May 28, 2010 – God Didn't Say That

When the Liturgy and the Bible No Longer Match

I got a great question during a lecture I gave last week in Washington, DC: Quotations from the Bible frequently appear in prayers. What should we do when a better understanding of the Bible’s text forces a new translation that no longer matches the prayers? For example, in And God Said I argue against the…
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JoelMHoffman May 28, 2010 8

Top Translation Traps: Mimicry

One of the most non-intuitive aspects of translation is that mimicry can lead the translator astray. For example, it stands to reason that an adverb at the beginning of Hebrew sentence should be translated into English by an adverb at the beginning of a sentence; and, similarly, that an adverb at the end in Hebrew…
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JoelMHoffman May 28, 2010 8

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Lives

Recent posts from my Ancient Wisdom, Modern Lives:

What in Blazes Are the Ides of March? A lighthearted romp through treachery, betrayal, and murder
Democracy, Oligarchy, and Free Speech An oligarchy replaces a democracy and a public figure is put on trial for his words. History or current events? Or both?
Money and Happiness: A Tumultuous Love Affair Does money make us happy? Yes, except no, because, well, it's complicated...
Why do People Suffer? Five Ancient Answers Timeless and time-tested answers to frame suffering in a better light
Interest Rates Old and New: How High is Too High? A short history of ancient interest rates, in light of a 10% cap on credit-card interest rates proposed in the US Senate by Bernie Sanders and Josh Hawley

Day: May 28, 2010

When the Liturgy and the Bible No Longer Match

Top Translation Traps: Mimicry

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Lives

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