Abstract
In 13 passages of Ps 119(118) the substantive "law" and its synonyms always recur in connection to a word that describes the joy experience. In 8 of these verses appears the root “šʿʿ,” which means “to enjoy, to take pleasure in sthg.” Therefore in this Psalm it designates happiness and exultation aroused by adhesion to the Law. But, in the Septuagint's Version, this root is rendered by terms which completely disagree with the meaning of the TM ones: there are here μελέτη / μελετάω, that indicate rather the care and the diligence in living that Law. The analysis of literary structure and of theological perspective, allows to conclude that the Hebrew text, in these 8 verses, wasn't misunderstood by the LXX at all, and neither may you think that Greek translator depended on a different Hebrew original: on the contrary, he corrected the text of the verses deliberately, on the ground of his understanding of theology defined by the same. So the LXX interpret the TM freely, on the ground of overall meaning of the context.
Titolo tradotto del contributo | [Autom. eng. transl.] A semantic problem: the Greek translation of "šʿʿ" in some verses of Ps 119 (118) |
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Lingua originale | Italian |
pagine (da-a) | 35-58 |
Numero di pagine | 24 |
Rivista | RIVISTA BIBLICA |
Volume | 42 |
Stato di pubblicazione | Pubblicato - 1994 |
Pubblicato esternamente | Sì |
Keywords
- Bible Hebrew, Septuagint, Psalms, “šʿʿ,” joy, μελέτη / μελετάω, Law, care, diligence