Spurred on by a comment in a previous post, I have decided to post Isaiah 9:5 from the NABRE. This verse is notable, since some had predicted that the rendering would be changed from the original NAB. The original read:
"For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:5 (NAB)
In some quarters, this translation was heavily criticized.
Yet, the NABRE translators maintained this rendition of Isaiah 9:5:
"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rest. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:5 (NABRE)
Looking at the NABRE note for Isaiah 9:5, there is no reason given as to why the translators maintained almost exactly the original NAB's rendition. Many English translations follow the more traditional: "For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" as found in the NRSV. (The RSV and NRSV list this as Isaiah 9:6).
So, what are your thoughts? I cannot remember precisely, but I seem to have come across a similar rendering to the NAB(RE) in a commentary on Isaiah. Perhaps it was in the Anchor Bible volume on Isaiah 1-39. I am away from my library so I cannot verify at the moment. Perhaps one of our Hebrew and Greek scholars can enlighten us on this?
3 comments:
I am not a Greek scholar but I lokked up this verse in the NETS translation of the Seputagint, and it is different then both of the previously mentioned translations:
'because a child was born for us, a son also given to us, whose sovereignty was upon his shoulder, and he is named Messenger of Great Counsel, for I will bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health to him.'
By far the most amusing English translation of the verse was the JPS1917 translation:
JPS1917:
For a child is born unto us, a son is given unto us; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom;
By 1985, that had been completely rewritten in the NJPS translation:
NJPS:
For a child has been born to us,
A son has been given us.
And authority has settled on his shoulders.
He has been named
“The Mighty God is planning grace;
The Eternal Father, a peaceable ruler”
The Anchor Yale Bible translation by Joseph Blenkinsopp reads as follows:
AB:
For a child has been born for us,
a son has been given to us,
the emblems of sovereignty rest on his shoulders.
His titles will be:
Marvelous Counselor,
Hero Warrior, Eternal Father,
Prince of Peace.
B. Sommer comments on this verse: "This long sentence is the throne name of the royal child. Semitic names often consist of sentences that describe God; thus the name Isaiah in Hebrew means 'The LORD Saves'; Hezekiah, 'The LORD strengthens'; in Akkadian, the name of the Babylonian king Merodach-baladan (Isa. 39:1) means 'the god Marduk has provided an heir.' These names do not describe that person who holds them but the god whom the parents worship."
Sounds like he is a comic book superhero rather than our supernatural God.
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