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  • From: fred burlingame <tensorpath AT gmail.com>
  • To: K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] lock without a key
  • Date: Tue, 2 Nov 2010 15:05:22 -0500

Hello Karl:

I appreciate your comments.

I think that your recommendation below to all theologians, implies the
message of my initial post best ...; to wit; the current english
translations of the hebrew masoretic text fail, insofar as the former
attempt to capture form and substance of the latter.

It seems obvious to me, that when 2, 3 or more english words become
necessary to translate a single hebrew word purposely and repetitively
utilized in close proximity, the consumer of the english text reads and
understands a language different from the hebrew original; especially given
the chronic repetition of that condition across the hebrew text.

regards,

fred burlingame

On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 2:33 PM, K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com> wrote:

> Fred:
>
> On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 7:28 PM, fred burlingame
> <tensorpath AT gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Hello Paul:
>>
>> I agree with your comments.
>>
>> I would observe however, that in this particular case, we have:
>>
>> a. a parent hebrew verb with a meaning to bore or pierce;
>>
>
> This is commonly called the “etymological error” and for good reason.
>
> Other possible roots include “to turn about vigorously as in dancing”, “to
> make common including the idea of bringing into production”, “to make soft,
> such as through disease or wounds”, “to be powerful” including wealth as a
> source of power, or possibly “to writhe”, so which root do you think we are
> dealing with here, if any of these? There are also plenty of nouns,
> adjectives and adverbs that have no recognized roots.
>
>>
>> b. a child hebrew noun with two alternate meanings of wealth/goods and
>> army;
>>
>
> No, what you are dealing here is with a Hebrew word that has a different
> semantic range than any single English word, as a result, different English
> words are used to render into English that aspect of the Hebrew term that is
> the main meaning used in the context.
>
>>
>> c. and such two noun definitions used in two verses of close physical and
>> subject matter proximity.
>>
>> The richness of these connections gives the hebrew reading consumer of the
>> verses an entirely different understanding, than the disconnected english
>> words reveal to the english reading consumer.
>>
>
> This is part of the poverty of translations, and why theologians, both
> Jewish and Christians, should learn Biblical Hebrew.
>
>>
>> Much of the hebrew meaning survives translation, not. Hence, the hebrew
>> language appears locked to english or greek or any other language
>> translation.
>>
>
> Not at all. You confuse translation with understanding Hebrew.
>
>>
>> regards,
>>
>> fred burlingame
>>
>> Karl W. Randolph.
>




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