The word psalms is derived from the Greek: Psalmoi, originally meaning "songs sung to a harp", from psallein "play on a stringed instrument", Ψαλμοί. -- Wikipedia
The psalms are said to be beautiful, poetry-like songs. Inspiring. Uplifting. Spiritual.
Like this beautiful ditty from the bible: Psalm 137:9
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
Well, now.... Wait a minute.... That can't be right. This is meant to be sung accompanied by a HARP?!
I know, I know -- that was the King James Version. Maybe it's a bad translation -- ya know, a less uplifting version of the bible....
Other versions must present this psalm correctly. Ya know, more inspiring. More harp-worthy.
Let's see....
New American Standard Bible
How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones Against the rock.
GOD'S WORD Translation
Blessed is the one who grabs your little children and smashes them against a rock.
American King James Version
Happy shall he be, that takes and dashes your little ones against the stones.
American Standard Version
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones Against the rock.
Bible in Basic English
Happy is the man who takes your little ones, crushing them against the rocks.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Blessed be he that shall take and dash thy little ones against the rock.
Darby Bible Translation
Happy he that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.
English Revised Version
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.
Webster's Bible Translation
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
World English Bible
Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock. By David.
And, my fave of this medley of melodies . . .
Young's Literal Translation
O the happiness of him who doth seize, And hath dashed thy sucklings on the rock!
Ahhhhh..... Those are MUCH better. (Imagine them sung to the tune of "This Land Is Your Land" -- you'll see just how BEAUTIFUL this psalm can be.....)
- T
[thanks to bible.cc for the quotes!]
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3 comments:
I used to attend a Unitarian Universalist "church" that rented space from another church on Sunday afternoons. They had a bible on display on the altar in front, opened to Psalm 23. (Ick!) I changed it so that it was open on this Psalm. Eventually I left the UU church but in the year before I did noone seemed to notice the change I'd made. Every time I checked and saw that it was still on Psalm 137 I got a little giddy.
Well done at taking one stanza of nine out of context to make it sound so much worse than it is. Hope you're proud of that.
Incidentally to put the entire psalm itself into context, it's from the fire and brimstone, eye for an eye, trials of job, twelve plagues on egypt old testament. Someone (zionist) cursing their longterm captors and enslavors (babylonians) that "i'd love to get back at you by smashing your baby on a rock" is chickenfeed in comparison.
If you've been kidding yourself that much from that era of biblical writing was rainbows and unicorns then it's time you stopped. The far prechristian flavour of judaism was pretty savage, matching the times in which it was incubated.
No, tahrey, I am neither proud nor ashamed. It isn't my bible. I worship neither it nor the supposed sky wizard who wrote it. I'm simply commenting on some of the content that christians seem to conveniently ignore because it's distasteful to them.
I do, though, find it despicable when so many around me insist it is a just and loving and 'divine' book. Bullshit.
So, let's break this down: you say this ISN'T the writing of god, then? You're saying it is the cursing of jews who didn't like living in Egypt? Then I guess you're saying not all of the bible is written by god? Blasphemy in some parts, tahrey. Blasphemy.
I see a huge contradiction between what christians say when they like what's in the book and what they say about it when they don't like what's written.
And lastly -- if it IS truly the word of your god, then this is the most disgusting thing to suggest anyone should do. Even if they were disappointed with their lot in life and didn't like the enslavement they were enduring, there is no reason to even contemplate throwing innocent children against boulders. Fight back against your enslavers, protest, riot, punish those who have hurt you. Or, maybe just up and leave already. But DON'T hurt innocent children, folks.
Today I'd call CPS on any neighbor who was cranky about their situation and threatened to do this to their kids. In fact, I seem to remember a number of times this has happened recently -- usually disgruntled christians. (The Neumann family in Wisconsin, Andrea Yates in Texas, Susan Smith of South Carolina, Deanna Laney of Texas, Christina Riggs of Arkansas -- need I go on...?)
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