Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - RE: Question: Off topic?

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Trevor Peterson <06PETERSON AT cua.edu>
  • To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: Question: Off topic?
  • Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 11:37:28 -0500


>===== Original Message From Ian Goldsmith <iangoldsmith1969 AT yahoo.co.uk>
=====
>Dear Members.
>
>I've a question that I would apprectiate your thoughts
>on. Whilst not strictly on the Hebrew scriptures it is
>connected.
>
>Q: What good reasons are there for studying the Old
>Testament Scriptures in Hebrew?

My quick answer (and therefore only half-serious) is: So you can be confused
in more than one language. Now let me unpack that quip into what I mean by
it.
While I don't think it can be said or should ever be suggested (and the
notion
probably ought to be intentionally repressed) that learning Hebrew (or Greek,
or any other source language) makes things easier to understand or answers
more questions than it raises, I do think there is value to it. Can a person
read the Bible in vernacular translation (assuming a language that has the
Bible) and enjoy a productive reading experience? By all means. Could a
person
ever exhaust the reading potential of such a translation in a lifetime or
several lifetimes? Doubtful. Then why trouble oneself with learning another
language? Simply put--decreased mediation. This is not to entertain any false
hope of ever being able to approach the Bible independently of any outside
help. But the translation act requires analysis and repackaging of meaning.
This act will always stand between the vernacular reader and the text to be
read. In other words, this reader cannot read the source text as such but
will
always read the product of someone else's reading. Now, I realize that our
readings are influenced by countless factors, including the readings of
others. But if a person values the Hebrew text for its own sake as an entity
distinct from the translated product, there is no substitute for encountering
that text directly.

Needless to say, my answer depends upon a certain view of translation and
meaning. But that is nonetheless how I would answer.

Trevor Peterson
CUA/Semitics





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page