Oh Father-Mother, Creator of the Cosmos?

It has been another interesting day in the world of Aramaic Studies. Browsing through Yahoo Answers, I found a link to a web page that had several really… ‘interesting’ translations of the Lord’s Prayer from the ‘original Aramaic’. This gave me such a headache that I had to come here and discuss it so those lucky enough to find this blog know what to look for and what not to trust.

The following is for academic purposes only. Let it be known in advance that I do not endorse these translations in any way as academic or faithful to any known Aramaic text. That being said… this is what I found:

Test 1: False

The Our Father Prayer

(in the original Aramaic)

Abwún

“O You, from whom comes the breath of life,

by bwaschmâja

who fills all realms with sound, light and vibration.

Nethkadasch schmach

May Your light be experienced in my holiest.

Malkuthach head.

Your Heavenly Domain draws near.

Nehwê tzevjânach aikâna d’bwaschmâja af b’arha.

Let Your will come true – in the universe (everything that vibrates)

just like on earth (which is material and dense).

Hawvlân lachma from sunkanân jaomâna.

Give us wisdom (understanding, assistance) for our daily needs,

Waschboklân chaubên wachtahên aikâna

daf chnân schwoken l’chaijabên.

unleash the chains of faults that bind us, (karma)

How we let go of the guilt of others.

Wela tachlan l’nesjuna

Let’s not get lost in superficial things (materialism, common temptations),

ela patzan min bischa.

but let’s get rid of what keeps us from our true purpose.

Metol dilachie malkutha wahaila wateschbuchta l’ahlâm almîn.

From You comes the will that works everything, the living force to act,

the song that beautifies everything and is renewed from age to age.

Amen.

Sealed in trust, faith and truth.

(I confirm it with all my being)

Exhibit 2: More false

Lord’s Prayer Translated from Aramaic

A translation of “Our Father” directly from Aramaic into English

Oh, cosmic Birther of all splendor and vibration. Soften the ground of our being and create a space within us where your Presence can dwell.

Fill us with your creativity so that we are empowered to bear the fruit of your mission.

May each of our actions bear fruit according to our desire.

Give us the wisdom to produce and share what each being needs to grow and flourish.

Untie the tangled threads of fate that bind us, as we free others from the tangle of past mistakes.

Let us not be seduced by what would distract us from our true purpose, but rather illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.

For you are the foundation and the fruitful vision, the birth, the power, and the fulfillment, as it all comes together and is completed once more.

Exhibit 3: “Translation” by Neil-Douglas Klotz

Lord’s Prayer, from the original Aramaic

Translation by Neil Douglas-Klotz in Prayers of the Cosmos

Oh I’m leaving! Father – Mother of the Cosmos

Focus your light within us – make it useful.

Create your kingdom of unity now-

Through our burning hearts and willing hands

Help us to love beyond our ideals

and sprout acts of compassion for all creatures.

Animates the earth within us: then

Feel the Wisdom below supporting everything.

untangle the knots within

so that we can mend the simple ties of our hearts with each other.

Don’t let superficial things fool us,

But deliver us from what holds us back from our true purpose.

From you, the amazing fire,

Returning light and sound to the cosmos.

Amen.

Exhibit 4: “Translation” by GJR Ouseley

Lords Prayer, Aramaic to Old English

G. J. R. Ouseley’s translation of The Gospel of the Holy Twelve

Our Father-Mother who art above and within:

Hallowed be Your Name in the double Trinity.

In Wisdom, Love and Equity Your Kingdom come to all.

Thy will be done, As in Heaven so on Earth.

Give us day after day partake of your holy bread and the fruit of the living vine.

Just as You forgive us our offenses, so let us forgive those who offend us.

Show us Your goodness, so that we can show the same to others.

In the hour of temptation, deliver us from evil.

amun.

The verdict:

What do all these “Translations” have in common? They exploit (whether intentionally or not) the unfortunate fact that the general public knows little or nothing about the language. From an academic point of view, these translations have as much in common as the actual Svenska with the cute and goofy babble of a certain adorable Muppet.

For the record, let it be known that I have absolutely no problem with mysticism and find it a valid expression of religion. However, I have a problem with misstatements, regardless of their origin. As such, I find these interpretations particularly disturbing but, if you take a step back, they are understandable from the point of view of their authors.

The point of mysticism (as I have come to see it) is to actively seek direct experience with the divine. As these interpretations are presented, I believe that we can understand to a great extent the religious experience and the conceptions of God and the cosmos of the authors of it. However, when working with a language under translation, a translator should do everything possible to rid himself of undue biases and try to convey a clear meaning of the text in question rather than the meaning that imply, impose or want to interpret.

This has really made religious texts a can of worms for translators, from ancient times to the present, as religious texts are what people look to to find inspiration for daily living, help in times of need, a sense of identity and (most importantly) the Divine. There are so many expectations, emotions, and theological implications that things can get cloudy and often heated (think of the Solo Movement in the King James Version or New World Translation).

It’s enough to give you a headache. 🙂

What does the sentence actually say?

I guess that is the next logical question. 🙂 However, before we can answer that question, we must first ask: “What ‘original’ Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic are we talking about?”

There are, unfortunately, several Aramaic versions that exist historically. By far the most famous is that found in the Syriac Peshitta. Usually, when someone refers to “original Aramaic”, they are talking about it. SAVAE (San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble) made a wonderful recording and It can be found here (it’s number 3 on the list and quite pretty).

The following is the version found in the Old Syriac Gospels (OS), a set of two manuscripts (the Sinaitic Palimpsest and the Curetonian texts) that are written in a dialect of Syriac older than the Peshitta and generally believed to be what the Peshitta was. Redacted at a later date (how much and in what way is up for debate, but the Peshitta is generally believed to have come from the OS that was edited to match Greek tradition at the time). The Oration, as found in the OS, is in a slightly different order and very slightly different wording (even between manuscripts); however, these differences are not much more than one would find between two modern Bible translations. They basically say the same thing.

The capture

Yes, there is a catch. 🙂 About the Peshitta and Old Syriac versions: they are written in Syriac Aramaic, a dialect that actually crystallized after the life of Jesus and in a different geographic location, so this would not be the exact language Jesus spoke in. would have used

In essence, the problem is that even these (including my text above) would not be the “original Aramaic” of the Lord’s Prayer.

I know of several reconstructions of the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic that would be very similar to the dialect Jesus would have used, given certain assumptions we make about it. However, those will come at a later date.

Stay tuned!