Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 30/09/2003 11:53, Karl Randolph wrote:

> Peter:
>
> The problem I have with the traditional translation is that I don’t 
> understand it.
>
> Oh I understand the lexemes and the sentence structure, but the idea doesn’t 
> make sense. Furthermore, the parallelism gives the actor, then his way in an 
> inanimate milieu for the first three, whereas what is his way in a virgin? ...
I would have thought any man would know that (even though I admitted I 
don't!). But certain things are just not spelled out explicitly in a 
polite text. Probably in each of the sets of ascending clauses in 
Proverbs 30, the focus is on the last one and the preceding three are 
compared with it. There is nothing strange about comparing a woman with 
the sky, the sea, and a rock - especially as no doubt the snake finds 
its way into a hole in the rock.

> ... But “into the unknown” fits the parallelism, makes linguistic, logical 
> and psychological sense, and I understand it.     ;-)
>  
Unfortunately that's does not imply that it is correct. You need much 
better evidence than that.

> Karl W. Randolph.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
>  
>
> > >      
> > Karl, what have you against the traditional translation "the way of a 
> > man with a maiden"? No need to invent a new lexeme, we have the 
> > well-known 'alma = young woman, virgin. Sounds like it fits the context 
> > very well - at least to me whose lack of success means that this way 
> > remains a mystery to me :-( ;-)
> >
> > --
> > Peter Kirk
> > peter AT qaya.org (personal)
> > peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
> > http://www.qaya.org/
> >    


--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/