Biblical Hebrew Forum

[ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben Crick)]

On Sat 24 Sep 2005 (12:00:46), markeddy AT adams.net wrote:
> Ah yes, there's the problem of taking figures of speech literally!
> Perhaps more idiomatic English would be "Troubles give me a bigger
> heart." One problem with translating from Hebrew to English is that
> Hebrew locates various emotions in body parts, far more than English
> does. So the Hebrew word for the body part of a sacrificial animal (for
> example) would be the same word used for human emotions. I think that
> the English concept of "having a big heart" might catch some of the
> Hebrew idiom. Though in English this tends to mean that the person is
> altruistic, while the Hebrew expression seems to me to include
> increased courage on the part of the writer. Wasn't there a "Richard
> the lion-hearted" somewhere in English history?

 Idioms have to be rendered idiomatically from language to language.
 "Big-hearted" in English means generous and loving in disposition, and
 valorous in battle; not really altruistic. The heart is the seat of love in
 English; in Hebrew it seems to be the centre of thought (Psalm 24:4; 51:12;
 73:1). The emotions are located in the kidneys in Hebrew; but coupled with
 the heart in Psalm 26:2 and Jeremiah 17:10. I take your point about emotions
 being associated with various offals in Hebrew. I can't think of a Hebrew
 word for "brains", but there must be one in modern Hebrew. The "mind" is
 NePe$, RuWaC, PeH; but also LeB. We do talk of "hearts and minds" I suppose.

 Richard I of England was nicknamed the Lion-heart ("coeur de lion") because
 of his valour in combat; he was associated with some of the Crusades.

 Ben
-- 
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF                                       ZFC Hf
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