Scot McKnight likes Tom Wright’s new New Testament translation:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2012/01/19/tom-wrights-new-testament-translation/
Fr. Charles Erlandson, a fellow Anglican, likes Wright’s translation but finds a number of translation decisions he disagrees with. See Erlandson’s review on this page:
How would you respond to these questions?
1. Are you fulfilled in your job?
2. Is your life fulfilling?
3. Are your days fulfilling?
4. When your days are fulfilled, what will you do next?
(After you think about these questions and comment on them, if you wish, look up translations of 2 Samuel 7:12 and comment on any phrase in those translations that matches any phrase in the questions above.)
Joel Hoffman’s latest post is on translation of the Hebrew word nefesh. As usual, it’s another good post from a scholar who demonstrates that a good background in linguistics as well as the biblical languages can combine to produce better Bibles (in translation).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16285462
HT: David Ker
Translating the Bible into the vernacular often divides people, sometimes deeply. Why?
from Professor David Croteau:
I’ve been posting some things on Bible translations on my blog:
1) Doug Moo (NIV), Wayne Grudem (ESV), and Ray Clendenen (HCSB) video’s from Liberty University’s Biblical Studies Symposium on Bible Translations.
2) A 34-part blog series comparing six major Bible translations using a methodology of my mentor, Andreas Kostenberger, in The Challenge of Bible Translation.
– Part 1
– Part 2
– When part 34 is done (November 5th) I plan on posting the whole thing as a document.Also, a book from B&H will come from this, with chapters from the three above plus Philip Comfort. Kostenberger and I are editing it.
Blessings!
David Croteau
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies
School of Religion, Liberty University
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From Jim:
Psalm 27 is written in iambic meter and lines 1 and 3 have 8 syllables each (called tetrameter), while lines 2 and 4 have 6 syllables (trimeter).
Psalm 27
My light and my salvation, Lord,
You ever are to me,
The stronghold of my life, now whom
Am I to fear or flee?
Though evil men assail me,
Upon my flesh to prey,
Or enemies come forth they shall
But stumble in the way.
Yea, though an army rise to fight
With ruinous intent,
Or war break out against me still,
Will I be confident.
For but a single thing I ask
Of him who is my stay,
And that most earnestly I seek
Throughout each night and day,
’Tis this, that I may dwell within
His house while life shall last,
To seek and gaze upon his face
In beauty unsurpassed.
For days of trouble lie in wait,
But safely will he keep
And hide me sheltered, safe within
His tabernacle deep.
And then upon a lofty rock,
My head exalted high,
Above my enemies around,
With shouts of joy shall I
Pure sacrifice present to him
And praises shall be heard,
While at his tabernacle flows
To music every word.
Now hear my voice and answer, Lord,
Be merciful to me.
Let not your ear my call disdain
Or closed or hardened be.
For to my heart you oft have said,
“Seek naught but all my face,”
Your face, O Lord, e’er shall I seek,
Its beauty to embrace.
Hide not your face, then, Lord from me,
Nor from your servant turn.
In anger for my countless faults
Let not your rancor burn.
My helper have you been till now,
O God, reject me not.
My Savior, think not to forsake
The work your hands have wrought.
Though father and my mother would
Their offspring disavow,
The Lord will yet receive me and
More charity allow.
Now teach me in your way, O Lord,
And in your path sustain,
For many are my enemies
Who o’er my life would reign.
And what they wish to do forbid,
’Tis violence they breathe,
And rising up they speak, but with
False testimony seethe.
Though trials increase, I’m confident
That I shall ever see
The goodness of the Lord fulfilled
Throughout the land to me.
Now wait, I say, before the Lord,
Be strong in will and heart,
And steady set your gaze on him
Who never fails his part.
James (Jim) Vasquez attends the same church my wife and I do. I have enjoyed reading and hearing scripture that he has put to poetry. He has several books of translated scripture which have been published:
Tate Publishers – Prophets of the Old Testament
Wheatmark Publishers – Women of the Bible, and Men Who Knew Jesus Well
OxBow Press – The Psalms in Verse
Author Press – Words Jesus Spoke
A few months ago my wife and I attended a reading Jim gave at Auntie’s, an independent bookseller in Spokane, Washington. Jim conducted the reading much as a poetry class, explaining rhyme and rhythm patterns in his poetry.
Jim teaches well. Teaching and teaching about teaching is his professional background. Jim has an MDiv degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a PhD in Educational Psychology and Psycholinguistics from UCLA. He served on the faculty of the University of Washington for 27 years. He was in the College of Education and taught such courses as: Learning Variables of Minority Students, Language Acquisition, and Seminars in Bilingual Education.
Jim began writing classic poetry shortly before he retired, then switched (almost) exclusively to Bible-based poetry because he thought that was the ministry that would most honor our Lord, given whatever gifts he had.
Jim, like Brenda Boerger in previous BBB posts, has translated the entire book of Psalms to English poetry. I will feature Psalm 26 in this post and Psalm 27 in the next post. I am posting on poetic translation to give ideas on how biblical poetry can be translated to English so that English readers can tell that it is poetry.
Jim introduces his rendering of Psalm 26 with this information about the poetic scheme he uses:
Psalm 26 is in two meters, lines 2 and 3 are in iambic meter while 1 and 4 are in trochaic meter, which is accented on the first syllable and then on every other syllable. Lines 2 and 3 have 8 syllables each while 1 and 4 have 7, which is common in trochaic meter.
The rhyme scheme is a-b-c-b, with lines 2 and 4 rhyming. This is the most common rhyme scheme in the English language, though certainly not the only one.
Psalm 26
Vindicate my soul, O Lord,
A blameless life I’ve led.
I waver not in trusting you,
Nor vain pathways tread.
Test me, Lord, and try me now,
Examine mind and heart,
For in your truth do I abide,
Nor from love depart.
Not with liars will I sit,
The wicked keep at bay.
The hypocrite walks far from me,
There remains for aye.
At your altar innocent
I wash my hands, O Lord,
Proclaiming loud your praise and deeds,
By all men adored.
Where you dwell within your house
I own with love profound,
For there your glory dwells on high,
Angels gathered round.
Purge me not with sinners, Lord,
With men for blood athirst,
Whose hands o’erflow with wicked schemes,
And with bribes well versed.
Blameless is my life each day,
Redeem me now I plead,
And praises midst the throng shall then,
From my mouth proceed.
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