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b-hebrew - [b-hebrew] An interesting translation of Psalms 143:2a

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  • From: moon AT mail.sogang.ac.kr
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Cc: moon AT sogang.ac.kr
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] An interesting translation of Psalms 143:2a
  • Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 11:01:29 +0900

>
> Hi,
>
> Boyarin, in his book "A Radical Jew", translated Psalms 143:2a as follows
> (p.119):
>
> Do not reproach your servant with statue, [for no living being will be
> justified
> before you]
>
> The usual translation is: do not enter into judgement with your servant.
>
> The original is:
>
> AL-TABOAH BEMISFAT ETH-YABDEQA.
>
>
> BDB says about ETH:
>
>
> ETH marks an accusative in other relations than that of
> direct object to a verb: (a) with verbs of motion (very rare)
> denoting the goal.
>
> So AL-TABOAH BEMISFAT ETH-YABDEQA can be taken to mean:
>
> Do not come unto your servant with statue.
>
> So, Boyarin's rendering seems possible. On the other hand, verb BOH seems
> to
> go with prep. BE more naturally. BDB says about BE:
>
> with verbs of motion, when the movement to a place results in rest in it,
> INTO: after BAH, NATAN, SHALAQ.
>
> Though MISHFAT is not a place, but a process, I think entering into a
> process
makes sense as much as entering into a place. So, the traditional
translation
clearly makes sense.

I am interested in Boyarin suggested his translation because of the way
143:2b is quoted in Rom 3:20a:

No flesh will be justified from works of Torah before him.

Paul adds "from works of Torah" to the original. But if we take Psalms 143:2a
as Boyarin suggests, this addition makes sense. In the context, Psalms 143:2b
can be taken to mean "no living being will be justified before you [
JUDGED WITH STATUE]". From this, it seems natural for Paul to write
" No flesh will be justified from works of Torah before him."

Any comments?


> Moon Jung
> Sogang Univ, Seoul, Korea
>
>
>
>
> Moon R. Jung
> Associate Professor
> Dept of Media Technology
> Graduate School of Media Comm
> Sogang Univ, Seoul, Korea
>
>
>


Moon R. Jung
Associate Professor
Dept of Media Technology
Graduate School of Media Comm
Sogang Univ, Seoul, Korea






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