Samhain Thoughts / Smaointe Samhain / Pensées pour samhain / Pensamientos por samhain

On this day when the veil is thin,
come in, come in.
Join us in our circle,
join us around the fire,
though it be but for moments,
though it be but an hour.
Ye who have gone before
can speak to us now,
sharing your wisdom,
celebrating life.
Come in, then, come in,
now that the veil is thin.

An lá seo nuair a bhíonn an veil tanaí,
teacht isteach, teacht isteach.
Bí linn inár gciorcal,
bheith linn timpeall an tine,
cé gur chuimhneacháin amháin atá sé,
cé nach bhfuil ann ach uair an chloig.
Chuaigh tú romhainn agus
labhraíonn tú linn anois.
ag tabhairt eagna,
ag ceiliúradh an tsaoil.
Tar isteach, ansin, teacht isteach,
anois go bhfuil an veil tanaí.

En ce jour où le voile est mince,
entrez, entrez
Rejoignez-nous dans notre cercle,
rejoignez-nous autour du feu,
même si ce n'est que pour des moments,
bien que ce ne soit qu'une heure.
Vous qui êtes allé avant
peut nous parler maintenant,
partager votre sagesse,
célébrer la vie.
Entrez, alors, entrez,
maintenant que le voile est mince.

En este día cuando el velo es delgado,
entra, entra.
Únete a nosotros en nuestro círculo,
únete a nosotros alrededor del fuego,
aunque sea solo por momentos,
aunque sea solo una hora.
Vosotros que habéis ido antes
podeis hablar con nosotros ahora,
compartiendo vuestra sabiduría,
celebrando la vida.
Entra, entonces, entra,
ahora que el velo es delgado.

Neste dia em que o véu é fino,
entre, entre.
Junte-se a nós em nosso círculo,
junte-se a nós ao redor do fogo,
embora seja por alguns momentos,
embora demore apenas uma hora.
Vós que já foram antes
pode falar conosco agora,
compartilhando sua sabedoria,
celebrando a vida.
Entre, então, entre,
agora que o véu está fino.

Text and image by Donald Jacobson Traxler. Use freely.

The Languages

Readers may wonder why I choose the languages I do for posting. Most of the time I write in English, which is my native language, and provide translations into French, Spanish, and Portuguese. It's not because I'm Eurocentric (I'm not), but because these are the languages, along with Italian and Esperanto, that I know well enough to edit the output of a translation program. But those are not the only languages in which I post.

There was a time when I frequently wrote in Portunhol, a mixed language from the Uruguay-Brazil border.I like the language, and I like that it does not belong to any one country. But there is no translation program for Portunhol, and I no longer live in Uruguay. Instead I post in standard Spanish and standard Portuguese, both international languages with many millions of speakers.

My choice of language is also determined in part by the subject matter of my writing, which is mostly poetry. I've recently come to realize that French is the best translation language for poetry written in English. This has a lot to do with the linguistic history of England. But if, for example, the poem is about the Holocaust, I may include a translation into Yiddish or Hebrew, although my editing of the output of the translation program is likely to be faulty. If, on the other hand, the subject of the poem is close to Hindu spirituality, I may include a translation into Hindi (because machine translation into Sanskrit is not available). If the theme of the poem is universality of some kind, I may include a translation into Esperanto, a language that I have known quite well for almost sixty years.

Many readers will have noticed my frequent inclusion of Udugi. It's a constructed language, based on Cherokee (Tsalagi, ꮳꮃꭹ) vocabulary and a simple, Esperanto-like grammar. I use it for reasons that are both sentimental and practical. First of all, I am part Cherokee through my maternal grandfather. He lived in Oklahoma, but the Cherokee genes go back to eighteenth-century North Carolina. I also feel close to Native American spirituality, and I guess all of that is the sentimental part. But there really is a practical part, as well.

Forty years ago the Cherokee language had about 26,000 speakers; now it has about 12,000, which is just 3% of its claimed tribal membership of 400,000. It has been said that you don't speak Cherokee unless you speak it from the cradle. It is, by far, the most grammatically complex language that I've studied, and adults are just not learning it. How many fluent speakers will it have in another generation? I've seen this movie before, and I know how it ends. "Udugi" means "hope," and I believe that the Udugi language is the best hope to save any part of the Tsalagi language.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

There Are Some Things / Il y a des choses / Hay algunas cosas / Tem algumas coisas

There are some things
that I cannot explain,
as a writer,
as a photographer,
or as a scholar.
I shall let
those things be.

Il y a des choses
que je ne peux pas expliquer,
en tant qu'écrivain,
en tant que photographe,
ou en tant que savant.
Je laisserai ces choses en paix.

Hay algunas cosas
que no puedo explicar,
como escritor,
como fotógrafo,
ni como un erudito.
Dejaré esas cosas en paz.

Tem algumas coisas
que eu não posso explicar,
como escritor,
como fotógrafo,
ou como um estudioso.
Vou deixar essas coisas em paz.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

A Strange Dream / Un rêve étrange / Un sueño extraño

Super Nunulam

I had an interesting dream. The place was Italy, and we were speaking Latin, but maybe not the standard language. The dream was concerning an entertainer in a wine-drinking establishment that was known as "above Nunu's place." Very strange.

Strange, but not the only occasion on which I've had a dream where Latin was spoken. One of those other dreams included a word or expression in Vulgar Latin, one that I did not consciously know in my "real" life. But of course, all of these lives are real, including the Egyptian, Brazilian, and Chinese lives.

I am reminded of a children's song in English:

Row, row, row your boat,
gently down the stream,
merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
life is but a dream.


Super Nunulam

J'ai fait un rêve intéressant. C'était en Italie et nous parlions latin, mais peut-être pas la langue standard. Le rêve concernait un artiste dans un établissement de consommation de vin, connu sous le nom "au-dessus de la maison de Nunu". Très étrange.

Étrange, mais pas la seule occasion où j'ai eu un rêve où le latin était parlé. L'un de ces rêves incluait un mot ou une expression en latin vulgaire, mot que je ne connaissais pas consciemment dans ma "vraie" vie. Mais bien sûr, toutes ces vies sont réelles, y compris les vies égyptiennes, brésiliennes et chinoises.

Je me souviens d'une chanson pour enfants en anglais:

Ramer, ramer, ramer votre bateau,
doucement le long du ruisseau,
gaiement, gaiement, gaiement, gaiement,
la vie n'est qu'un rêve.


Super Nunulam

Tuve un sueño interesante. El lugar era Italia, y estábamos hablando en latín, pero quizás no el idioma estándar. El sueño se refería a un artista en un establecimiento de vino que se conocía como "encima del lugar de Nunu". Muy extraño.

Extraño, pero no es la única ocasión en la que he tenido un sueño donde se hablaba latín. Uno de esos otros sueños incluía una palabra o expresión en latín vulgar, una que no conocía conscientemente en mi vida "real". Pero, por supuesto, todas estas vidas son reales, incluidas las vidas egipcia, brasileña y china.

Recuerdo una canción infantil en inglés:

Rema rema rema tu bote,
suavemente por la corriente,
alegremente, alegremente, alegremente, alegremente,
la vida no es otra cosa que un sueño.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

His Desire / Son désir / Su deseo / Seu desejo

His desire spans millennia,
reaches across continents,
and brings rebirth.
His desire is from muladhar
to sahasrar,
from the heavens to earth
from earth to a star.
His desire is for the light,
for his primordial wife.
His desire is a sun at night,
His desire is life.

Son désir s'étend sur des millénaires,
s'étend à travers les continents,
et apporte la renaissance.
Son désir est de Muladhar
à Sahasrar,
du ciel à la terre
de la terre à une étoile.
Son désir est pour la lumière,
pour sa femme primordiale.
Son désir est un soleil la nuit,
Son désir c'est la vie.

Su deseo abarca milenios,
llega a todos los continentes,
y trae renacimiento.
Su deseo es de muladhar
a sahasrar.
de los cielos a la tierra
de la tierra a una estrella.
Su deseo es por la luz,
por su esposa primordial.
Su deseo es un sol de noche
Su deseo es la vida.

Seu desejo se estende por milênios,
alcança através dos continentes,
e traz renascimento.
Seu desejo é de muladhar
para sahasrar.
dos céus à terra
da terra para uma estrela.
Seu desejo é pela luz,
por sua esposa primordial.
Seu desejo é um sol à noite,
Seu desejo é a vida.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Sunday Limerick #2

My apologies are due to Descartes,
Who was a bit of a fart.
I'll see his cogitatio
And raise with nudatio,
And know that I have the best part.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Sunday Limerick #1

There once was a man named Trump
Who said that his house was a dump.
We took the lease back
And gave him the sack:
He'll soon be out on his rump.

This limerick, by Donald Jacobson Traxler, is hereby lovingly placed into the public domain. Please share it freely.

NUDUS SUM, ERGO SUM

No one shall know my name
Until I myself shall know it.
Donald and Vladimir are the same
Unless you consider intelligence.
Some people can sometimes be fooled,
Some people can always be fooled.
Under the reddest of roses
Many thorns will be found.
Every dog has its day,
Rarely will fools go away.
Gone are the days of youth,
Only to leave us with truth.
Some people are easily fooled.
Under the giant mushroom
Much that is warm will be cooled.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

He Dances Through Time / Il danse à travers le temps / Baila a través del tiempo / Ele dança a traves do tempo / ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎠᎵᏍᎩᏍᏓᏎ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᏗᎬᏩᎶᏒ

He dances through time,
remembering the rhythm
and the ancient melody.

Il danse à travers le temps,
en se souvenant du rythme
et l'ancienne mélodie.

Baila a través del tiempo
mientras recuerda el ritmo
y la antigua melodía

Ele dança a traves do tempo,
enquanto se lembra do ritmo
e a melodia antiga.

ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎠᎵᏍᎩᏍᏓᏎ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᏗᎬᏩᎶᏒ,
ᎠᏅᏓᏗᏍᏓᏁᏖ ᎠᏓᏠᏁ
ᎠᎴ ᎯᎸᎯᏳᎢ ᎤᏃᏴᎬᏁ.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

From the Shadows / De l'ombre / De las sombras / Das sombras / ᎤᏓᏴᎳᏛᏗ ᏂᏛᎴᏅᏓ

From the shadows
he offers
the hieroglyphics
of his being.

De l'ombre
il offre
les hiéroglyphes
de son être.

De las sombras
él ofrece
los jeroglíficos
de su ser.

Das sombras
ele oferece
os hieróglifos
do seu ser.

ᎤᏓᏴᎳᏛᏗ ᏂᏛᎴᏅᏓ
ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎠᏍᎪᎸᏙᏓᏎ
ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏗ-ᏗᎪᏪᎵᏁ
ᎤᏤᎵ ᎠᎴᏂᏙᎲ ᎥᎿᎢ.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

He Stands Alone / Il est seul / Él está solo / Ele fica sozinho / ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎦᏙᎬᎠᏎ ᎤᏩᏒ

He stands alone
in sun and shadow,
seeing nothing,
and seeing everything.

Il est seul
au soleil et à l'ombre,
ne rien voir,
et tout voir.

Él está solo
en sol y sombra,
sin ver nada,
y viendo todo.

Ele fica sozinho
no sol e na sombra,
vendo nada,
e vendo tudo.

ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎦᏙᎬᎠᏎ ᎤᏩᏒ
ᏅᏓ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏓᏴᎳᏛ ᎭᏫᎾ,
ᎪᏩᏔᏁᏖ ᎥᏝᎪᎱᏍᏗᏁ,
ᎠᎴ ᎪᏩᏔᏁᏖ ᎢᎬᏩᏓᎴᎩᏁ.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

70,000 Visits, and Three Eventful Years

Greetings, loyal readers (and new readers, also). Today we are crossing the threshold of 70,000 visits to this poetry and photography blog.

I started the blog in October of 2016, not dreaming that we would get an average of 23,000 page-views per year, or that they would be coming from well over a hundred countries, representing all continents except Antarctica. I had been writing poetry off and on for most of my life, and I had been a serious amateur photographer for some fifty years. I did not anticipate, though, that these things would find the resonance that they have found.

2016 was an eventful year. My wife, Sandy, and I traveled around the Horn of South America, a trip that produced both poetry and photography. It also allowed me to meet some dear on-line friends in Argentina and Chile. Later that year, I traveled alone to Ireland, to meet my Irish relatives for the first time. It was a grand trip. I was able to see the house in which my maternal grandmother had grown up, as well as the very spot where her foot had left the soil of Ireland for the last time. I was able, as well, to meet many of my twenty-two living cousins in Ireland, who turned out to be delightful people. That trip produced even more poetry and photography. There were also some unfortunate political events in that year, but I'll not darken the day by speaking of them.

2017 began on a sad note when Sandy and I lost a very dear Uruguayan friend in a tractor accident. He had done a lot of work on our beach house, and we were never able to go there without thinking about him and missing him. In the latter part of the year we took a bus trip trough the southern part of Brazil, going as far as Rio, which raised our spirits.

In early 2018 I began to write and translate in my Udugi language, which is based on Tsalagi (Cherokee) vocabulary, seamlessly joined with a simple, Esperanto-like grammar. The language is generating a lot of interest, and I consider it to be an important part of my legacy.

In March of 2019 we sold the house in Uruguay that we had lived in for six years. Relocating back to the "old country" was a big and complicated deal, especially with a dog, and was the genesis of several poems. We now live in Pasco County, Florida, which is the naturist capital of the USA.

A focus of 2019 has been my work on my proposed solution to the Synoptic Problem, and the related Hebrew Gospel of Matthew. It's fascinating and rewarding work, and it, too, has generated considerable interest. Meanwhile, 2019 continues to be an extremely prolific year for my poetry and photography.

As usual, I would like to thank all of you for your continued interest and enthusiasm. Thank you for making this blog so successful. Wadó. ꮹꮩ.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Three-quarters of a Century / Trois quarts de siècle / Tres cuartos de siglo / Três quartos de século

Three-quarters of a century and more
have made him what he is:
naked,
and fully
human.

Trois quarts de siècle et plus
lui ont fait ce qu'il est:
nu,
et pleinement
Humain.

Tres cuartos de siglo y más
le han hecho lo que es:
desnudo,
y completamente
humano.

Três quartos de século e mais
fizeram dele o que ele é:
nu,
e totalmente
humano.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

He Knows / Il sait / Él sabe / Ele sabe

He knows that all things change.
He knows that change cannot wait.
Change is our constant companion.

Il sait que tout change.
Il sait que le changement ne peut pas attendre.
Le changement est notre compagnon constant.

Él sabe que todas las cosas cambian.
Él sabe que el cambio no puede esperar.
El cambio es nuestro compañero constante.

Ele sabe que tudo muda.
Ele sabe que a mudança não pode esperar.
A mudança é nosso companheiro constante.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Going at Full Speed / Allant à toute vitesse / Yendo a toda velocidad / A toda velocidade

Going at full speed
into unknown territory,
he stops,
to savor a dream.

Allant à toute vitesse
à territoire inconnu,
il arrête,
savourer un rêve.

Yendo a toda velocidad
para territorio desconocido,
él para,
saborear un sueño.

A toda velocidade
em território desconhecido,
ele para,
saborear um sonho.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

ᎤᏰᎸᎭ ᎠᎦᏙᎲᏍᏗ 75 - nvgisgo hisgi asulagoisdose

ᏅᎩᏍᎪ ᎯᏍᎩ ᎠᏑᎳᎪᎢᏍᏙᏎ

Le numéro quarante-cinq va démissionner.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald C. Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

He Also Lives / Il vit aussi / También vive / Ele também vive

He also lives in the black and white
of cryptic, ancient pages,
surviving through the ages,
though hidden from our sight.

Il vit aussi dans le noir et blanc
de cryptiques pages anciennes,
survivantes à travers les âges,
bien que cachées de notre vue.

También vive en el blanco y negro
de páginas crípticas, antiguas,
sobreviviendo a través de los siglos,
aunque ocultas a nuestra vista.

Ele também vive no preto e branco
de páginas antigas e enigmáticas,
sobrevivendo através dos tempos,
embora escondidas da nossa vista.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Pointed Text of Shem-Tob's Hebrew Matthew - Chapter Three

בַיָּמִים הָהֵם בָא יוֹחָנָן הַמַּטְבִּיל דוֹרֵשׁ בְּמִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה׃ 1

וֵאָמַר חֶזְרוּ בְתְשׁוּבָה שְׁמַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם קרובה לְבֹא׃ 2

לְקִייֵם מַה שְנִאְמַר עַ“י יְשַׁעְיָהוּ הַנָבִיא קוֹל קוֹרֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר פַּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ הַ“ם יַשְׁרוּ בַּעָרָבַה מְסִילָּה לְאֵלֹקֵינוּ׃ 3

והִנֵה יוֹחָנָן הָיָה לְבוּש מֵצֶמֶר הַגְמַלִים וְעוֹר שָחוֹר אָזוֹר בְמָתְנָיו וּמָזוֹנוֹ הָאַרְבֶה וּדְבַש הַיָעַרִים׃ 4

אָז יִצְאוּ אֵלָיו מֵיְרוּשָלֵם וּמֵכָל יְהוּדָה וּמֵכָל הַמַלְכוּת סָבִיבוֹת הַיַרְדֵן׃ 5

וְאַז מִתְוַדִים חַטּאתָם וְטוֹבְלִים בַיַרְדֵן עַל מֵאִמְרוֹ׃ 6 

וַיִרָא כִי רַבִים מֵהַפְּרוּשִׁים בְּלַעַז פָארִיזֶיאִי וּמִן הַפְרוּשִׁים בֹּאוּ לִטְבִילָתוֹ וַיֹאמֶר לָהֶם לְבָרוֹח מִן הַקֶּצֶף לעתיד לְבָא מֵהָאֶל׃ 7

עַשׂוּ פְרִי תְשׁוּבָה הַשַׁלְמַה׃ 8

וְאַל תָאמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם אָבִינוּ אַבְרָהָם׃ אָמֵן אֲנִי אוֹמֶר לָכֶם שְיוֹכֹל אֱלֹקִים לְהָקִים אֶת בֶנוֹ אַבְרָהָם מִן הָאֲבָנִים הָאֵלֶּה׃ 9

וּכְבָר הִגִיעַ הַגַּרְזֶן לְשֹׁרֶשׁ הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יעֹשֶה פְּרִי טוֹב יִכָרֵת וּבָאֵש יִשָׂרֵף׃ וַיִשְׁאָלוּ לוֹ הֵחָבוּרוֹת א“כ מָה נָעָשֶׂה׃ וַיַּעַן לָהֶם יוֹחָנָן מִי שְיֶש לוֹ שְׁתֵי כֻתֳנוֹת יִתֶן הָאַ“ לְמִי שְאֵין לוֹ׃ וַיָּבֹאוּ הָעַם לְהִטָבֵיל׃ וַיִשֳלוּהוֹ רַבִים מַה נָעָשֶׂה וַיִעֹן לָהֶם תִצְטָעֶרוּ לשום אִיש וֵלֹא תִעְנֶשׁוֹם וַתִשׂמֵחוּ בְחלקיכם׃ וְכָל הָעַם הָיוּ חוֹשְׁבִים וּמדמים בְלִבֹּם נִמוֹל יוֹחָנָן הוּא יֵשׁ“וּ׃ 10

וַיוֹחָנָן עָנַה לָכוּלָם בְאֶמֶת הֵנָנִי מְטָבֵיל אֶתְכֶם בְיָמֵי תְשׁוּבָה וְאַחַר יָבֹא חָזָק מִמֶנִי שְׁאֵינִי רָאוּי לְהִתִּיר שְׂרוֹךְ נַעַלוֹ׃ וְהוּא יִטְבֹּיל אֶתְכֶם בָּאֵש רוּחַ הַקָדוֹש׃ 11

אֲשֶׁר בְיָדוֹ מִזְרָה לְזָרוֹת אֶת גָרְנוֹ וַיִאְסוֹף הַדְגָן לאוֹזָרוֹ וְהַתבן ע“כ׃ 12

אָז בֹּא יֵשׁ“וּ מֵהַגָלִיל אֶת הַיַרְדֵן לְהִטָבֵיל מֵיוֹחָנָן׃ 13

וְיוֹחָנָן הָיָה מְסֻפָּק לְהִטָבֵילוֹ וַיֹאמֶר אֲנִי רָאוּי לְהִטָבֵיל מֵיָדֶךָ וְאַתָה בָּא אֵלָי׃ 14

וַיַעַן יֵשׁ“וּ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הַנִחָ שְכֵן אָנוּ חִייֵבִים לְהִשְלִים כָל צְדָקָה וְאַז הִטְבֵילוֹהוּ׃ 15

וּמִיד שְעָלָה מִן הַמַיִם נִפְתְחוּ לוֹ הַשָמַיִם וַיַרְא רוּחַ אֱלֹקִים יוֹרֶדֶת כְיוֹנָה ושרתה עָלָיו׃ 16

וְהִנֵה קוֹל מִן הַשָׁמַיִם אוֹמֵר זֶה בְּנִי אָהוּבִי מֵאֹד מֵאֹד נִאְהַב וְחֵפֶצִי בּוֹ׃ 17

Note: There are probably errors in the pointing. Corrections are very welcome, and may be sent to me via e-mail: exolinguist at gmail dot com. Thanks in advance for any help.

Synoptica XVIII - "carry" or "unfasten?"

I am still working on inserting vowel points into Chapter 3 of Shem-Tob's Hebrew Matthew. The process is enlightening, and full of surprises.

For example, in (canonical, Greek) Matthew 3:11 we have: ". . . and I am not fit to carry his sandals."

But the parallel in Mark 1:7 is ". . . and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals."

While the parallel in Luke ". . . and I am not fit to untie the thong of his sandals."


Knowing (as we are beginning to) that Mark used a very early version of Matthew (Matthew I), and Luke used an intermediate version of Matthew (Matthew IIa), this is perplexing UNLESS we have the Hebrew to work from. Shem Tob's Hebrew Matthew, whose survival within the Jewish community is almost miraculous, represents a stage of the Gospel of Matthew intermediate between the one that Luke used and canonical, Greek Matthew (Matthew III). I have called this intermediate stage Matthew IIb,

Here is the relevant passage of Hebrew Matthew, in George Howard's translation: "the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to unfasten."

Why, then, is Greek Matthew different from the others? The answer is simple: The person who translated the Hebrew into Greek, who evidently was more familiar with Greek than Hebrew, misread "unfasten," התיר as "carry," הסיע, a word similar in appearance but much more common. In other words, "carry" is a translation variant.

This, of course, is further evidence that canonical, Greek Matthew is a translation from a Hebrew original, just as Papias told us in the second century.

Being in possession of an authentic Hebrew text of Matthew, one that is not simply a translation from Greek, we no longer need be perplexed by the difference described above. Not only that. We are now able to solve the Synoptic Problem, which I believe I have done with my Layered Matthew Hypothesis.

But there is yet another interesting reading in this verse, and it was already mentioned by George Howard, on p. 232 of his 1995 book, as follows:

Greek     He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Hebrew: He will baptize you with the fire of the Holy Spirit.

The parallel in Mark 1:8 does not mention fire at all. The parallel in Luke 3:16 says ". . . in the Holy Spirit and fire."

If we retro-translate Greek Matthew into Hebrew, as Delitzsch did, we get:

ברוח הקדש ובאש

But Shem-Tob's Hebrew reads:

באש רוח הקדוש

The Hebrew does not present us with an obvious reason for the difference. I would hazard a guess that the very early version of Matthew used by Mark (Matthew I) did not yet include the word "fire,"

and the intermediate version of Matthew (Matthew IIa) did include it, either in the form that we have in Luke or in the form that we see in Shem-Tob's Hebrew Matthew (Matthew IIb). The form that we have in Greek Matthew (Matthew III) may be a mistranslation, or it may be a harmonistic reading influenced by Luke. I prefer the form in Hebrew Matthew, which calls to mind the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire (Acts 2:3).

(to be continued) 

Text © 2019 by Donald C. Traxler.

I Seldom Wear Clothes / Je porte rarement des vêtements / Raramente uso ropa / Eu raramente uso roupas

I seldom wear clothes since living here,
I haven't bought underwear in many a year.
I frequently pose in front of the cam,
my needs are more modest than I am.

Je porte rarement des vêtements depuis que je vis ici,
Je n'ai pas acheté de sous-vêtements depuis plusieurs années.
Je pose souvent devant la caméra,
mes besoins sont plus modestes que moi.

Raramente uso ropa desde que vivo aquí,
No he comprado ropa interior en muchos años.
Frecuentemente poso delante de la cámara,
Mis necesidades son más modestas que yo.

Eu raramente uso roupas desde que moro aqui,
Não compro roupas íntimas há muitos anos.
Eu frequentemente poso na frente da câmera,
minhas necessidades são mais modestas do que eu.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

He Lives in Nature / Il vit dans la nature / El vive en la naturaleza / Ele vive na natureza

He lives in nature.
Poetry is his banner;
nature is his shield.
The sword he does not wield.

Il vit dans la nature.
La poésie est sa bannière;
la nature est son bouclier.
L'épée il ne porte pas.

El vive en la naturaleza.
La poesía es su estandarte;
la naturaleza es su escudo.
La espada no empuña.

Ele vive na natureza.
A poesia é sua bandeira;
a natureza é seu escudo.
A espada ele não empunha.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Synoptica XVII - John's Black Leather Belt

While I was adding the vowel points to Chapter Three of Shem Tob's Hebrew Matthew, I came across a strange thing, and it shows how a lot can be learned from a single word.

וְעוֹר שָחוֹר אָזוֹר בְמָתְנָיו

This is my pointed version, but of course Hebrew vowel points did not exist yet at the time of the evangelists. In the unpointed text it is simply

ועור שחור אזור במתניו

This means, as George Howard (correctly) translated it, "and black leather girded his loins." I noticed the word "black" a long time ago, because it does not survive in any manuscript of the Greek textual tradition, or in any version that I'm aware of. The description of John's raiment did not make it into Luke, but it is in Mark, who translated it as "a leather belt around his waist." This is very interesting, for several reasons.

First of all, why is the word "black" in the (presumably original) Hebrew at all? It is not in any ms of the Greek textual tradition, either in the case of Matthew or in that of Mark. The answer is simple: rhyme. The relevant Hebrew words are pronounced "v'or shachor azor." This triple rhyme is a literary feature of the Hebrew text, and one that does not work in Greek. As it happens, Mark either did not bother to include the adjective, or it had not yet been put into the very early version of Matthew (Matthew I) that he used.

Another interesting point is that Hebrew Matthew says "girded" (belted), while all the Greek mss of both Mark and Matthew say "girdle" (belt). This is a translation variant, explained by the fact that, in an unpointed Hebrew text, the Qal Stative form אזור, (awzor, "belted") looks exactly the same as אזור (ezor, "belt"). This is further evidence for the Semitic substratum in both canonical (Greek) Matthew and canonical (Greek) Mark. According to my Layered Matthew Hypothesis for solution of the Synoptic Problem, both Greek texts were, in fact, translated from Hebrew Matthew, just as Papias told us in the second century.

The reader may wonder how we know which Hebrew word is correct, since "belt" and "belted" look the same in an unpointed text. If we assume that the noun, "belt," is correct, then the word order is wrong. In Hebrew, adjectives and adjectival phrases follow the noun, so "belt" would have been the first word of the three rhymed words, instead of the last. This also tells us that whoever translated Hebrew Matthew into Greek may have been more familiar with Greek than with Hebrew. 

Text © 2019 by Donald C. Traxler

He Is Part of Nature / Il fait partie de la nature / El es parte de la naturaleza / Ele faz parte da natureza

He is part of nature,
and Nature is mistress
of his domain.

Il fait partie de la nature,
et la nature est maîtresse
de son domaine.

El es parte de la naturaleza,
y la naturaleza es Señora
de su dominio.

Ele faz parte da natureza,
e a natureza é Senhora
do seu domínio.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Guided by Spirit / Guidé par l'esprit / Guiado por el espíritu / Guiado pelo Espírito

Guided by Spirit,
the modern-day shaman
travels through time
and space.

Guidé par l'esprit,
le chaman des temps modernes
voyage dans le temps
et l'espace.

Guiado por el espíritu,
el chamán moderno
viaja a través del tiempo
y espacio.

Guiado pelo Espírito,
o xamã moderno
viaja no tempo
e espaço.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

He Sifts through Ancient Histories / Il passe au crible des histoires anciennes / Él examina las historias antiguas / Ele vasculha historias antigas

He sifts through ancient histories
to solve the world's mysteries.
These mysteries are very old,
and what he finds has not been told.

Il passe au crible des histoires anciennes
pour résoudre les mystères du monde.
Ces mystères sont très anciens,
et ce qu'il trouve n'a pas été dit.

Él examina las historias antiguas
para resolver los misterios del mundo.
Estos misterios son muy antiguos.
y lo que encuentra no se ha contado.

Ele vasculha histórias antigas
para resolver os mistérios do mundo.
Esses mistérios são muito antigos,
e o que ele encontra não foi informado.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Gog, Son of Magog - I / Gog, fils de Magog - I Gog, hijo de Magog - I /Gog, filho de Magog - I

Gog, son of that Magog whose banner is 300,
came out of the north to battle the Holy One,
to attack the armies of the Name,
in search of wealth and fame.

He sought to make the world his stool,
until his weapons turned against him.
His numbers are 726 and zero,
his name will ever be The Fool.


Gog, fils de ce Magog dont la bannière est 300,
est sorti du nord pour combattre le Saint,
attaquer les armées du Nom,
en quête de richesse et de gloire.

Il a cherché à faire du monde son tabouret,
jusqu'à ce que ses armes se soient retournées contre lui.
Ses nombres sont 726 et zéro,
son nom sera toujours le fou.


Gog, hijo de ese Magog cuyo estandarte es 300,
salió del norte para luchar contra el Santo,
atacar a los ejércitos del Nombre,
en busca de riqueza y fama.

Buscó hacer del mundo su taburete,
hasta que sus armas se volvieron contra él.
Sus números son 726 y cero,
su nombre siempre será el tonto.


Gog, filho daquele Magog cuja faixa é 300,
veio do norte para combater o Santo,
atacar os exércitos do Nome,
em busca de riqueza e fama.

Ele procurou fazer do mundo seu banquinho,
até que suas armas se voltaram contra ele.
Seus números são 726 e zero,
o nome dele sempre será O Louco.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Approaching 69,000 Visits

As I write this, we are approaching 69,000 visits to the entries in this poetry blog. Where do all these visits come from? Well, looking back over the past month we can get a pretty accurate idea:


Country                Visits

United States        681
Germany               131
France                  123
Ireland                 117
Brazil                   110
Netherlands           98
Russia                   96
Unknown (China?) 89
Middle East          51
India                     46


Some of this is rather easily explainable, and some not. The US, as always, is in the lead. That is where I've lived most of my life, and it is where my family is, and most of my friends, so no mystery there. I have only a few contacts in Germany, but those are very scholarly people and they seem to take great interest in my writings on such subjects as the Synoptic Problem. I know more people in France, and the two countries always seem to run neck-and-neck. Ireland is easy: I have 22 living cousins there. I know only a few people in Brazil, which was our neighbor country when we lived in Uruguay. The Netherlands has more naturists per capita, I think, than any other country, and that may explain the blog's popularity there. Russia I can't explain, since I don't speak the language and know almost no one there. The same goes for China. There are apparently some very loyal readers in the small Middle Eastern country, whose privacy I will respect. That, too, is a mystery, since I don't speak Arabic and I don't think I know anyone there. I do have some connections to India, and have written quite a bit on Hindu religious literature, so that one is relatively easy to understand.

Those are just the top ten countries. In the past month we've had visits from many other countries, including Canada, the UK, Australia, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Ukrainia, the Chec (spelling?) Republic, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Cameroon, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Moldavia, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Estonia, and many others. The world loves poetry and good photography.

As usual, thank you all for your continued interest and enthusiasm. Wadó. ꮹꮩ.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

He Swims through Space and Time / Il nage dans l'espace et le temps / Él nada por el espacio y el tiempo / Ele nada no espaço e no tempo

He swims through space and time,
in search of a better clime,
a more congenial place,
or even a familiar face.

Il nage dans l'espace et le temps,
à la recherche d'un meilleur climat,
un lieu plus convivial,
ou même un visage familier.

Él nada por el espacio y el tiempo
en busca de un mejor clima,
un lugar más agradable,
o incluso una cara familiar.

Ele nada no espaço e no tempo,
em busca de um clima melhor,
um lugar mais agradável,
ou mesmo um rosto familiar.

Nuota nello spazio e nel tempo,
alla ricerca di un clima migliore,
un posto più congeniale,
o anche un volto familiare.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

He Stands Firm / Il reste ferme / Se mantiene firme

He stands firm
for what he believes,
and what he believes
stands firm for him.

Il reste ferme
pour ce qu'il croit,
et ce qu'il croit
reste ferme pour lui.

Se mantiene firme
por lo que cree
y lo que cree
se mantiene firme para él.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

He Pilots His Vehicle / Il pilote son véhicule / Pilotea su vehículo

He pilots his vehicle

through time and space,

with no thought for the finish,

but only for the race.

Il pilote son véhicule

à travers le temps et l'espace,

sans penser à l'arrivée,

mais seulement à la course.

Pilotea su vehículo

a través del tiempo y el espacio,

sin pensar en el final,

pero solo en la carrera.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Declination / Déclinaison

Where I live,
the magnetic declination
is about five and a half degrees
West of true North.

At the White House,
the moral declination
is now a hundred and eighty degrees
from true.

Unfortunately, we have gotten
used to it.

Où je vis,
la déclinaison magnétique
est d'environ cinq degrés et demi
Ouest du nord vrai.

À la maison blanche,
la déclinaison morale
est maintenant cent quatre vingt degrés
du vrai.

Malheureusement, nous sommes devenus
habitués à cela.

Text and images © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Can We Enjoy a Sunny Day / Peut-on profiter d'une journée ensoleillée / Podemos disfrutar de un día soleado

Can we enjoy a sunny day
from the other side?
Is the gulf between us
so deep and wide?

Peut-on profiter d'une journée ensoleillée
depuis l'autre côté?
Est le fossé entre nous
si profond et large?

Podemos disfrutar de un día soleado
desde el otro lado?
Es el abismo entre nosotros
tan profundo y ancho?

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

We Can Talk to Machines / On peut parler aux machines / Podemos hablar con máquinas

We can talk to machines,
but we don't talk
to each other.
Put down the phone
and give me some skin.

On peut parler aux machines,
mais on ne parle pas
les uns aux autres.
Raccroche le téléphone
et donnez-moi un peu de peau.

Podemos hablar con máquinas,
pero no hablamos
el uno al otro.
Cuelga el teléfono
y dame un poco de piel.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.     Shabbat shalom.

He Lives in the Microcosm / Il vit dans le microcosme / El vive en el microcosmos

He lives in the microcosm
of his own body,
and it is sufficient.

Il vit dans le microcosme
de son propre corps,
et c'est suffisant.

El vive en el microcosmos
de su propio cuerpo,
y es suficiente.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Carefully, He Chooses His Words / Soigneusement, il choisit ses mots / Con cuidado, elige sus palabras

Carefully, he chooses his words,
weighing adjectives and verbs,
hoping to build the line
that will impregnate the world.

Soigneusement, il choisit ses mots,
pesant des adjectifs et des verbes,
en espérant construire la ligne
qui va imprégner le monde.

Con cuidado, elige sus palabras,
sopesando adjetivos y verbos,
con la esperanza de construir la línea
que impregnará al mundo.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Beyond / Au-delà / Más allá

Beyond . . .
beyond the pale,
beyond our ken,
beyond the event
horizon, or the
blue horizon,
beyond a doubt,
the beyond,
go beyond,
beyond measure,
beyond herself,
it's beyond me,
beyond is the place to be.

Au-delà . . .
dépasser les bornes,
au-delà de notre compréhension,
au-delà de l'horizon de l'événement,
ou l'horizon bleu,
hors de tout doute,
l'au-delà,
aller au-delà,
au-delà de la mesure,
au-delà d'elle-même,
c'est au-delà de mes compétences,
au-delà est l'endroit où il faut être.

Más allá . .
más allá de los límites,
más allá de nuestro conocimiento,
más allá del horizonte del evento,
o el horizonte azul.
Más alla de una duda,
el más allá,
ir más allá,
más allá de toda medida,
más allá de sí misma,
esta más allá de mi entendimiento,
más allá es el lugar en que estar.

Text and image © 2019 by Donald Jacobson Traxler.