Friday, September 26, 2014

A Poll

What is your preferred translation of the Hebrew word "Hesed?"
Mercy
Steadfast Love
Loving-Kindness
Goodness
Great Kindness
Loyalty
Love
Other?
Poll Maker

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Other: misericordia, or ἔλεος (éleos)

Gerald said...

I voted for "mercy".

I can't just call it the "Divine Steadfast Love".
Neither is "Divine Loving Kindness".

TS said...

Unrelated, but ordered the Didache Bible at a great price when it first came on Amazon. Now it's suddenly unavailable and my pre-order got cancelled. Nice. Given this chain-yanking, I'm not planning on purchasing even though it's available on Ignatius Press site (for a premium price compared to my preorder). Seems like it's still amateur hour as far as Catholic bibles.

Timothy said...

TS,

I am feeling much like you and likely will not be purchasing this in the future. If they want to send me a review copy, sure, but that has never happened and I am not holding my breath.

Jonny said...

I was also dissapointed the release date for the Didache Bible was delayed, but doesn't it seem a little silly to accuse Ignatius Press of releasing false information so that everyone who preordered would be dissapointed? It is probably a production delay that is out of their control, or is otherwise in the best interest of the consumer.

Timothy said...

I am not sure anyone is accusing Ignatius of releasing false information, in a bid to trick consumers.

Jonny said...

I am certainly confused as to why you would not purchase a copy now that the release date is delayed, Tim.

The Didache Bible will fill a void that has been expressed by Catholics, especially in this blog! for an approved Catholic Bible that has:

1. Notes that are relavent and based on authentic Church teaching and tradition.

2. Apologetics section that deals specifically with the common misunderstandings for evangelization and catechesis.

3. Concordance

4. Maps

5. Translation that has inclusive language consistent with Church guidelines for translation, and used in the Mass and Catechism.

If you are looking for a Bible edition for the New Evangelization, I don't think it is going to get much better than this! I am not surprised that Ignatius Press is trying to get this out as soon as possible!

Timothy said...

Jonny,

We will certainly assess this when it comes out. My argument is due to transparency with Ignatius. This seems to be an issue that continues to come up, and not just by me.

I am sure that all the resources will be quite good, but we shall see. I don't, however, agree in what you put for #5. The RSV-2CE has no inclusive language at all, the Vatican clearly allows some moderate horizontal inclusive language. In some ways, the RSV-2CE is even more anti-inclusive than the original RSV, just look at how often the change to "sons of Israel" occurs in the OT. The ESV, with all its faults, at least made an attempt to use some inclusive language.

Timothy said...

The also advertise this translation as being anti-inclusive language one "Without dumbing-down the text. This second edition of the RSV doesn't put the biblical text through a filter to make it acceptable to current tastes and prejudices"

Anonymous said...


Dare we hope; that they've decided to delay it while the redesign the cover for something simpler and less gaudy?

Probably not.

Be that as it may, I will still buy it when it actually comes out. And if I really like it, I may even get it recovered or hide it by putting another book on top.

Pax,
John

Jonny said...

There is a misunderstanding here because the term "inclusive language" is applied to translations that change the Biblical text to translate out the masculine signification in the original language.

The RSV uses inclusive language, as defined by the Church as being that the words "man" and "men" have inclusive value. This is Biblical tradition, and has theological signifigance as well. This is why, as I mentioned previously, the gender language is translated as such for the liturgy of the Mass and Catechism.

Timothy said...

I would have to take a look at the references in the CCC, particularly since it uses both the RSV and NRSV.

I'd also say that horizontal inclusive language is used in the liturgy. The approved Lectionary is an example as well as the very first line of the Gloria, which translated "people" instead of "men": Glória in excélsis Deo
et in terra pax homínibus bonae voluntátis.

Jonny said...

Exactly Tim! The RSV, the Liturgy, and the Catechism all use "men", "people", or "human" inclusively as appropriate in the context! From the Creed: ...for us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven... and became man.". And I literally opened the CCC at random to 1954 "Man participates in the wisdom and goodness of the Creator...."

Timothy said...

So context is this issue, even though the same word is used in both the Gloria and Credo, but translated as people and men, respectively. So, focusing on bible translation, shouldn't be about context as well? There are certain places, like in Galatians, where a rendering like "adoption as sons" seems fairly important, though most translations now obscure it with adoption as children or just adoption. Many would argue that sonship adoption, in Christ, is an important theological issue. Yet, what about the context of "sons of Israel" which the RSV-2CE uses throughout? Should that just be "children of Israel" since it clearly applies to both sons and daughters. This, of course, leads to how "adelphos" is translated. In the Lectionary it is often "brothers and sisters" as found in the NRSV. It will be interesting to see where the NABRE revision goes here.

Timothy said...

John,

Now that would be a good reason for the delay.

Jonny said...

That it will be interesting, Tim, to see how the NABRE translates "adelphos!". I am hoping they use "brethern", which is the primary option for the Mass, but also seems to me a better fit for the broader Semitic meaning of extended family. The change from "brothers" to "brethren" was also among the changes made for the original 1966 RSV-CE New Testament!

Gerald said...

"Brethren" could be a good option, Jonny, since using "brothers" will primarily leave the laity longing for "and sisters".

TS said...

For what it's worth, I asked Ignatius about the amazon pre-order and here's what they say:

"We sell our products through amazon when the discounts make sense. We offered to sell this product through amazon, but amazon decided that it couldn't buy it at the cost that we were able to sell it. This was amazon's choice."

I've ordered (too many to count) books from amazon and never have pre-orders cancelled, so this kind of smells funny. I wouldn't be surprised if Ignatius makes most of its sales on its website or through mail order and so they probably feel like they don't have to deal with amazon.