A revolutionary, new translation of the gospels

Since you're an überlinguist, thought I'd forward some thoughts on a recent translation of the Gospels by Sarah Ruden.

 

Wasn't sure if you're interested in New Testament translations, but her introduction is inspiring. As is the subsequent glossary. Just like the comments on your translation methodology in the forward to your translation of the Sunzi, understanding how & why a translator implements his or her craft.  Here's what I sent to our rector and the parishioner who recommended the translation:

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This is a spectacular work.

 

The 32-page introduction presents a thorough explanation of Ruden's rationale for generating (yet another) translation of the Gospels and is supplemented by example after example of where many English language translations have fallen short. Her comments aren't anything close to a "mine is the best translation ever" rejection of earlier versions, but she does explain how our contemporary understanding of specific words can diverge from the meaning in the Greek. "Nuanced" is the watchword as she explains why she uses slightly, yet significantly, different words in her translation. As a language geek, I genuinely enjoyed the way that she shared her translation methodology. I also enjoy excerpts like this:

 

"When Jesus introduces a story, analogy, or precept…he sounds much more condescending or exasperated than, say, a Hebrew Bible prophet does in interlacing his poetic sermon with hinneh ["Look!", "See!"]. But this difference suits who Jesus is. He is a "teacher," but often a short-tempered, contemptuous, and withholding one – not a prophet with a passion to persuade. Moreover, Jesus' "students" seem to deserve this treatment, as they tend to be lazy, incurious, and distractible. The motif of failed instruction is integral to this work of literature; it is thematic. Jesus, who is the point, is above having to explain himself; he is above everything, and certainly not accountable to feeble human language. And his students are so far below him that their demands for answers verge on impious rebellion."

 

The introduction is followed by a 23-page section entitled "Discursive Glossary of Unfamiliar Word Choices in English" – an explanation of how & why she translates key words (e.g. disciple, evil, forgive, gospel, hell, etc) the way that she does. This is very useful because it's where she explains one of the significant challenges of translating the Gospels – identifying *the right* English word to accurately translate the Greek word without introducing unintentional meanings/baggage in the English translation. In many cases she opts for a literal translation of the Greek (e.g. "play-actor" for "hypocrite").

 

Once you make it through those two sections, then you're prepared to begin to read her translation in an informed way. By understanding her approach and her rationale, all I can say is "Wow!". Don't worry. There are no new theological revelations, but the tone/shades of meaning that her translation brings to the text are consistently thought-provoking. And (unsurprisingly) she provides copious footnotes throughout the translation to further explain her decisions. I'm 5 chapters into "The Good News According to Markos" and am thoroughly enjoying it.

 

So, when you have the chance, I encourage you to take a look at the translation. Even if you're not a language geek, it will likely give you a new perspective or two on the Gospels.