Comments on: Personal Jesus

By: Fr. Christian Mathis

Fr. Christian Mathis — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:45:02 +0000

I like your two cents Elizabeth! Maybe I can write a post soon about translations as you are right on the mark!

By: Elizabeth Mahlou

Elizabeth Mahlou — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:44:09 +0000

Just spending time, I find, is not enough. It really helps to have someone with whom you can discuss them. Translations are never fully true renditions of the original, so it helps to have someone who is well read on many versions to assist with interpretation. (I consider myself a fairly good translator of several languages, but especially of Russian — have translated professionally and even worked with a fiction author on trying to get her rendition 100% as intended, but it is not possible because culture affects word meaning; very little is translated only linguistically; we have to account for culture as well, and in many cases, we cannot.reflect the culture. For example, in translating one work from Russian, the author had a kidnapped victim wake up in blue pajamas; that would be terrifying to a Russian reader for it would mean that the victim is now in one of the dreaded psychiatric hospitals from which there was no exit; in English, blue pajamas is meaningless and straitjacket gives both a different feeling from physical restriction and from psychological perspective; this is just a minor example in the physical realm; metaphysics is even harder to approximate meaning through translation). I am fortunate in having a Bible Study group I can attend that does a study of comparative translations to try to ferret out the original meaning and in having a friend from Israel who is almost native in English and is a language teacher of Hebrew, so he can often explain what the original Hebrew meant better than any current translation of the Bible that I have.

And that’s my two cents for an early Thursday morning — time for bed! Thanks for the post.

By: Tory K

Tory K — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:48:46 +0000

I never knew Johnny Cash did a rendition of this!
I started thinking that Depeche Mode had done a remake of his song, but then I read S-P’s comment.

Anyhow, the main reason I’m posting is to say that I love that viewpoint.
Jesus wasn’t crucified because he was a nice guy!
He probably annoyed the heck out of a lot of people who did not want to give up their old ways. Especially, it seems, with the Pharisees.

By: Fr. Christian Mathis

Fr. Christian Mathis — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:26:11 +0000

I like the original too….and almost posted it here, but I never miss a chance to promote Mr. Cash.

By: s-p

s-p — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:55:08 +0000

Good post, Father, and I LOVE Johnny Cash’s rendition of this song (though I still really like Depeche Mode’s original…) Cash’s “American” songs CD’s are the best.