BT Vol. 62, No. 3:

Transcript

1 BT Vol. 62, No. 3: An alternative translation of Esther in the Septuagint Ken Chan The author is a linguist translator for a minority group in East Asia. 1. Background Esther in the Septuagint (LXX) is hard to translate because the syntax is complex and some of the lexemes are rare. Previous translations in English of this text include NETS, NRSV, NEB, REB, GNB, and Brenton. 1 This paper shows how the meaning of the Greek text may be clarified by a detailed analysis of the text at the word and clausal levels. 2. The clausal organization of the Greek text The clausal organization of the Greek text is as follows. (Indentation indicates that a clause is subsumed under an unindented clause above it.) 1.6 κεκοσμημένῃ βυσσίνοις καὶ καρπασίνοις τεταμένοις ἐπὶ σχοινίοις βυσσίνοις καὶ πορφυροῖς ἐπὶ κύβοις χρυσοῖς καὶ ἀργυροῖς ἐπὶ στύλοις παρίνοις καὶ λιθίνοις. Ø κλῖναι χρυσαῖ καὶ ἀργυραῖ ἐπὶ λιθοστρώτου σμαραγδίτου λίθου καὶ πιννίνου καὶ παρίνου λίθου καὶ στρωμναὶ διαφανεῖς ποικίλως διηνθισμέναι κύκλῳ ῥόδα πεπασμένα. 1.7 Ø ποτήρια χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ καὶ ἀνθράκινον κυλίκιον προκείμενον ἀπὸ ταλάντων τρισμυρίων. Ø οἶνος πολὺς καὶ ἡδύς ὃν αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔπινεν. 1 Lancelot C. L. Brenton, The Septuagint with Apocrypha (6th ed. [1851]; Peabody: Hendrickson, 1997),

2 166 the bible translator vol. 62, no. 3 (july 2011) 3. An alternative translation The text may be translated as follows: Translation Comments the courtyard... the main topic 1.6 (is) decorated with fine linen a general description of the courtyard and fine flax (is) stretched out a specific description of the courtyard on fine linen and purple cords ἐπὶ clause #1: the first location of the fine flax on golden and silver blocks ἐπὶ clause #2: the second location of the fine flax on marble and stone pillars. ἐπὶ clause #3: the third location of the fine flax Golden and silver couches the first class of objects (part one) found in the courtyard (on tessellated green stone, and a parenthetical clause concerning mother-of-pearl, and marble stone) the ground where the couches lie and translucent beddings adorned in various the first class of objects (part colors with sprinkled roses all around. two) found in the courtyard 1.7 Golden and silver drinking cups the second class of objects found in the courtyard (even a small carbuncle cup on display) a parenthetical clause concerning a particular cup worth 30,000 talents. a comment on the second class of objects Wine that is plenty and pleasant the third class of objects found in the courtyard which the king himself drank. a comment on the third class of objects 4. The three parallel ἐπὶ clauses The last part of 1.5 refers to the courtyard (αὐλῇ) of the king, and the text from the beginning of 1.6 (κεκοσμημένῃ) to λιθίνοις describes the appearance of this courtyard. It is decorated with fine linen (κεκοσμημένῃ βυσσίνοις). Specifically, the courtyard is embellished by having fine flax (καρπασίνοις) stretched out (τεταμένοις) at three specified locations, each beginning with the preposition ἐπὶ. Translating τεταμένοις as attached is a tradition (NETS, NRSV, NEB, REB, GNB). But the word more accurately means to lie out at length or to lie stretched. 2 The first location that the fine flax is stretched out is on fine linen and purple cords (ἐπὶ σχοινίοις βυσσίνοις καὶ πορφυροῖς). The second location of the fine flax is on golden and silver blocks (ἐπὶ κύβοις χρυσοῖς καὶ ἀργυροῖς). 2 Henry George Liddell, A Greek-English Lexicon (New York: Harper, 1883). download/greekenglishlex00liddrich/greekenglishlex00liddrich_bw.pdf

3 An Alternative Translation of Esther in the LXX 167 And the third location is on marble and stone pillars (ἐπὶ στύλοις παρίνοις καὶ λιθίνοις). These three descriptions emphasize the lavishness of the decoration in the courtyard. The fact that the fine flax is stretched out on the cords, blocks, and pillars is not well-reflected in most of the existing translations, as is evident in the following table showing translations of the three ἐπὶ clauses: NETS NRSV GNB NEB and REB Translation on cords of linen and purple attached to gold and silver blocks on pillars of marble and other stones held by cords of purple linen attached to gold and silver blocks on pillars of marble and other stones held by cords of purple linen attached to silver and gold blocks on marble and stone columns stretched on cords of purple, and these were attached to blocks of gold and silver resting on stone and marble columns Problem There appear to be only two locative prepositional clauses here. This translation de-emphasizes the locative sense of the clauses. This translation de-emphasizes the locative sense of the clauses. This translation de-emphasizes the locative sense of the clauses, and the spatial relationship between the three phrases is over-specified. There are also several lexical translation problems here: 1. The translation curtains by NETS, NRSV, NEB, REB, and GNB suggests a certain shape and functionality. This is not necessarily implied by the meaning of βυσσίνοις, which only refers to the material of fine linen. 3 The use of hangings by Brenton has the same problem. 2. Whether the fine linen is white (NEB, REB) is hard to tell because it is uncertain if the fine linen was dyed with another color or not. (In some cultures, the use of white as a predominant color scheme is reserved for funerals rather than a party!) 3. The translation of studs by Brenton could be improved. κύβοις means cubes (NETS, Liddell). More specifically, it may refer to a block of stone, or a block of wood παρίνοις itself means marble. To translate it as Parian marble, as Brenton did, is to introduce a redundancy. This word is rare, although there are at least 3 See Liddell, Lexicon, and BAGD (W. Bauer, W. F. Arndt, F. W. Gingrich, and F. W. Danker, Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature [2d ed.; Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1979]). 4 LSJ (Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, and Henry S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon [9th ed.; New York: Oxford University Press, 1996], III.2).

4 168 the bible translator vol. 62, no. 3 (july 2011) three other occurrences of this word, the earliest of which dates from the second century B.C The three classes of objects in the courtyard The overall description of the courtyard shifts to a focus on three classes of objects present within the courtyard. Each of these objects is introduced asyndetically (without a conjunction). The first class of objects consists of golden and silver couches (κλῖναι χρυσαῖ καὶ ἀργυραῖ) and translucent beddings (στρωμναὶ διαφανεῖς). Couches and beddings are semantically related, and their interrelatedness is indicated by the conjunctive particle καὶ. The location of the couches is described as being on tessellated green stone, and mother-of-pearl and marble stone (ἐπὶ λιθοστρώτου σμαραγδίτου λίθου καὶ πιννίνου καὶ παρίνου λίθου). Because adjectives follow their head nouns in the mainline clauses of this passage, the fronting of the adjectives before their head nouns in this clause (λιθοστρώτου σμαραγδίτου precedes λίθου, and πιννίνου and παρίνου precede the second λίθου) signals that this clause is parenthetical. The interpretation of λιθοστρώτου as a tessellated pavement of some kind is supported by Liddell, 6 Cerny, 7 and LSJ, 8 but it is not clear if the entire courtyard (GNB) was paved this way, or just the ground beneath the couches. There is no reason to change the order of translation of the three types of materials used for the tessellated pavement, as was done in NEB and REB ( malachite, marble, and mother-of-pearl ) and GNB ( green and white marble and mother-of-pearl ). The specification that the tessellated pavement is made of marble that is green and white in GNB is not totally accurate because σμαραγδίτου λίθου may refer to green stone that is not marble, and παρίνου λίθου may refer to marble that is not white. Furthermore, σμαραγδίτου comes from the word σμαραγδίτης, which only refers to the kind or colour of the smaragdus. 9 It does not specifically refer to the emerald gemstone, 10 since the lexical root of emerald stems from the adjective σμαράγδινος instead. Though none of the existing translations dispute translating πιννίνου as mother-of-pearl, the root πίννινος is not found in Liddell, BAGD, or LSJ. Lust, Eynikel, and Hauspie 11 interpret πιννίνου as pearl, although they do not give the etymology of this word. The closest definition comes from LSJ, 12 where the meaning of πίννινος is explicitly equated with πίνινος λίθος ( mother-of-pearl ). This suggestion is highly probable because a closely related lexeme, πιννικόν, 5 LSJ, supp Liddell, Lexicon, under meaning 2. 7 E. A. Cerny, Archaeological corner, Catholic Biblical Quarterly 4 (1942): (159). 8 LSJ, under meaning 2. 9 Liddell, Lexicon. 10 BAGD. 11 J. Lust, E. Eynikel, K. Hauspie, eds., A Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint: part 2 Κ-Ω (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1996), LSJ, 1405.

5 An Alternative Translation of Esther in the LXX 169 also means pearl. 13 Πιννίνου could also be a textual variant of πινινου, as found in (a) the recension of Codex Alexandrinus preserved in the Hexapla, as well as in (b) codices 583, 108, 392, and (c) Codex Sinaiticus. 14 As for the beddings, translating διαφανεῖς as translucent rather than transparent (NEB, REB), open-worked (Brenton), gossamer (NETS), gauze (NRSV), or fine, thin fabric (GNB) is supported by LSJ, 15 which broadens the narrower definition of the word ( transparent ) in Liddell 16 and BAGD. It is more probable that the beddings are made of translucent rather than transparent materials because translucent materials do not degrade as easily when people lie on the beddings. The beauty of the beddings is enhanced by the participial phrase ποικίλως διηνθισμέναι (adorned in various colors). διηνθισμέναι means to be variegated or decorated or to adorn in Liddell. The translations given in NETS ( in many colors ), NRSV ( in various colors ), GNB ( of many colors ), NEB and REB ( elaborately ), or Brenton ( variously flowered ) are incomplete because they miss the idea that the colors are added in order to adorn the beddings. The adverb ποικίλως does not in itself appear in any of the Greek lexicons; rather, it is listed as a variant of the adjective ποικίλος. For example, the Perseus Digital Library Project 17 parses ποικίλως as adj and lists it as synonymous with ποικίλος. Hence, ποικίλως, like ποικίλος, means variegated, 18 or many-coloured. 19 Ποικίλως and διηνθισμέναι basically have the same semantic field, and the use of both words together highlights the beauty of the beddings. The location of the beddings is further specified as being in physical proximity to sprinkled roses all around (κύκλῳ ῥόδα πεπασμένα). Though the adverbial usage of κύκλος, i.e., κύκλῳ, could mean in a circle or ring, 20 κύκλῳ with the accusative case and without the preposition περί denotes a vicinity in general. 21 For example, in Demosthenes (4.4), καὶ πάντα τὸν τόπον τοῦτον οἰκεῖον κύκλῳ means all the surrounding territory, 22 rather than in a circle or a ring. The translation of πεπασμένα as embroidered (NETS, NRSV, NEB, REB) is probably influenced by Liddell. 23 However, it is better to translate the word as to besprinkle, 24 since the sense of to embroider has been deleted in LSJ altogether. 13 Liddell, Lexicon. 14 Robert Hanhart, Septuaginta: Vetus Testamentum Graecum, vol. VIII, 3, Esther (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1966), LSJ, Liddell, Lexicon, Perseus Digital Library Project, Greek word study tool (ed. Gregory R. Crane. Tufts University, 2010). =poiki%2f ws&la=greek&prior=eu(reqh=nai#lexicon. 18 Perseus Digital Library Project. 19 LSJ, under meaning I. 20 LSJ. 21 LSJ, under meaning I Demosthenes, Olynthiacs, Philippics, Minor Public Speeches, Speech Against Leptines (I-XVII, XX) (trans. J. H. Vince; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1930), Liddell, Lexicon, under meaning II. 24 Liddell, Lexicon, under meaning I.2.

6 170 the bible translator vol. 62, no. 3 (july 2011) The non-linear nature of sprinkling implies that the roses are not neatly arranged (NRSV), or only laid around the edges (GNB) of the beddings. The second class of objects consists of golden and silver drinking cups (ποτήρια χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ). The following clause, καὶ ἀνθράκινον κυλίκιον προκείμενον, is parenthetical and not on the mainline of this passage. This clause is parenthetical because (a) the adjective ἀνθράκινον is fronted before its head noun, and (b) the use of the accusative fits the pattern of the accusative of general reference. 25 Dana and Mantey explain that sometimes an accusative, with... a participle, is set off in a sort of explanatory way grammatically independent of the rest of the sentence. 26 ἀνθράκινον simply means the carbuncle color. The translation that the small cup is decorated with jewels (GNB) is inaccurate, unless ἀνθράκινον generically refers to jewels. The tradition of interpreting προκείμενον as on display (NETS, NRSV, NEB, REB, GNB) is probably influenced by BAGD, 27 which defines this word as to be exposed to public view. προκείμενον could also be the passive of προτίθημι, which has a similar meaning ( set before ). 28 This is the sense of set out in Brenton. ἀπὸ ταλάντων τρισμυρίων is a subordinate clause qualifying the monetary worth of the golden and silver drinking cups, and not just the small carbuncle cup itself. The normal placement of the adjective (τρισμυρίων) after its head noun signals that this subordinate phrase is on the mainline and not a part of the previous parenthetical clause (ἀνθράκινον κυλίκιον προκείμενον). While the general definition of τάλαντον is anything weighed, or a definite weight, 29 most translations read the 30,000 talents as the monetary worth of the carbuncle cup (NETS, NRSV, NEB, REB, GNB, Brenton). This interpretation is attested by LSJ, which says that in post-hom. writers, the τάλαντον was both a commercial weight... and also the sum of money represented by the corresponding weight of gold or silver. 30 The third class of objects is the wine (οἶνος) offered in the party. The two adjectives that follow, πολὺς καὶ ἡδύς plenty and pleasant, describe the abundance and the superior quality of the wine. The last clause of 1.7, ὃν αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔπινεν, is a subordinate clause telling the reader that the wine was imbibed by the king himself. The placement of αὐτὸς right in front of the head noun phrase (ὁ βασιλεὺς) simply indicates a reflexive. It does not refer to the wine. Therefore interpreting it as referring to the 25 A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (New York: Hodder & Stoughton, 1914), 486; Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), H. E. Dana and Julius R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament (New York: MacMillan, 1967), BAGD, under meaning Liddell, Lexicon, under meaning I LSJ, under meaning II. 30 LSJ, under meaning II.2.

7 An Alternative Translation of Esther in the LXX 171 wine, such as in NEB and REB ( the king s own cellar ), or GNB ( the king s own supply ), is suspect. The wine on offer in the courtyard is for the king (and presumably the senior members of his administration, who have access to the courtyard of the king s palace). By extension, this is also true of the golden and silver couches, the translucent beddings, as well as the drinking cups. Though the Gentiles get to enjoy a drinking party hosted by the king (1.5), discusses the king s experience of this drinking party rather than that of the Gentiles. The common Gentiles did not get to lie on the golden and silver couches, or to drink from the golden and silver drinking cups. 6. Conclusion This alternative translation provides the reader a clearer window to the stunning beauty of the king s drinking party held during the time of Astin s wedding. The discussion of the translation decisions helps to clarify the complexity of this text. In summary, the alternative English translation of Esther in the LXX reads: (the courtyard is) 6 decorated with fine linen; and fine flax (is) stretched out on [a] fine linen and purple cords, [b] on golden and silver blocks, [c] on marble and stone pillars. (There are) [1] golden and silver couches (on tessellated green stone, and mother-of-pearl, and marble stone), and translucent beddings adorned in various colors with sprinkled roses all around. 7 [2] Golden and silver drinking cups (even a small carbuncle cup on display) worth 30,000 talents. [3] Wine that is plenty and pleasant which the king himself drank.