Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Yigal Levin" <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Washburn" <dwashbur AT nyx.net>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 05, 2004 6:23 AM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Isaiah 9:6


> On Saturday 04 September 2004 21:10, Sujata wrote:
> > In the JPS Bible, Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) 9:5(JPS) is
> > translated as
> >
> > For a child is born unto us, a son is given unto us;
> > and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name
> > is called Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom
> >
> > What is the literal translation of
> > Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom
>
> In this case, I think the literal translation is "cop-out."  The rendering
of
> the old KJV and other English translations is quite literal: wonderful
> counselor, mighty God, eternal father, prince of peace.  Who knows why the
> JPS decided just to transliterate the Hebrew...
>

The reason is quite obvious. Christian translations have traditionally
understood this prophecy to reffer to Jesus, and then used this quite
complicated name as a series of messianic titles. The JPS wanted to avoid
this, and to emphasize that this is a (real or symbolic) personal name. Just
like "Jonathan" is not translated "Yahweh-has-given" in any Bible I know of,
why translate this name? I don't see the KJV translate "Immanuel" in 7:14
etc. as "God-is-with-us". Wonder why? ; )

Now I do agree that this is a "cop-out". Since the name IS symbolic, it
should obviously be translated in souch a way as to make the reader
understand the symbolism. This is one of many places in which I think that
JPS "over did it".

Yigal