Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Psalm 119 (Aleph)

As a parallel to Bug's post, and an answer to his statement "It is nigh well impossible to fully appreciate the poetry and structure of this psalm if you don't know Hebrew," I'm posting this; though by no means perfect, it will you give you some flavor of what the first eight verses of this Hebrew acrostic poem look like in an English example. Though you still won't fully appreciate it, perhaps you may appreciate it more fully.


Psalm 119

Aleph
A blessing is on them that are undefiled in the way
and walk in the law of Jehovah;

A blessing is on them that keep his testimonies,
and seek him with their whole heart;

Also on them that do no wickedness,
but walk in his ways.

A law hast thou given unto us,
that we should diligently keep thy commandments.

Ah! Lord, that my ways were made so direct
that I might keep thy statutes!

And then shall I not be confounded.
While I have respect unto all thy commandments.

As for me, I will thank thee with an unfeigned heart,
when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

An eye will I have unto thy ceremonies,
O forsake me not utterly.

--From "The Psalms Chronologically Arranged By Four Friends". 1867.

2 comments:

Even So... said...

"A" nice post,
"A" post that I will send friends to,
"A"n instructive topic,
"A" common question,
"A" hope and prayer to see all of the Psalm,
"A"n understanding that it would require a lot of work
"A" for effort,
"A"men.

Neil said...

Nice! Thank you!

Can you do verses 129-136 as well?