Certainly this must have been mentioned on other blogs but I haven’t seen anything about it yet. There is a New Testament translation called The Bible as Poetry. Information and a sample chapter of Matthew can be found at BibleasPoetry.com.
The translation was done by Phil Ward. The format is unique. There is a gutter to the left which has verse numbers so they aren’t in the way of the text. The text is formatted as poetry. Since obviously not all of the Bible is poetry, I’m not sure how I feel about this, but the formatting can highlight certain relationships between phrases. The translation is somewhat on the literal side but without archaic language which is really nice. To the right of the translation are the footnotes so that you don’t have to look at the bottom of the page.
See the site for other details on the features it has.
Since there is only one translator, including for the footnotes, care needs to be taken in reading. But I find that this translation is interesting enough to be enjoyable to read and when I find something I want to verify, it gives me ideas for things to look into further.
I was given a pre-release sample of the whole New Testament. Here is a sample passage without the formatting. I like the translation.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 Bible as Poetry
27 But God chose the world‘s fools
to shame the wise.
God chose the world‘s weak
to shame the strong.
28 And God chose the world‘s lowly
and despised
(those without status) –
to eliminate status.
29 So no one can boast
I’d like to know what your comments are based on the sample of Matthew.
Liking your new theme. But needs some getting use to.
It’s just temporary.
Well, you’re back to the old one. Ha!
What do you think of the translation?
Jeff, I was contacted by Phil Ward with the review copy as well. I’ve been reading it, and I was planning to write about it in about a week when I’ve familiarised myself with it a little more. Just so you know you’re not alone!
It strikes me mostly as an unpoetic translation arrayed as poetry.
There’s actually interesting research relating to this. Breaking up lines of prose in arbitrary places to make it look like poetry makes readers think the prose it better than they otherwise would. (You can try this in any class of undergraduates. Take a short paragraph of, say, Aristotle, that the students haven’t seen, and prepare two versions: one in paragraph form, the other with random breaks and indentations. Then ask the students to rate the writing. You’ll see quite a difference.)
-Joel
I got a copy too. From what I’ve read I don’t like it. I don’t like the layout of the pages, the concept that the entire NT is poetry, the notes, or the translation. Also, have you read the endorsements on the website? It’s more than a little hokey that no names are given. The endorsements of “63 year old” and “PhD Scholar” don’t exactly make me want to run out and purchase this thing.
Good to know Damian.
Joel I don’t understand why the want to break it up into poetry format.
Nick, I do like some of the translation but I haven’t read a lot of it yet, just some passages I have memorized outside of Matthew since he gave me a review copy. Since I have no real knowledge of Greek I can’t review it from that standpoint on a critical level but I may look things up in it when I’m comparing a lot of translations.
I do think some of the stuff on the web page is hokey and doesn’t do much for an audience like us. No translator information is not good either. His effort is certainly genuine though.
I’m going to put up another post with some more info.
Jeff
Joel, makes a good point.
If the fellow is being creative, then so be but, but to make a serious and scholarly contention for such, is insane.
I too got an email and looked at the website, but I’m not too impressed, either.
Where’s my copy? I didn’t get any email. (hmmph!)
That’s okay, anyway, because I don’t have time to look at something that has been finished and settled since 1611.
[kidding!]
Seriously, Jeff, this is interesting – thanks for keeping those of us who did not get a preview copy informed.
Blessings,
Derek
You’re welcome Derek. I’m going to keep looking at it.
Jeff
Nick Norelli says that it is “a little hokey” that no names were given in testimonies on the http://www.BibleAsPoetry.com website.
Sorry, mate! We’re Aussies! And that testimonial list was shown to several dozen Australians before it went on line. None of them thought it was in any way “hokey” that we didn’t use the people’s names. In Australia we would never think that a Christian organisation would fake anything like that.
However, when we post the next set of testimonials, we will be sure to include people’s names… and their mother’s maiden name too, if that pleases you .