Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Dear B-Hebrew Chaburim:

Here is a little experiment:


Below is a famous passage, with proposed sounds written as a syllabary, each
consonant followed by a vowel. (I hope I got them all right.)


I tried memorizing the chapter this passage was taken from using the
vocalization from the Masoretes, and found it hard. Though scholars have
claimed that this passage is poetry, I found myself vehemently opposing that
claim—there is absolutely no rhythm when spoken. If spoken when walking, I
found myself breaking stride to match the text.


But now, try reading the stream of sounds below when walking, does it now
have a rhythm?


Ba ray ah sa yay te ba ray ah eh lo ha ye ma eh ta ha sa ma yi me wa eh ta
ha eh re tsa

wa ha eh re tse ha ya ta he ta ho wu wa ba ho wu

wa cho se ka ah la pe nay ya ta ha wo me

wa ra wu cha eh lo ha ye me ma re pe che te ah la pe nay ya ha ma yi me

wa yo ah me re eh lo ha ye me ye hi ye ah wo re

wa ye hi yeh ah wo re

wa ye ray ah eh lo ha ye me eh ta he ah wo re ki ye the wo be

wa ye be de le eh lo ha ye me be yay ne he ah wo re wa be yay ne ha cho se
ke

wa ye qe ray ah eh lo ha ye me le ah wo re ya wo ma

wa le cho se ke qe ray ah la ye la he

wa ye hi ye eh re be wa ye hi ye bo qe re ya wo me eh cha de


Does anyone recognize the text? What do you think? Is it poetry after all? I
am willing to change my mind if the evidence points that way, so does the
evidence point that way?


Karl W. Randolph.