Psalm 139:12 is usually translated something like "...and a night like a day will shine like the darkness is like a light."
The quote has "like" twice. Is that normal or unusual?
I found a few quotes like this, but they seem a little different, so I am not sure. For examples, see Hosea 4:9, Judges 8:18, 1 Kings 22:4, 2 Kings 3:7, and 2 Chronicles 18:3.
Are there any other quotes like Psalm 139:12 because it sounds funny to me, but it might be normal in Hebrew.
Kenneth Greifer
Psalm 139:12
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- Kirk Lowery
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Re: Psalm 139:12
Well, a literal translation (from my perspective) would be:
"Even the darkness is not dark for you;
and night is as the day shines.
As darkness, so light. [Darkness is the same as light (for you).]"
In poetry sentences are often short and elliptical. And word order is changed to match parallelism or meter. Seems pretty normal to me, and understandable.
"Even the darkness is not dark for you;
and night is as the day shines.
As darkness, so light. [Darkness is the same as light (for you).]"
In poetry sentences are often short and elliptical. And word order is changed to match parallelism or meter. Seems pretty normal to me, and understandable.
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Re: Psalm 139:12
Deuteronomy 32:2 comes to mind (ESV):
May my teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and like showers upon the herb.
Both as + like = Hebrew כ, same as in Psalm 139:2
May my teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and like showers upon the herb.
Both as + like = Hebrew כ, same as in Psalm 139:2
Ste Walch
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Re: Psalm 139:12
The reason I asked is that it would sound more common if it said "a night will shine like a day, like the darkness is a light" and not "like the darkness is like a light." Most of the quotes use "like" to compare something to something else without saying like for both things.
Kenneth Greifer
Kenneth Greifer
Kenneth Greifer
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Re: Psalm 139:12
I agree with you Kirk. I like your translation. Ken, this is probably idiomatic you Hebrew. But there is a parallel in English:
Like father like son.
If you run it through Kirk's phrasing you get
as the father (is) so the son
That's what the two ka's are about
Like father like son.
If you run it through Kirk's phrasing you get
as the father (is) so the son
That's what the two ka's are about
Jonathan E Mohler
Studying for a MA in Intercultural Studies
Baptist Bible Theological Seminary
Studying for a MA in Intercultural Studies
Baptist Bible Theological Seminary