Monday, December 28, 2009

When I Can't Solve the Riddles of Marqe, I Always Do the Same Thing - Send Emails to Rory Boid of Monash University

Hi Rory I am typing out MacDonald's translation of the Mimar at my blog. I find that when one physically hammers out the letters of each word in the narrative greater attentiveness to the meaning results.

In any event I am aware that MacDonald's translation is suspect in parts and so I am puzzled by why this reference is put forward in Book 1 Chapter 9

What does this mean?:

Israel shall sacrifice at the siege and conquest of a city - at the siege of a city, a distressing matter: at the conquest of a city, a joyful matter!

Please help

Stephan

UPDATE Rory responds a few hours late:

I have solved the passage in Marqe. There is nothing about besieging cities. Explanation later today or tomorrow.

Such are the difficulties in using MacDonald's translation. MacDonald didn't know understand Aramaic only Arabic. You'd think being familiar with Aramaic MIGHT be important here ...


Email stephan.h.huller@gmail.com with comments or questions.


 
Stephan Huller's Observations by Stephan Huller
is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.