Rereading Isaiah 62:4: Beulah Land
Today Dr. Mariottini posted on Beulah Land. His interesting post touches on the question of whether we should transliterate words from the biblical language texts or translate their meaning. It probably will not surprise most of you that I'm on the side of those who translate Hebrew beulah in Is. 62:4 (NASB, NRSV, ESV, NWT, JPS, NJPS, NAB, NJB, TEV, CEV, NLT, GW, HCSB, NET) rather than transliterating it (KJV, ASV, RSV, NKJV, NIV, TNIV, REB).
I think, though, that the old hymn just wouldn't sound the same if it were sung as "Married Land" rather than "Beulah Land." I must be getting older if I have nostalgic feelings like that!
I think, though, that the old hymn just wouldn't sound the same if it were sung as "Married Land" rather than "Beulah Land." I must be getting older if I have nostalgic feelings like that!
posted by Wayne Leman at 9:14 PM
1 Comments:
Wayne,
Thank you for your comments about my post on Beulah Land. I agree with you: translating the word Beulah the hymn would take away from the beauty of the hymn. Maybe this is the reason we love the hymn so much. It just shows how much of our religious imagery has been influenced by John Bunyan.
Claude Mariottini
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