spin

Here's an interesting case of censorship in biblical translation. Look at the following verse (KJV) and compare it with other translations:

1 Kings 16:11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

Here's the ASV:

And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he smote all the house of Baasha: he left him not a single man-child, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

Kudos to the King James version which has it right on this occasion.


spin

MysteryProf

Here's the NIV version:
I must admit that, in this case, the KJV is a lot more fun.

~MysteryProf

Hazel-rah

Having grown up with several little boys, I see no difference...

spin

As we are dealing with translations, while the KJV here adheres to the Hebrew, the others are bowdlerized and hence bad translations. What we want from translations is accuracy, so I don't for example like the loss of the thy, thou and thee, which provide useful information, showing us that we are dealing with a singular entity (whereas "you" refers to a plural).

If a translator acts as censor, as in this case, or as a modernizer (as in "thee" etc.) we lose access to possibly valuable information. If one's preconceptions intrude on a translation then we lose valuable information, eg when Isa 8:14 talks about a virgin (as do the KJV and ASV) it is perverting the Hebrew, which only talks of a young woman.

If you can't read Hebrew you are at the mercy of the translator. If that translator for some reason is not honest then you are USSWAP*.


spin


* Up shit street without a paddle.

Llyricist

ummm the idiom is "up shit creek without a paddle"

or..... was that your point???

spin

You're right, but I liked the acronym, USSWAP (US SWAP, USS WAP). Or would you prefer USCWAP? Dunno, I'll have to try it out.


spin

Doctor X

One of my "pet-peeves" in classical studies is that translation is interpretation. I feel a long rant about mistranslation overcoming me so I shall stop!

Incidentally, people from the cities know "Shit Street." I first heard the expression this way, and laughed at the absurdity--you are not only up the proverbial street, you do not even have a useless paddle!

-J.D.

spin

It's interesting that you say this. I thought the same about the early translators, but modern translations, say scholarly efforts of the last 20 years, seem to me to be infinitely more literal in intent.

So, tell me more.


spin

Doctor X

Depends on the purpose of the translation.

Most "popular" biblical texts suffer from certain "traditions." My "favorite" in the NT is the mistranslation that gives us "born again" Christians--the word should be "born from above." It is relevant in that it changes the message of the passage--you really cannot change your spots! You are either "born from above" and destined for salvation or you are up a certain alleyway without benefit of nautical propulsion apparatus.

Of course, Jn's audience is all "born from above."

--J.D.

spin

What pricked my ear (well, eye) was your reference to "classical studies", which I took to mean, you know "classical studies", ie Greece and Rome. I guess I got it wrong. But never mind.


spin