first, the parable is reworked in a way which leads the reader to question the motives of both Hal and the Prodigal in the original text. In the second, the complex overlay of the parable on the plot and characterization offers at least the possibility of grace and hope at the end of the play.

Cenzura w Biblii

2018 ◽  
pp. 166-181
Author(s):  
Marcin Majewski ◽  
Artur Sporniak ◽  
Teresa Szostek ◽  
Michał Czajkowski
Keyword(s):  
Song Of Songs ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Original Text ◽  
Holy Ghost ◽  
Small Letter ◽  
Bible Translation ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Original Meaning ◽  
Correct Translation

The article focuses on the analysis of an interview regarding Bible translation and related censorship. The author comments on the statements of one of the interlocutors, adding her own insights and analyses. Bible translators make certain parts of the text more approachable, as was the case with the refrain to Song of Songs, which, in most translations, mentions “embracing” while the protestant Bible contains the correct translation, i.e. “caressing.” Similarly, translators correct the Bible, as they have a different notion of what a sacral text should look like. For example, they introduce neutral phrases instead of offensive words. In Czajkowski’s opinion, translators often censor the Bible, trying to make the text less blunt. However, sometimes discrepancies are a result of not understanding the original text. Not always are these differences a consequence of the translator’s work, though. It is clearly visible e.g. in the case of “pneuma,” a word which can be translated into ghost or soul, spelled with a small letter, or the Holy Ghost. The author does not support the so-called “inclusive” translation. The inspired text should not be changed. Such changes can be replaced with explanations or comments. In order to discover the original meaning of the Holy Scripture, one can compare one of the Polish translations with translations into other foreign languages or other translations into Polish.

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