From: Rolf Furuli (furuli@online.no)
Date: Mon Dec 29 1997 - 15:54:20 EST
David L. Moore wrote:
<Rolf Furuli quoted and wrote:
SNIP
<<A good example of bias in Bible translation is the rendition "hell"
<<("l`infer" or "Holle") for Greek "GEHENNA". It is contrary to linguistic
<<theory to translate a geographic name with a completely different word.
<Well, let's see.... How about translating GEENNA "the ever-burning
<trash heap," which is what GEI HINNOM was in Jesus' day.
Dear David,
Your suggestion "the ever-burning trash heap" is much better than "hell".
It does not carry connotations like "hell" and leaves much of the
interpretation to the readers. I can, however, see two objections against
this rendition:
(1) A proper name in the source language should be rendered as the same
proper name in the target language.
(2) While I think the best conclusion that can be drawn, is that GEENNA was
a trash heap in the day`s of Jesus, I must admit that the evdence is meagre
indeed. The trash heap tradition is Rabbinic. David Kimhi expressed the
view explicitly around 1200 CE and I remember having read a similar
expression from about 1000 CE. But I am not aware of any similar evidence
from a much earlier date. The OT information about GE HINNOM and the words
of Jesus about GEENNA accord with, or even suggest a rubbish heap, but the
evidence is in no way conclusive. I also remember an article I read some
years ago (perhaps in "Biblical Archaeologist") about someone digging in GE
HINNOM without finding any traces of trash or ashes. Adding the different
rabbinic and pseudepigraphic traditions about GEENNA to the uncertainty
whether the valley really was a trash heap, we have reasons to transcribe
the word and let the readers decide, rather than use even the relatively
neutral rendition that you suggested.
Regards
Rolf
Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo
furuli@online.no
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