Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lisbeth S. Fried" <lizfried AT umich.edu>]

Dear Christian,
I think we're quibbling here.
There is no translation without interpretation.
That is why one should read texts in the original language.
Liz

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Christian M. M. Brady [mailto:cbrady AT tulane.edu]
> Sent: Sat, March 16, 2002 2:49 PM
> To: Biblical Hebrew
> Subject: Re: Question: Off topic? More
>
>
> On 3/16/02 1:48 PM, "Lisbeth S. Fried" <lizfried AT umich.edu> wrote:
>
> > With these last remarks you seem to be confusing canon criticism
> > and eisegesis. Canon criticism is the very laudable study of how the
> > bible has been interpreted by faith communities through the millenia.
> > Those who engage in this study do *not* advocate mistranslating the
> > text to further the theologies of those faith communities.
> > Eisegesis is reading *into* the text, what
> > you think should be there as a result of your theologies.
> > Exegesis -- what the translator should be engaged in -- is bringing
> > out of the text what is actually there. Now, ISTM, that if the
> translator
> > knows that the word is *really* "young woman" and he translates it
> > "virgin" on purpose to encourage a particular theological understanding,
> > then, it seems to me that he is lying to his readers for the sake of
> > that theology. The theology, then, requires lies to bolster it, whereas
> > it is the truth that sets free.
>
> Except exegesis is NOT what the translator should be engaged in!
> That is the
> job of the... Exegete! The job of the translator is to, well,
> translate. Of
> course decisions have to be made in providing a translation that
> some might
> view as "exegesis," but ideally a translator is providing a clear
> representation the text with as little exegesis/interpretation of
> meaning as
> possible.
>
> Cb
> cbrady @ tulane.edu
> --
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> reduced. The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered,
> and assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed, lest
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> --Marcus Tullius Cicero
>
>
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