Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] verb form - Proverbs 31:10-31

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Jonathan Mohler <jonathan.mohler AT gmail.com>
  • To: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • Cc: "b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>, nir AT ccet.ufrn.br
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] verb form - Proverbs 31:10-31
  • Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 00:19:45 -0500

Not at all what I suggest.  I should have said It's as good a translation as one can get.  English, especially modern English, does not do modal very well.  Supplying "can" to the translation is not word for word, but it tries to capture the modal feel.  "would" find, "should" find, "could" find, none of these works well in English.  So "can" find does the best it can within the limits of English.

Just because it has a SAM+KTOL doesn't mean that it functions like a Present.  Context shows over and over that yiqtols and wayyiqtols (or WYKTL) carry modal aspect (more often than many will allow).  Just letting the BH do its own speaking.

Jonathan E Mohler
Graduate Student
Baptist Bible Theological Seminary
Springfield, MO

On Sep 9, 2013, at 9:35 PM, Isaac Fried wrote:

The first sentence of Prov. 31:10 says: "Virtuous wife who he-find". Rendering it into presupposed pseudo "correct" English undermines the Hebrew. 

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Sep 9, 2013, at 9:29 PM, Jonathan Mohler wrote:

Example: the first yiqtol is modal.  It is properly translated as "can find" not as "finds" or "will find."





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page