Worst Translated Sentence in Entire Bible: Judges 5: 7
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:22 pm
Worst Translated Sentence in Entire Bible: Judges 5: 7
My candidate for the worst translated sentence in the entire Bible is Judges 5: 7. Rather than the grammar or syntax of archaic poetry being the problem, I myself see the problem as being the basic meaning of the first two words (or is the second one a name?): (i) חדלו; (ii) פרזון.
Here are the ten leading English translations of Judges 5: 7, none of which, in my opinion, understands what this verse is saying:
1. KJV: “The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.”
2. NRSV: “The peasantry prospered in Israel, they grew fat on plunder, because you arose, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.”
3. NIV: “Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.”
4. JPS 2003: “Deliverance ceased, ceased in Israel, till you arose, O Deborah, Arose, O mother, in Israel!”
5. Darby: “The villages ceased in Israel, Ceased until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel.”
6. 1599 Geneva Bible: “The towns were not inhabited: they decayed, I say, in Israel, until I Deborah came up, which rose up a mother in Israel.”
7. Orthodox Jewish Bible: “The warrior ceased, they ceased in Yisroel, until I, Devorah, arose, I Em B’Yisroel arose.”
8. Knox Catholic Bible (based on Latin Vulgate): “Gone was the warrior breed, lost to the country-side, until Debbora came, Debbora, that played a mother’s part in Israel.”
9. Judges A (Septuagint, per NETS): “A spokesman was lacking in Israel; he was lacking until Debbora rose up, for she arose as a mother in Israel.”
10. Judges B (Septuagint, per NETS): “Mighty ones were lacking in Israel; they were lacking until Debbora should arise until she should arise as a mother in Israel.”
How do people on the b-Hebrew list view the foregoing ten translations? What does Judges 5: 7 mean?
Jim Stinehart
My candidate for the worst translated sentence in the entire Bible is Judges 5: 7. Rather than the grammar or syntax of archaic poetry being the problem, I myself see the problem as being the basic meaning of the first two words (or is the second one a name?): (i) חדלו; (ii) פרזון.
Here are the ten leading English translations of Judges 5: 7, none of which, in my opinion, understands what this verse is saying:
1. KJV: “The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.”
2. NRSV: “The peasantry prospered in Israel, they grew fat on plunder, because you arose, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.”
3. NIV: “Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.”
4. JPS 2003: “Deliverance ceased, ceased in Israel, till you arose, O Deborah, Arose, O mother, in Israel!”
5. Darby: “The villages ceased in Israel, Ceased until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel.”
6. 1599 Geneva Bible: “The towns were not inhabited: they decayed, I say, in Israel, until I Deborah came up, which rose up a mother in Israel.”
7. Orthodox Jewish Bible: “The warrior ceased, they ceased in Yisroel, until I, Devorah, arose, I Em B’Yisroel arose.”
8. Knox Catholic Bible (based on Latin Vulgate): “Gone was the warrior breed, lost to the country-side, until Debbora came, Debbora, that played a mother’s part in Israel.”
9. Judges A (Septuagint, per NETS): “A spokesman was lacking in Israel; he was lacking until Debbora rose up, for she arose as a mother in Israel.”
10. Judges B (Septuagint, per NETS): “Mighty ones were lacking in Israel; they were lacking until Debbora should arise until she should arise as a mother in Israel.”
How do people on the b-Hebrew list view the foregoing ten translations? What does Judges 5: 7 mean?
Jim Stinehart