Jesus' post-Resurrection greeting in Aramaic

28:9a. "Hi!" chairete. ... The word can translate the Hebrew shalom (see at 26:49), but it is not as dignified as the Greek eirene hymin ("Peace be with you") used in Luke's and John's accounts of the Risen One's greetings (Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 26), nor it is anywhere near as august as the Old English [sic] "All hail" used here by the King James Version. The word's closest modern American equivalent, I think, because it is closest to what we most often say in meeting, is the extremely simple "Hi!" This earthiness is wonderful!

- Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Churchbook, Matthew 13-28

Bruner's excellent rhetorical observations on Christ's post-resurrection greeting (from which my pastor usefully drew an entire Easter sermon last Sunday)--particularly his note about the Hebrew--made me wonder about the Aramaic greeting here, specifically whether it was a cognate of the Hebrew shalom.

Sure enough, Peshitta's interlinear gives the greeting in Matt 28:9 as s-l-m:

CAL glosses the noun as "peace" and the verb as "to be whole" (not sure about interjectory or salutary use).

So in this greeting I hear a linguistic echo of the new creation order of shalom that the resurrection itself so gloriously established!

The problem with 'textual surgery'

From JSNT:

The contemporary biblical scholar Stephen Moore, who has jettisoned the source- and form-critical scalpels of his former training in textual surgery, confesses his disenchantment with mainstream critical methods in this way:

For seventeen years I have aspired to be a biblical scholar. By the end of my first year I had learned to use a knife, although not a table knife. I had learned not to devour the book, nor even the Word, to internalize them, to become one with them. Instead I had learned to dissect the book and the Word (Moore 1996: 39).

This sums up my wariness about beginning academic study of the biblical languages, though I would say--or at least hope--that dissecting can be one way to, as Eugene Peterson says, "eat this book."

JSNT on the rhetorical assumptions of indentations (or: how not to identify a hymn)

From JSNT:

In the vast field of scholarship surrounding New Testament hymns, consider the list of rationales that have been offered for construing a text as a poem or hymn. First, here are some of the rationales that should be discounted immediately, since they are vague and applicable to too many kinds of texts: parallelism,7 a series of threes (Lohmeyer 1927–28: 5-6), unusual vocabulary,8 figurative language (Bailey and Vander Broek 1992: 76-82), theological or Christological concepts,9 and my favorite, ‘it is a carefully constructed passage’ (Hooker 1975: 159).

no 'silliness' in Ephesians 5:4?

Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Eph. 5:4, NRSV

The list of evils continues in v. 4 with three words for sins of speech, all of which occur only here in the NT. The first, aischrotes, "obscenity," is similar to aischrologia, which occurs in Col. 3:8. The second, morologia, means literally the words or language of a fool. It refers not to speech that lacks intelligence or education but to speech that lacks wisdom or a godly perspective on life. The third, eutrapelia, had both positive and negative connotations. In the former case it means wittiness and pleasantry (see Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, 4.8, 1128a), even factiousness, but in a negative context such as here it refers to coarse humor, sexual innuendoes, or even dirty jokes. These are not the kind of things which should come out of Christian mouths, which should be used to express thanksgiving.

- Ben Witherington, commentary on Ephesians

Gk
καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία

Gk (xlit)
kathôs prepei hagiois, kai aischrotês kai môrologia ê eutrapelia, ha ouk anêken, alla mallon eucharistia.

Vulg
sicut elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem, ut essemus sancti et immaculati in conspectu ejus in caritate

Wycliffe
ethir filthe, or foli speche, or harlatrye, that perteyneth not to profit, but more doyng of thankyngis.

Tyndale
nether filthynes nether folishe talkyng nether gestinge which are not comly: but rather gevynge of thankes

Luther
Auch schandbare und närrische oder lose Reden stehen euch nicht an, sondern vielmehr Danksagung.

Coverdale
nether fylthines, ner folish talkynge, ner ieastynge (which are not comly) but rather geuynge of thakes.

Geneva
Neither filthinesse, neither foolish talking, neither iesting, which are things not comely, but rather giuing of thankes.

DRB
Or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose; but rather giving of thanks.

KJV
neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

ASV
nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks.

RSV
Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving.

GNT
Nor is it fitting for you to use language which is obscene, profane, or vulgar. Rather you should give thanks to God.

NIV
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving

NJB
There must be no foul or salacious talk or coarse jokes--all this is wrong for you; there should rather be thanksgiving.

NRSV
Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving.

ESV
Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving

WEB
nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks.

NET
Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving.

CEV
Don't use dirty or foolish or filthy words. Instead, say how thankful you are.

GNT
Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

Msg
Don't talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn't fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.

Witherington
and filth and foolish chatter or dirty jokes which are not proper, but rather thanksgiving.

'euthus' in Mark

From Rodney Decker:

Due to the frequent and distinctive use of εὐθύς [EUTHUS] in Mark,<1> greater space is devoted to this deictic marker.<2> The semantic field of εὐθύς may refer to sequential action (with either the connotation of a short intervening duration of time between two events or of no intervening event/s) or it may suggest the rapidity with which an event occurs.<3> It may, in addition to these meanings, function as a conjunction with a meaning not greatly different from καί. In this case it may add a nuance of sequence (though not necessarily temporal sequence, but in the sense of, "the next thing I want to say is…"),<4> or it may be "otiose, and a mere mannerism."<5> Both adverbial and conjunctive uses are considered together in this section.

continued...

Update: Much more, including a comparison/contrast of euthus in Matthew and Mark, from alefandomega.

Alliteration in Hebrews 1:1

The book of Hebrews begins not just with a thought, but with a sound, the sound of a preacher's voice. When the first phrase of Hebrews is read aloud in the original Greek, we can hear with the ear what could easily be missed with the eye alone: the richness of its tones and the rise and fall of its melody ... this has the unmistakable sound of a sermon. ...

Like the initial line of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address ... these opening words of Hebrews display the cadence, the alliteration, and the keen awareness of the musical flow of beautifully spoken language that signal a carefully and poetically crafted oral event, a style that is sustained throughout the book.

- Thomas Long, Hebrews

Gk

 

 

Gk (xlit)
PolumerÔs kai polutropÔs palai ho theos lalêsas tois patrasin en tois prophêtais

Vulg
Multifariam, multisque modis olim Deus loquens patribus in prophetis

Wycliffe
God, that spak sum tyme bi prophetis in many maneres to oure fadris,

Tyndale
God in tyme past diversly and many wayes spake vnto the fathers by Prophetes

Coverdale
God in tyme past dyuersly & many wayes, spake vnto ye fathers by prophetes

Geneva
At sundry times and in diuers maners God spake in the olde time to our fathers by the Prophetes

KJV
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

ASV
God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners,

RSV
In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets;

GNT
In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets

NIV
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

NJB
At many moments in the past and by many means, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets

NRSV
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets

ESV
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets

NET
After God spoke long ago(1) in various portions(2) and in various ways(3) to our ancestors(4) through the prophets,

1) Or “spoke formerly.”

2) Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).

3) These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.

4) Grk “to the fathers.”

CEV
Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors.

Msg
Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries.

Long
In many fashions and in many fragments in former times ...

"favor" or "beauty" in Psalm 90:17?

Heb
ויהי נעם אדני
אלהינו עלינו
ומעשה ידינו כוננה
עלינו ומעשה ידינו
כוננהו׃

Heb (xlit)
17 wîhî| nō‘am ’ăḏōnāy ’ĕlōhênû ‘ālênû ûma‘ăśēh yāḏênû kwōnənâ ‘ālênû ûma‘ăśēh yāḏênû kwōnənēhû:

LXX
και εστω η λαμπροτης κυριου του θεου ημων εφ' ημας
και τα εργα των χειρων ημων κατευθυνον εφ' ημας

LXX (NETS)
Let the splendor of the Lord our God be upon us
and prosper upon us the work of our hands

Vulg
Et sit splendor Domini Dei nostri super nos,
et opera manuum nostrarum dirige super nos,
et opus manuum nostrarum dirige.

Wycliffe
And the schynyng of oure Lord God be on vs; and dresse thou the werkis of oure hondis on vs, and dresse thou the werk of oure hondis.

Coverdale
And the glorious maiesty of the LORDE oure God be vpon vs: O prospere thou the worke of oure hondes vpon vs, o prospere thou oure hondy worke.

Geneva
And let the* beautie of the Lord our God be vpon vs, & direct thou the worke of our hands vpon vs, euen direct the worke of our handes.

* Meaning, that is was obscured when he ceases to do good to his Church.

DRB
And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

KJV
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us:
and establish thou the work of our hands upon us;
yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

ASV
And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

JPS
And let the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us;
establish Thou also upon us the work of our hands; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.

Lamsa
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; for the work of his hands made us, yea, he made us by the work of his hands.

RSV
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish thou the work of our hands upon us,
yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

GNT
Lord our God, may your blessings be with us.
Give us success in all we do!

NIV
May the favor* of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

* or 'beauty'

NJB
May the sweetness of the Lord be upon us, to confirm the work we have done!

NRSV
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and prosper for us the work of our hands—
O prosper the work of our hands!

ESV
Let the favor* of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!

* or 'beauty'

NET
May our sovereign God extend his favor to us!*
Make our endeavors successful!
Yes, make them successful!**

* Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם (no’am, “delight”) is used in Ps 27:4 of the Lord’s “beauty,” but here it seems to refer to his favor (see BDB 653 s.v.) or kindness (HALOT 706 s.v.).

CET
Our Lord and our God,
treat us with kindness
and let all go well for us.
Please let all go well!

Msg
And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,
confirming the work that we do.
Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!

Alter
And may the sweetness of the Master our God be upon us
and the work of our hands firmly found for us,
and the work of our hands firmly found!

Echoes of Deuteronomy 6 in Psalm 1

from JBL:

There is a further association of Psalm 1 with Deuteronomy 6:6-9. Since at least as far back as Ibn Ezra the negative forms of the verb "walk" [הלך], "stand" [עמד], and "sit" [ישב] in Ps 1:1 have been associated with the positive instruction of Deut. 6:7 to recite or repeat, that is, to meditate upon, the words of the law "when you 'sit' at home, when you 'walk' on the way, when you lie down, and when you 'arise'" [קום]. The activity enjoined in Deut 6:6-9 expresses a constant and total commitment to the law of the Lord comparable to what is pronounced the blessed way of the righteous in Psalm 1.

from "Deuteronomy and Psalms: Evoking a Biblical Conversation," by Patrick D. Miller, Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 118, No. 1. (Spring, 1999), p. 12.

The problem with sounding 'Bible-y'

My comment at the Better Bibles Blog:

I'm a believer in Peterson's rationale and results. We so often forget that the Bible was not supposed to sound "Bible-y," not lofty and ceremonial, not dull and distant, but is in fact the living breath of God. Just yesterday I was in a church that prayed the Lord's Prayer with "thy"'s and wondered why we cling so fiercely to archaisms--simply out of overwrought reverence, it seems to me.

I do think a few checks are in order:

1) First, many of the arguments made by supporters of formal equivalence hold some water when it comes to academic study of the text. A word-for-word emphasis is useful in this setting--of course, my preference in academic study is to consult the ultimate word-for-word: an interlinear.

2) Second, I should try to be as disappointed in dynamic equivalences & paraphrases that blur the distinctions between genres as I am in formal equivalent translations that make all biblical books sound the same. The Greek of Mark is not the Greek of Hebrews is not the Greek of Revelation; Hebrew poetry is a whole different world from Hebrew narrative. I haven't looked hard enough, or broadly enough, at the Message, to see how much Peterson varies his rhetoric according to the genre of the book. But how many translations make us feel like we're dealing with multiple books--which we actually are--rather than one monolithic big book?

Update: Lingamish introduces a relevant and useful distinction: boring vs. bizarre

JHS on 'ish' as a term of affilitation

From JHS:

The Noun איש (’îš) in Biblical Hebrew: A Term of Affiliation
David E. S. Stein
Journal of Hebrew Scriptures - Volume 8: Article 1 (2008)

Abstract

This article investigates one of the most frequent nouns in the Hebrew Bible, איש (’îš). Using paradigmatic (comparative) and syntagmatic (contextual) linguistic analysis, it finds that איש is a term that intrinsically conveys relationship. That is, איש serves to relate two referents to each other: one that it points to directly (the individual), and one that it points to indirectly (the group or party with which that individual is affiliated). Specifically, this noun variously signals three related nuances: membership or participation; representation as exemplar; and representation on behalf of others. At least 87% of biblical instances of איש can thus be accounted for, and some usages are best explained in this way. The article also cites evidence to suggest that the feminine counterpart noun, אשה (’îššâ), should likewise be construed as a term of affiliation. After noting that the primary sense of איש is probably not “adult male” as many lexicons state, it sketches some implications for glossing, translating, and interpreting איש.

continued...

Conditional clause in Daniel 3:17

From Iain Duiguid's new commentary on Daniel:

[The translation of the conditional cause should provide] a suitable parallel for the "But if not ..." of the next verse, which we expect to negate the conditional element of the sentence (being thrown into the fire, or God existing), not the unconditional (our God is able to save us)." ... Linguistically, a more likely translation is, "If the God whom we serve is able to save us, then he will."

However, such a translation inevitably raises the question of what aspect of God's ability to save us is here in doubt. No one reading the rest of the book of Daniel can seriously suggest that God's power to save his people from the fire is ever in doubt in this book. ... The Hebrew cognate verb, yakol, clearly has a broader sense which describes willingness rather than ability. ... So also here in Daniel the question in the minds of the three young men was not whether God had the physical ability to rescue them, but rather whether using that ability is part of the divine plan. (p.52)

Heb
הֵ֣ן אִיתַ֗י אֱלָהַ֙נָא֙ דִּֽי־אֲנַ֣חְנָא פָֽלְחִ֔ין יָכִ֖ל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתַ֑נָא מִן־אַתּ֨וּן נוּרָ֧א יָקִֽדְתָּ֛א וּמִן־יְדָ֥ךְ מַלְכָּ֖א יְשֵׁיזִֽב׃


Heb (xlit)
hēn ’îṯay ’ĕlâanā’ dî-’ănaḥənā’ fāləḥîn yāḵil ləšêzāḇûṯanā’ min-’atûn nûrā’ yāqiḏətā’ ûmin-yəḏāḵə maləkā’ yəšêziḇ:

LXX
εστιν γαρ θεος ω ημεις λατρευομεν δυνατος εξελεσθαι ημας εκ
της καμινου του πυρος της καιομενης και εκ των χειρων
σου βασιλευ ρυσεται ημας

Vulg
Ecce enim Deus noster, quem colimus, potest eripere nos de camino ignis ardentis, et de manibus tuis, o rex, liberare.

Wycliffe
For whi oure God, whom we worschipen, mai rauysche vs fro the chymenei of fier brennynge, and mai delyuere fro thin hondis, thou kyng.

Luther
Wenn unser Gott, den wir verehren, will, so kann er uns erretten; aus dem glühenden Ofen und aus deiner Hand, oh König, kann er erretten.

Coverdale
oure God whom we serue, is able to kepe vs from the hote burnynge ouen (O kynge) and can right wel delyuer vs out off thy hondes.

Geneva
Beholde, our God whom we serue, is able to deliuer vs from the hote fierie fornace, and hee will deliuer vs out of thine hand, O King

DRB
For behold our God, whom we worship, is able to save us from the furnace of burning fire, and to deliver us out of thy hands, O king.

KJV
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

YLT
Lo, it is; our God whom we are serving, is able to deliver us from a burning fiery furnace; and from thy hand, O king, He doth deliver.

ASV
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king.

JPS
If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, He will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and out of thy hand, O king.

Lamsa
For there is our God whom we serve, he is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

RSV
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

GNT
If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will.*

* If the God...will; or If it is true that we refuse to worship your god or bow down to the gold statue you set up, the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power---and he will.

NIV
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.

NRSV
If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us.*

* Or: If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king.

ESV
If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.*

Or: If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and out of your hand, O king.

TNIV
If the God we serve is able to deliver us, then he will deliver us from the blazing furnace and from Your Majesty's hand.

WEB
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

NET
If* our God whom we are serving exists,** he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well.

* The ancient versions typically avoid the conditional element of v. 17.
** The Aramaic expression used here is very difficult to interpret. The question concerns the meaning and syntax of אִיתַי (’itay, “is” or “exist”). There are several possibilities. (1) Some interpreters take this word closely with the participle later in the verse יָכִל (yakhil, “able”), understanding the two words to form a periphrastic construction (“if our God is…able”; cf. H. Bauer and P. Leander, Grammatik des Biblisch-Aramäischen, 365, §111b). But the separation of the two elements from one another is not an argument in favor of this understanding. (2) Other interpreters take the first part of v. 17 to mean “If it is so, then our God will deliver us” (cf. KJV, ASV, RSV, NASB). However, the normal sense of ’itay is existence; on this point see F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 45, §95. The present translation maintains the sense of existence for the verb (“If our God…exists”), even though the statement is admittedly difficult to understand in this light. The statement may be an implicit reference back to Nebuchadnezzar’s comment in v. 15, which denies the existence of a god capable of delivering from the king’s power.

CEV
The God we worship can save us from you and your flaming furnace.

Msg
If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king.

Parallelism in Proverbs 2:1-4

From John Hobbins.

'Pistis' in Paul

From JSNT:

The Rhetoric of [pisti] in Paul: Galatians 2.16, 3.22, Romans 3.22, and Philippians 3.9
R. Barry Matlock
Journal for the Study of the New Testament, Vol. 30, No. 2, 173-203 (2007)

The question of [pistis] [Christo] in Paul (Gal. 2.16, 20; 3.22; Rom. 3.22, 26; Phil. 3.9; cf. Eph. 3.12) is impossible to avoid and has proved particularly resistant to resolution. The single most frequent exegetical argument made against the objective genitive reading (`faith in Christ') on behalf of the subjective genitive reading (`the faithfulness of Christ') is that the former creates an unacceptable redundancy in several instances, where one finds two or more [] [] phrases side by side (Gal. 2.16; 3.22; Rom. 3.22; Phil. 3.9). Using this question of redundancy as a point of departure, this article offers a fresh look at these four verses, accounting for five of the seven Xo phrases. This is not primarily a negative critique of this redundancy argument, however, but rather a positive inquiry into the inter-relation of and interaction between these [] [] phrases and the other elements of their respective contexts- and the role such considerations might play in their own right in disambiguating [] [] . The aim is not to offer a complete exegesis of the texts in question, but to attend specifically to matters that bear on [] [] , and more particularly to matters of rhetoric/style/structure. In this way, I will offer a number of exegetical observations that weigh heavily in favor of the objective genitive reading.

Psalm 138:2

From Bob MacDonald:

When I first attempted to translate this verse, I wondered what the
last line meant.

I will bow down to your holy temple
and I thank your name
by your mercy and by your truth
for you magnify by your full name your word

continued...

more here and here

Heb
אשתחוה אל־היכל
קדשך ואודה את־שמך
על־חסדך ועל־אמתך
כי־הגדלת על־
כל־שמך אמרתך׃

Heb (xlit)
sh·t·ch·vh l-h·y·chl k·d·shch v·v·dh t-sh·mch l-ch·s·dch v·'l-m·tch chy-h·g·d·lt l- chl-sh·mch m·r·tch

LXX
προσκυνησω προς ναον αγιον σου και εξομολογησομαι τω ονοματι σου
επι τω ελεει σου και τη αληθεια σου οτι εμεγαλυνας
επι παν ονομα το λογιον σου

Vulg
adorabo ad templum sanctum tuum,
et confitebor nomini tuo :
super misericordia tua et veritate tua ;
quoniam magnificasti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.

Wycliffe
Y schal worschipe to thin hooli temple, and Y schal knouleche to thi name. On thi merci and thi treuthe; for thou hast magnefied thin hooli name aboue al thing.

Luther
Ich will anbeten vor deinem heiligen Tempel und deinen Namen preisen für deine Güte und Treue; denn du hast deinen Namen und dein Wort herrlich gemacht über alles.

Coverdale
I wil worshippe towarde thy holy teple, and prayse thy name because of thy louynge kyndnesse and treuth, for thou hast magnified thy worde, acordynge vnto thy greate name.

Geneva
I will worship toward thine holy Temple and praise thy Name, because of thy louing kindenesse and for thy trueth: for thou hast magnified thy Name aboue all things by thy word.

KJV
I will worship toward thy holy temple,
and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth:
for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

YLT
I bow myself toward Thy holy temple, And I confess Thy name, For Thy kindness, and for Thy truth, For Thou hast made great Thy saying above all Thy name.

ASV
I will worship toward thy holy temple, And give thanks unto thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

JPS
I will bow down toward Thy holy temple, and give thanks unto Thy name
for Thy mercy and for Thy truth;
for Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name.

RSV
I bow down toward thy holy temple
and give thanks to thy name for thy steadfast love and thy
faithfulness;
for thou hast exalted above everything
thy name and thy word.

GNT
I face your holy Temple,

bow down, and praise your name

because of your constant love and faithfulness,

because you have shown that your name and your commands are supreme.

NIV
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.

NRSV
I bow down towards your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
for you have exalted your name and your word
above everything.*

* Heb: you have exalted your word above all your name

ESV
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.*

* Or: you have exalted your word above all your name

TNIV
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.

WEB
I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;
for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

NET
I will bow down toward your holy temple,

and give thanks to your name,

because of your loyal love and faithfulness,

for you have exalted your promise above the entire sky.*

* The MT reads, “for you have made great over all your name your word.” If retained, this must mean that God's mighty intervention, in fulfillment of his word of promise, surpassed anything he had done prior to this. However, the statement is odd and several emendations have been proposed. Some read, “for you have exalted over everything your name and your word,” while others suggest, “for you have exalted over all the heavens your name and your word.” The translation assumes an emendation of “your name” to “your heavens” (a construction that appears in Pss 8:3 and 144:5). The point is that God has been faithful to his promise and the reliability of that promise is apparent to all. For a fuller discussion of these options, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 244.

CEV
I worship at your holy temple

and praise you for your love

and your faithfulness.

You were true to your word

and made yourself more famous

than ever before.*

* One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

Msg
I kneel in worship facing your holy temple
and say it again: "Thank you!"
Thank you for your love,
thank you for your faithfulness;
Most holy is your name,
most holy is your Word.

Greek loanwords in Daniel

 

from "Linguistic Evidence and the Dating of Qohelet," C.L. Seow, Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 115, No. 4. (Winter, 1996), pp. 643-666.

Greenlee on not needing to know Greek

Quoted at biblicalstudiesorguk.blogspot.com:

The person who would know and understand a work as thoroughly as possible should know that work in its original language--Shakespeare in English, Victor Hugo in French, Confucius in Chinese, Cicero in Latin, the Old Testament in Hebrew. In other words, to know the original language is a clear responsibility for the professional person, the authority on a subject. The "layman," the non-professional person, can likewise benefit by knowing the original if he knows it adequately. But if the work is in translation he can assume that the message of the work is essentially available in the translation.

- J. Harold Greenlee, "No, You Don't Have to Know Greek," His 25 (1965): 34-35.

continued...(pdf)

Jerome's Hebrew

From John Hobbins

Mistranslation in Vulgate gives Moses horns

From Lee Martin:

Trivia: Why did Michelangelo give horns to Moses?

Answer: The Bible that was in use during Michelangelo's time was the Latin Vulgate. Exodus 34:29 says " When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, . . . he did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God." For the word shone, the Latin uses the word cornuta (cornu means horn). So, Moses grew horns while he talked with God. In the original Hebrew, the word used here does mean shone.

Heb
wayəhî bəreḏeṯ mōšeh mēhar sînay ûšənê luḥōṯ hā‘ēḏuṯ bəyaḏ-mōšeh bəriḏətwō min-hâār ûmōšeh lō’-yāḏa‘ kî qāran ‘wōr pānāyw bəḏabərwō ’itwō:

LXX
ως δε κατεβαινεν Μωυσης εκ του ορους και αι δυο
πλακες επι των χειρων Μωυση καταβαινοντος δε αυτου εκ του
ορους Μωυσης ουκ ηδει οτι δεδοξασται η οψις του χρωματος
του προσωπου αυτου εν τω λαλειν αυτον αυτω

Vulg
Cumque descenderet Moyses de monte Sinai, tenebat duas tabulas testimonii, et ignorabat quod cornuta esset facies sua ex consortio sermonis Domini

Wycliffe
And whanne Moises cam doun fro the hil of Synai, he helde twei tablis of witnessyng, and he wiste not that his face was horned of the felouschipe of Goddis word.

Coverdale
Now wha Moses came downe fro mout Sinai, he had the two tables of wytnesse in his hande, & wyst not yt the skynne of his face shyned, because he had talked with him

Geneva
So when Moses came downe fro mount Sinai, the two Tables of the Testimonie were in Moses hande, as hee descended from the mount: (nowe Moses wist not that the skinne of his face shone bright, after that God had talked with him.

DRB
And when Moses came down from the mount Sinai, he held the two tables of the testimony, and he knew not that his face was horned* from the conversation of the Lord.

*"Horned"... That is, shining, and sending forth rays of light like horns.

KJV
And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Si'nai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

NJB
And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of the testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams while He talked with him.

NRSV
Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

NET
Now when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand – when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone* while he talked with him.

* The word קָרַן (qaran) is derived from the noun קֶרֶן (qeren) in the sense of a “ray of light” (see Hab 3:4). Something of the divine glory remained with Moses. The Greek translation of Aquila and the Latin Vulgate convey the idea that he had horns, the primary meaning of the word from which this word is derived. Some have tried to defend this, saying that the glory appeared like horns or that Moses covered his face with a mask adorned with horns. But in the text the subject of the verb is the skin of Moses’ face (see U. Cassuto, Exodus, 449).

Related thread at Biblicalist

'wind blows' or 'Spirit breathes' in John 3:8?

How do different translations of John 3:8 deal with the fact that the same Greek word -- pneuma -- can mean either "wind" or "spirit," and the related verb form can mean "blow" or "breathe"?

Greek
to pneuma hopou thelei pnei, kai tên phônên autou akoueis, all' ouk oidas pothen erchetai kai pou hupagei: houtôs estin pas ho gegennêmenos ek tou pneumatos.

Vulg
Spiritus ubi vult spirat, et vocem ejus audis, sed nescis unde veniat, aut quo vadat : sic est omnis qui natus est ex spiritu.

Wycliffe
The spirit brethith where he wole, and thou herist his vois, but thou wost not, fro whennus he cometh, ne whidir he goith; so is ech man that is borun of the spirit.

Tyndale
The wynde bloweth where he listeth and thou hearest his sounde: but canst not tell whence he cometh and whether he goeth. So is every man that is boren of the sprete.

LutherDer Wind bläst, wo er will, und du hörst sein Sausen wohl; aber du weißt nicht, woher er kommt und wohin er fährt. So ist es bei jedem, der aus dem Geist geboren ist.

Coverdale
The wynde bloweth where he wyl, and thou hearest his sounde: but thou canst not tell whece he commeth, and whither he goeth. So is euery one, that is borne of the sprete

Geneva
The winde bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it commeth, and whither it goeth: so is euery man that is borne of the Spirit.

KJV
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

YLT
the Spirit where he willeth doth blow, and his voice thou dost hear, but thou hast not known whence he cometh, and whither he goeth; thus is every one who hath been born of the Spirit.'

ASV
The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

RSV
The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."

GNT
The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

NIV
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

NRSV
The wind* blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.'

ESV
The wind* blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

TNIV
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." *

WEB
The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

NET
The wind* blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." **

** Again, the physical illustrates the spiritual, although the force is heightened by the word-play here on wind-spirit (see the note on wind at the beginning of this verse). By the end of the verse, however, the final usage of [pneumatos] refers to the Holy Spirit.

CEV
Only God's Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to. You can hear the wind, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going.

Msg
You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it's headed next. That's the way it is with everyone 'born from above' by the wind of God, the Spirit of God."

Spanish
El viento sopla por donde quiere, y oyes su sonido, pero no sabes de dónde viene ni adónde va; así es todo aquél que es nacido del Espíritu.

French
Le vent souffle où il veut, et tu en entends le bruit; mais tu ne sais d'où il vient, ni où il va. Il en est ainsi de tout homme qui est né de l'Esprit.

Update: Will Willimon on John 3:

Nicodemus: “Are you using the word ‘pneuma’ here, in the ordinary word of ‘wind’ or in the more theologically sophisticated sense of ‘spirit?’”

Jesus: “Yes.”

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