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Bible as Poetry

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Bible as Poetry is an about-to-be-released English translation of the New Testament. It claims to show that the whole New Testament was originally written in poetry. Its preface claims that ‘in most verses’ it is ‘the most accurate translation of the New Testament.’
[1]

A sample copy of Matthew’s Gospel has been released on the translation’s website. The whole New Testament will be released on November 27, 2009 in a PDF form that can be downloaded on the internet. There is no indication when a conventionally printed copy may be available. However, people downloading the translation are authorised to make their own printed copy.

Translation philosophy

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The translation’s stated purpose is to be ‘simple enough for kids to understand [and] accurate enough to prepare a sermon.’
[1]

The translation’s preface says that its simplicity comes from using short sentences; it then claims to be more precise with individual words it put into those short sentences. So while individual words may be harder to understand, its website says that overall it is easier to understand.

It uses the Gunning Fog Index measurement of reading difficulty to support its claims that it is easier to read than other accurate versions. The Index shows that readers need 3-5 years less education to understand the Bible as Poetry compared to most popular versions.

The Bible as Poetry aimed to be ‘a genuinely unbiased translation. It caters for readers from all schools of thought.’ [1] A report for the Bible Society in Australia says, ‘There is no obvious sectarian bias or imposed doctrinal stance.’

The translation gives newly-discovered meanings for New Testament Greek words. Its website blog says, ‘Since 1975, scholars have published thousands of newly-discovered Greek documents and inscriptions from New Testament times. This has clarified the meaning of many New Testament words. So when you read the Bible as Poetry, you’ll discover that Jesus wasn’t a carpenter. You’ll also find that the word often translated ‘brother’ can be talking about women. You’ll find that Jesus didn’t ask the Pharisees, “Why are you tempting me?” (Matthew 13:55). And you’ll discover that Jesus didn’t call the Pharisees “hypocrites.” ’

The Bible as Poetry is a totally new translation. It is not a revision of any previous translation. It is generally a word-for-word translation of the Greek. However, it deviates from this by giving modern measurements of distance, weight, time, and money, etc.

It deliberately aimed to be succinct. It claims to have only 10% more words than the Greek. Most New Testaments have 20% more words than the original. Some paraphrases have 50% more words than the original Greek.

Poetry layout

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The new version's introduction claims the main form of poetic repetition in the New Testament is ‘word repetition.’ This is where the same word or a variation of that word is used in matching poetic lines. One example of this is its translation of Matthew 7:1-2a.

          Do not judge others
          so that you will not be judged.
          For you will be judged
          with the judgment you make of others.

Each of these four lines has a form of the word ‘judge,’ making them all poetically parallel to each other.

Another example is Matthew 11:21-23. The words marked in bold italics in the first half of this passage have exact ‘word repetition’ matches in the second half of the passage.

      Woe to you, Chorazin!
      Woe to you, Bethsaida!
            If the miracles which happened in you
            had happened in Tyre and Sidon
                  they would have long ago repented
                        in mourning clothes
                        and ashes.
                              So, I tell you,
                                    it will be more tolerable
                                          on Judgment Day
                                               for Tyre
                                               and Sidon
                                                     than for you.
      And you, Capernaum!
      Will you be lifted to heaven? No!
      You’ll go down to the grave.
            If the miracles which happened in you
            had happened in Sodom
                  it would still exist today.
                              So, I tell you,
                                    it will be more tolerable
                                          on Judgment Day
                                              for the land of Sodom
                                                    than for you.

Another form of poetic parallelism identified in the Bible as Poetry is expressing opposite thoughts. One example is found in two lines in the passage just quoted.

      Will you be lifted to heaven? No!
      You’ll go down to the grave.

Here ‘heaven’ (which is presumably up) is the opposite of ‘the grave’ which is down.

Another simple example of opposite thoughts creating parallel lines comes from Luke 18:7:

            day
            and night.

Here ‘day’ and ‘night’ are opposite portions of the 24-hour cycle. This is a typical form of parallelism in Biblical poetry that has been known to exist in the Old Testament for 250 years.

Another example of parallels from opposites is from Paul’s words in Corinthians 13:11:

      When I was a child,
      I spoke like a child.
      I thought like a child,
      I reasoned like a child.
      But when I became an adult
      I put away childish things.

Here the word ‘adult’ in the second-last line is the opposite of the words ‘child’ and ‘childish’ in the other five lines.

Subtle meanings of words

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The Bible as Poetry claims to have about 20 new tools for Bible scholars. One of these is that it claims to capture ‘about 2000 subtle meanings which are overlooked in most translations.’
[2]

An example the 'New Tools' section of the translation's Gospel of Matthew gives is when the Greek language says ‘not not.’ This repetition is a literary device that makes the meaning of ‘not’ more intense. Most English versions omit one ‘not,’ so they miss the increased intensity. The Bible as Poetry usually translates ‘not not’ as ‘certainly not’ or ‘certainly won’t.’ This is to capture the increased intensity.
[2]

Another example given of a subtle meaning is the Greek word ‘this.’ To call a person ‘this’ instead of ‘he’ or 'she' was a slur found in several ancient Mediterranean languages. In such situations, most versions translate the word ‘this’ as ‘he’ or ‘she,’ missing the derogatory flavor of the term. The Bible as Poetry translates it as ‘this fellow,’ or ‘this female’ – thus capturing a slightly derogatory tone.
[2]

First century Greek has 40 different words meaning ‘go,’ with the subtle differences between them usually lost in English. One of these words means ‘to leave unnoticed.’ The Bible as Poetry translates it ‘quietly go,’ or ‘secretly go’ – or in one place ‘sneak away.’
[2]

Translation footnotes

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Marginal notes are one of the translation’s major distinguishing features. It’s preface says it has 25,900 footnotes, which is an average of four footnotes for every New Testament verse. Bibleaspoetry.com claims the footnotes make readers ‘an instant expert on almost any New Testament verse.’ A report for the Bible Society of Australia calls it ‘the best footnoting I have ever encountered.’

Key features of the 25,900 footnotes include:

• The footnotes identify 2424 instances of New Testament deliberate double meanings.
• They give 53,000 alternative meanings for words used in the text.
• Not only do the footnotes give more than 400 textual variations, they rate the possibility of variants being correct. The ratings are {a} {b} {c} and {d}. The {a} rating means that the variant followed in the text is ‘almost certain to be correct.’ The {c} rating means both the variant in the text and that in the footnotes have ‘an almost equal chance of being correct.’
• As part of the translation process, a computer was used to match the Old and New Testament. This identified 4800 places where the New Testament cites the Old Testament. The footnotes list all 4800 places. (The standard work lists only 283 direct quotations from the Old Testament in the New Testament.)
• The footnotes give several hundred brief notes about first century history and geography. For example, they mention that Herod incarcerated John the Baptist in his palace at Machaerus. And they mention that there were no purpose-build prisons to punish criminals in the Roman Empire.
• In about 500 places, the footnotes give the meanings of the names of people in the New Testament.
• The footnotes indentify the Old Testament sources for the strange symbols in the Book of Revelation. The translation claims that ‘Without exception, if you look up the Old Testament chapter, it will give you an interpretation of the symbol.’
  [3]
  

Criticism

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The translation has been criticised for its claim to be both easy to understand and extremely accurate at the same time. A report by the Bible Society of Australia supports the claim that the translation is extremely accurate. It calls it ‘a text for the serious student. It would be a good NT for Bible College students to own.’ However, it disputes that it is simple enough for a child.

It says, ‘Would we in the Bible Society think we could find one text that would suit, say, the people to whom we give scriptures at citizenship ceremonies, the scriptures that go to jails and to the defence forces, the scriptures used in Sunday School for young children and youth, the scripture needed by a student in theological college etc etc? None of this is a criticism of the text per se, but of the claim that it is suitable for everyone.’

Bibleaspoetry.com defends the claim that children can understand this version. It says, ‘A nine-year-old picked up a hand-held computer. It had the Bible as Poetry on its display. An hour later the nine-year-old said, “I’ve almost finished reading Matthew.” This shows the Bible as Poetry is simple enough for a child to understand. It doesn’t have the ‘inbuilt’ barriers that stop people reading. And once people start reading the Bible as Poetry, it draws them in. They want to keep reading it.’

Sources

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1. ^ Bible As Poetry, Gospel of Matthew. Retrieved 2009-10-1

2. ^ New Tools for Bible Scholars page 9.

3. ^ Unique Features of This New Translation page 9.