that I know how
to pray,
but I thank God
for my nakedness
every single
day.
Saturday, May 6, 2017
Friday, May 5, 2017
PSALM 19 (20)
May the Lord hear you
on the day of tribulation.
May the name of the God
of Jacob protect you.
May he send help to you
from his sanctuary,
and support you from Zion.
May he be mindful of
all your sacrifices,
and find your burnt
offerings acceptable.
May he give to you
according to your heart's desire,
and fulfill your every wish.
We shall rejoice
in your salvation
and raise banners
to the name
of our God.
May the Lord fulfill
all your requests
I already know that
the Lord will save
his anointed,
that he will hear him
from his holy heaven,
granting victories
by the strength
of his right hand.
Some in chariots
and some in horses,
but we are made strong
in the name of the Lord,
our God.
They collapsed and fell,
but we stand
and we remain.
Lord, save the king,
and hear us on the day
when we invoke you.
May the Lord hear you
on the day of tribulation.
May the name of the God
of Jacob protect you.
May he send help to you
from his sanctuary,
and support you from Zion.
May he be mindful of
all your sacrifices,
and find your burnt
offerings acceptable.
May he give to you
according to your heart's desire,
and fulfill your every wish.
We shall rejoice
in your salvation
and raise banners
to the name
of our God.
May the Lord fulfill
all your requests
I already know that
the Lord will save
his anointed,
that he will hear him
from his holy heaven,
granting victories
by the strength
of his right hand.
Some in chariots
and some in horses,
but we are made strong
in the name of the Lord,
our God.
They collapsed and fell,
but we stand
and we remain.
Lord, save the king,
and hear us on the day
when we invoke you.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
PSALM 18 (19)
The heavens tell the glory of God,
and the firmament announces
the work of his hands.
Day to day
pours forth utterance,
and night to night
points out knowledge.
There is no speech
and there are no words
by which their voice
is not heard.
Their sound has gone out
into the whole earth,
and their words
to the ends of the earth.
In them He has placed
a tent for the sun,
which coming out
has rejoiced like
a bridegroom leaving
his bridal chamber,
and his exit is like a
strong man running his way
from the heights of heaven,
and his course is even to
its summit, nor is there
anyone who can hide
from his heat.
The law of the Lord
is spotless, turning
the soul.
The testimony of
the Lord faithfully
imparts wisdom
to infants,
the righteous precepts
of the Lord
give joy to the heart,
the commandment
of the Lord
gives light that
illuminates the eyes,
the fear of the Lord
is pure, enduring
forever,
the judgments
of the Lord
are true, justified
in themselves,
they are more desirable
than gold and many
precious stones,
sweeter than honey
and the honeycomb.
Indeed, by them
your servant is taught,
in keeping them
there is much reward.
But who shall detect
his errors?
Cleanse me of hidden
faults, and also free
your servant from
sins of pride.
If I stay free of
their domination,
then I shall be
immaculate,
and I shall be
cleansed
of great sin.
May the words of my mouth
be pleasing to You,
and also, in your sight,
the meditation of
my heart,
O Lord, my rock
and my redeemer.
The heavens tell the glory of God,
and the firmament announces
the work of his hands.
Day to day
pours forth utterance,
and night to night
points out knowledge.
There is no speech
and there are no words
by which their voice
is not heard.
Their sound has gone out
into the whole earth,
and their words
to the ends of the earth.
In them He has placed
a tent for the sun,
which coming out
has rejoiced like
a bridegroom leaving
his bridal chamber,
and his exit is like a
strong man running his way
from the heights of heaven,
and his course is even to
its summit, nor is there
anyone who can hide
from his heat.
The law of the Lord
is spotless, turning
the soul.
The testimony of
the Lord faithfully
imparts wisdom
to infants,
the righteous precepts
of the Lord
give joy to the heart,
the commandment
of the Lord
gives light that
illuminates the eyes,
the fear of the Lord
is pure, enduring
forever,
the judgments
of the Lord
are true, justified
in themselves,
they are more desirable
than gold and many
precious stones,
sweeter than honey
and the honeycomb.
Indeed, by them
your servant is taught,
in keeping them
there is much reward.
But who shall detect
his errors?
Cleanse me of hidden
faults, and also free
your servant from
sins of pride.
If I stay free of
their domination,
then I shall be
immaculate,
and I shall be
cleansed
of great sin.
May the words of my mouth
be pleasing to You,
and also, in your sight,
the meditation of
my heart,
O Lord, my rock
and my redeemer.
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
PSALM 17 (18)
I shall love You, O Lord,
who are my strength.
The Lord is my rock
and my oak,
and my savior.
My God is my strength,
and I will hope in Him,
my shield and the horn
of my well being,
my refuge.
Praising Him I will
invoke the Lord,
and I shall be
saved from my enemies.
The pains of death
surrounded me,
and torrents of iniquity
terrified me.
The pains of hell surrounded
me, and I was held
by the bonds of death.
In my tribulation
I invoked the Lord
and I cried out to God,
that from his temple
he might hear my voice,
and that my cry
in his presence
might reach his ears.
And the earth was shaken
and troubled,
and the base of the
mountains was stricken,
and they were shaken
because of his anger.
Smoke rose from his furor, and fire issued
from his mouth,
lighting glowing coals.
He bent the heavens and
descended, and there was
darkness beneath his feet.
He mounted upon a Cherubim and flew,
He flew on the wings of the wind,
and placed shadows as
his retreat,
around him as his
tabernacle,
shadowy waters
in clouds of air.
Before the light of his presence,
clouds disappeared, amid
hail and fiery coals
and the Lord thundered
from the heavens,
the Most High
gave forth his voice
with hail and fiery coals:
and He sent forth his arrows
and dispersed them
and He multiplied
the lightning bolts
and threw them into chaos,
and fountains of water
appeared and the foundations
of the earth
were revealed
at the sound of your voice.
O Lord,
at the wind of your
angry breath.
He sent from on high
and received me,
He lifted me from
the flooding waters,
He freed me from my
most powerful enemies
and those who hated me,
though they were
stronger than me.
They assaulted me on the day
of my affliction,
and the Lord became
my protector.
And He put me at large,
He saved me because
it pleased Him,
and the Lord repaid me
according to my justice,
according to the purity
of my hands.
He repaid me,
for I have kept the ways
of the Lord,
and I have not acted
impiously toward
my God.
For all of his judgments
have been in my sight
and I have not rejected
his precepts, and have been
immaculate with Him
and I have kept myself from
my iniquity,
and the Lord
will repay me according
to my justice,
and according to the purity
of my hands
in the sight of
his eyes.
With the holy
You shall be holy,
with the innocent
You act
innocently.
With the elect
You shall be elect
and with the perverse
You shall be
severe.,
for You shall save
the poor
and cause the eyes of the mighty
to be lowered,
for You shall give light
to my lamp, O Lord,
You will illuminate
my shadows, my God,
for in You I shall be rescued
from a pirates' den
and with my God I shall
leap over the wall.
The way of my God is
spotless,
the words of the Lord
are proven by fire,
He is the shield of
all those who hope
in Him,
for who is God besides the Lord,
who is strong besides our God?
It is God who girds me with strength,
who has made my way smooth,
making my feet fleet as those of deer
and placing me on the heights,
training my hands for battle,
making my arms a bronze bow.
You gave me the shield
of your protection
and your right hand
supported me,
and your gentleness
made me strong.
You will make wide the places
where I walk
and my steps will not falter.
I shall pursue my enemies
and capture them,
and I shall not turn back
until I have finished them,
until they shall fall
and not rise,
until they shall fall
beneath my feet.
You have girded me
with strength for battle,
You have bent my adversaries
beneath me,
You have made my enemies
turn their backs to me
and You have dispersed those who hate me.
They shall call out and
there will be no one
to save them,
to the Lord,
and He will not
heed them.
I will scatter them
like powder
before the wind,
I will sweep them away
like the mire of the streets.
You will save me from
the strife of the people,
You put me at the head of nations,
people whom I did not know
shall serve me,
on hearing of me,
they shall obey me.
The sons of strangers render me
false homage,
the sons of strangers
are defeated,
and come trembling from their
hiding places.
The Lord lives, and
blessed be my Rock,
and may the God of my salvation
be exalted,
God who gives vengeance
to me,
and gathers peoples
under me,
who has liberated me
from my enemies
and placed me above
those who resist me,
who has rescued me
from the violent.
Therefore I shall celebrate You
among the nations,
O Lord,
and sing a psalm
to your name.
You who have given great victories
to your king
and have shown mercy
to your anointed,
David, and to his seed,
forever.
I shall love You, O Lord,
who are my strength.
The Lord is my rock
and my oak,
and my savior.
My God is my strength,
and I will hope in Him,
my shield and the horn
of my well being,
my refuge.
Praising Him I will
invoke the Lord,
and I shall be
saved from my enemies.
The pains of death
surrounded me,
and torrents of iniquity
terrified me.
The pains of hell surrounded
me, and I was held
by the bonds of death.
In my tribulation
I invoked the Lord
and I cried out to God,
that from his temple
he might hear my voice,
and that my cry
in his presence
might reach his ears.
And the earth was shaken
and troubled,
and the base of the
mountains was stricken,
and they were shaken
because of his anger.
Smoke rose from his furor, and fire issued
from his mouth,
lighting glowing coals.
He bent the heavens and
descended, and there was
darkness beneath his feet.
He mounted upon a Cherubim and flew,
He flew on the wings of the wind,
and placed shadows as
his retreat,
around him as his
tabernacle,
shadowy waters
in clouds of air.
Before the light of his presence,
clouds disappeared, amid
hail and fiery coals
and the Lord thundered
from the heavens,
the Most High
gave forth his voice
with hail and fiery coals:
and He sent forth his arrows
and dispersed them
and He multiplied
the lightning bolts
and threw them into chaos,
and fountains of water
appeared and the foundations
of the earth
were revealed
at the sound of your voice.
O Lord,
at the wind of your
angry breath.
He sent from on high
and received me,
He lifted me from
the flooding waters,
He freed me from my
most powerful enemies
and those who hated me,
though they were
stronger than me.
They assaulted me on the day
of my affliction,
and the Lord became
my protector.
And He put me at large,
He saved me because
it pleased Him,
and the Lord repaid me
according to my justice,
according to the purity
of my hands.
He repaid me,
for I have kept the ways
of the Lord,
and I have not acted
impiously toward
my God.
For all of his judgments
have been in my sight
and I have not rejected
his precepts, and have been
immaculate with Him
and I have kept myself from
my iniquity,
and the Lord
will repay me according
to my justice,
and according to the purity
of my hands
in the sight of
his eyes.
With the holy
You shall be holy,
with the innocent
You act
innocently.
With the elect
You shall be elect
and with the perverse
You shall be
severe.,
for You shall save
the poor
and cause the eyes of the mighty
to be lowered,
for You shall give light
to my lamp, O Lord,
You will illuminate
my shadows, my God,
for in You I shall be rescued
from a pirates' den
and with my God I shall
leap over the wall.
The way of my God is
spotless,
the words of the Lord
are proven by fire,
He is the shield of
all those who hope
in Him,
for who is God besides the Lord,
who is strong besides our God?
It is God who girds me with strength,
who has made my way smooth,
making my feet fleet as those of deer
and placing me on the heights,
training my hands for battle,
making my arms a bronze bow.
You gave me the shield
of your protection
and your right hand
supported me,
and your gentleness
made me strong.
You will make wide the places
where I walk
and my steps will not falter.
I shall pursue my enemies
and capture them,
and I shall not turn back
until I have finished them,
until they shall fall
and not rise,
until they shall fall
beneath my feet.
You have girded me
with strength for battle,
You have bent my adversaries
beneath me,
You have made my enemies
turn their backs to me
and You have dispersed those who hate me.
They shall call out and
there will be no one
to save them,
to the Lord,
and He will not
heed them.
I will scatter them
like powder
before the wind,
I will sweep them away
like the mire of the streets.
You will save me from
the strife of the people,
You put me at the head of nations,
people whom I did not know
shall serve me,
on hearing of me,
they shall obey me.
The sons of strangers render me
false homage,
the sons of strangers
are defeated,
and come trembling from their
hiding places.
The Lord lives, and
blessed be my Rock,
and may the God of my salvation
be exalted,
God who gives vengeance
to me,
and gathers peoples
under me,
who has liberated me
from my enemies
and placed me above
those who resist me,
who has rescued me
from the violent.
Therefore I shall celebrate You
among the nations,
O Lord,
and sing a psalm
to your name.
You who have given great victories
to your king
and have shown mercy
to your anointed,
David, and to his seed,
forever.
WRINKLED TRICEPS
Wrinkled triceps tell me
that this body is
beginning to shrivel
like over-ripe fruit.
It is ready for
the harvest,
but it's not
dead yet.
May 2 2017
Selfie: May 2 2017
that this body is
beginning to shrivel
like over-ripe fruit.
It is ready for
the harvest,
but it's not
dead yet.
May 2 2017
Selfie: May 2 2017
Monday, May 1, 2017
FURTHER TRANSLATION NOTES
It goes without saying that many things have to be considered in the process of translating. In this blog entry I'll try to illustrate some of them.
One of those things to be considered is the set of inherent characteristics or idiosyncrasies of the language being translated. For example, Biblical Hebrew often uses exactly the same form for both past and future tenses, leaving the intended tense in doubt. Sometimes this works out marvelously, the best example being in Genesis 1.3, usually translated as "And God said, 'let there be light,' and there was light." Any modern language can make clear the difference between the two statements. In Spanish (the old version of Cipriano de Valera) it is: "Y dijo Dios: sea la luz: y fué la luz." In French (Version Synodale) we have "Dieu dit : 'Que la lumière soit !' Et la lumiêre fut." In English, Spanish, French, and most other languages, the situation is quite clear. But in Biblical Hebrew, God said "y'hi or" (let there be, or literally, there will be light) and "y'hi or" (there was light). The two statements look exactly the same, which marvelously emphasizes how God's word, God's command, is law and gets carried out exactly.
Due to the above feature of Biblical Hebrew, The two translations of the Book of Psalms that Saint Jerome presented to the Pope often differ in tense, for example the version based on the Greek of the Septuagint may use a past tense in Latin, where the version based on the Hebrew text extant in Jerome's day will use the future tense. It is important to remember that the Hebrew would be the same in either case, so one must choose according to context. There will still be doubt, but it is an educated guess on the part of the contemporary translator (or the ancient translator, for that matter).
Translation isn't always a matter of simple, one-for-one equivalents, which is why machines can't really do it properly. A good example is in Psalm 17 (18), verse 36 (35), where Jerome's Hebrew-based translation says "et mansuetudo tua multiplicavit me" (and your gentleness made me strong), while his Greek-based translation has "et disciplina tua correxit me in finem" (and your discipline corrected me to the end). How are such different translations, both ultimately deriving from the same Hebrew text, possible? The simple explanation is that, in both cases (ca. 150 BCE and ca. 400 CE) the Hebrew text was doubtful, and it continues to be doubtful today. The second-century-BCE translator scratched his head and came up with the Greek word "paideia." Now "paideia" has a constellation of meanings, centering on the idea of education/training of children, and it can also be construed as "discipline." But if one looks at the Hebrew, one is not sure what word was intended (remember, the texts were often in poor condition, and they were writing without vowels). The best possibility that I have been able to come up with is a word that means both "humility" and "patience." It's probably the same word that the translator of Jerome's Hebrew-based version of the Psalms came up with. So maybe it was correct. But one does not think of God as being "humble." So perhaps the intended meaning was "patience," in the sense of "forbearance, restraint." The translator of Jerome's Hebrew-based version must have thought this was the most likely possibility (I do, too), and translated it into Latin as "mansuetudo" (mildness, gentleness). The translator of Jerome's Greek-based version opted to translate "paideia" (which I can't get from the Hebrew) as "discipline." And that is, very probably, how we got two translations with more or less opposing meanings.
In 1945 the scholars of the Pontifical Biblical Institute, no doubt aware of the problem, used the word "sollicitudo" (solicitude) instead, which I can't get out of the Hebrew at all.
One of those things to be considered is the set of inherent characteristics or idiosyncrasies of the language being translated. For example, Biblical Hebrew often uses exactly the same form for both past and future tenses, leaving the intended tense in doubt. Sometimes this works out marvelously, the best example being in Genesis 1.3, usually translated as "And God said, 'let there be light,' and there was light." Any modern language can make clear the difference between the two statements. In Spanish (the old version of Cipriano de Valera) it is: "Y dijo Dios: sea la luz: y fué la luz." In French (Version Synodale) we have "Dieu dit : 'Que la lumière soit !' Et la lumiêre fut." In English, Spanish, French, and most other languages, the situation is quite clear. But in Biblical Hebrew, God said "y'hi or" (let there be, or literally, there will be light) and "y'hi or" (there was light). The two statements look exactly the same, which marvelously emphasizes how God's word, God's command, is law and gets carried out exactly.
Due to the above feature of Biblical Hebrew, The two translations of the Book of Psalms that Saint Jerome presented to the Pope often differ in tense, for example the version based on the Greek of the Septuagint may use a past tense in Latin, where the version based on the Hebrew text extant in Jerome's day will use the future tense. It is important to remember that the Hebrew would be the same in either case, so one must choose according to context. There will still be doubt, but it is an educated guess on the part of the contemporary translator (or the ancient translator, for that matter).
Translation isn't always a matter of simple, one-for-one equivalents, which is why machines can't really do it properly. A good example is in Psalm 17 (18), verse 36 (35), where Jerome's Hebrew-based translation says "et mansuetudo tua multiplicavit me" (and your gentleness made me strong), while his Greek-based translation has "et disciplina tua correxit me in finem" (and your discipline corrected me to the end). How are such different translations, both ultimately deriving from the same Hebrew text, possible? The simple explanation is that, in both cases (ca. 150 BCE and ca. 400 CE) the Hebrew text was doubtful, and it continues to be doubtful today. The second-century-BCE translator scratched his head and came up with the Greek word "paideia." Now "paideia" has a constellation of meanings, centering on the idea of education/training of children, and it can also be construed as "discipline." But if one looks at the Hebrew, one is not sure what word was intended (remember, the texts were often in poor condition, and they were writing without vowels). The best possibility that I have been able to come up with is a word that means both "humility" and "patience." It's probably the same word that the translator of Jerome's Hebrew-based version of the Psalms came up with. So maybe it was correct. But one does not think of God as being "humble." So perhaps the intended meaning was "patience," in the sense of "forbearance, restraint." The translator of Jerome's Hebrew-based version must have thought this was the most likely possibility (I do, too), and translated it into Latin as "mansuetudo" (mildness, gentleness). The translator of Jerome's Greek-based version opted to translate "paideia" (which I can't get from the Hebrew) as "discipline." And that is, very probably, how we got two translations with more or less opposing meanings.
In 1945 the scholars of the Pontifical Biblical Institute, no doubt aware of the problem, used the word "sollicitudo" (solicitude) instead, which I can't get out of the Hebrew at all.
