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  • From: furuli AT online.no
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Isaiah 53
  • Date: Sat, 15 May 2004 18:58:36 +0200

Dear Vadin,

I translate Isaiah 53:9 this way: "He will make his grave with the the wicked ones". It is a misunderstanding that WAYYIQTOL signals past tense (or the perfective aspect) I have a list of 998 examples of WAYYIQTOL with non-past reference. Many of these are found in Isaiah.


Best regards

Rolf


Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo





Dear Rolf,

You are certainly right. Unfortunately, almost every translator invariably
falls into exegesis. In the example of Isaiah 53, the verbs are usually
twisted beyond measure.

How do you like common, "he was given [tomb with the rich]" when it is
clearly written, "he gave" - and, of course, one cannot give his death.


Best regards,

Vadim



Dear Vadim,

What is "Hebrew past tense"? I view translation as interpretation,
one cannot convey a message to an audience if one has not already
interpreted the meaning of the original. But what you probably mean
is that we should distinguish between translation and theological
exegesis; in this I agree. Applied to Isaiah 53 and other prophetic
passages, a translator should try to rid his mind from Christian
views, because it would be wrong to translate the OT in light of the
NT. And further, we need not take any standpoint whether chapter 53
was written by a prophet with the name Isaiah or ascribed to one with
the name of Isaiah by another. The temporal reference would in both
instances be the same. What we need to look for when we translate a
message which has the label "prophetic," is whether the message
really refers to the future and not to a previous historical event.


Best regards

Rolf

Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo




>Dear Rolf,

May I suggest to distinguish between translation and interpretation? The
translation should be grammatically correct: in case of the chapter 53,
translating Hebrew past tense as English PT, and where standard Hebrew
allows certain latitude, like betwee past and conjunctive, both should be
mentioned. How one makes sense of this - is quite another matter, but
biblical translation should be precise, unless one prefers to treat the
book as saga.


Best regards,

Vadim Cherny
>





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