Gloss or Matte Finish?

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, . . . Hebrews 1:1

Prophets/ Portions/ Ways – In the introduction to A Reader’s Hebrew Bible, Bryan Smith makes the point that there is a considerable difference between a gloss and a translation.  A gloss is a word in one language that substantially captures the word in another language.  For example, a gloss of bon voyage would be “good journey” but obviously the phrase means much more than this.  In translation, we would attempt to capture the full range of the meaning within the cultural context.  Then bon voyage becomes an expression that captures farewell, good luck, best wishes, etc.  When we translate Scripture, we try to capture the meaning of the original thought in a way that communicates that same thought in a new language.  When we provide a gloss for a word in Scripture, we are only attempting to give a summary word that represents the definition of the original.

What this means is that translations are both science and art since a translation must interpret the original meaning and convert it into the same meaning in the new language.  This often requires considerable alteration of the structure of the original language since some part of the meaning of language is also carried in the syntax (the arrangement of the words).  Often these secondary levels of meaning are lost in translation because the syntax is rearranged.  That’s exactly what’s happening in this verse in Hebrews.  The poetry hidden in the arrangement of the words in Greek disappears completely when the words are translated into English.

Here is the Greek text:  (Don’t worry about reading it correctly, just notice the repetition of the ‘p’ sound)  polumeros kai polutropos palai ‘o theos laleisas tois patrasin en tois propheitais.  In this opening verse, the author uses the ‘p’ sound five times.  This deliberate alliteration sets the stage for a poetic rendering of his meaning.  But when we translate this into English or some other language, all this alliteration is lost.  The original syntax, “in many parts and in many ways of old God spoke to the fathers in the prophets” (I have underlined the glosses that contain the ‘p’ sound) disappears with the rearrangement of the words into a proper English sentence.  While a translation might convey the meaning, it can’t convey the beauty of the original syntax.  More importantly, if the original syntax also conveys secondary meaning, the aesthetic delight is also lost.

If you aren’t completely confused by now (sorry), then you will realize that most of us read Scripture at only one level – the level of the meaning in translation.  What this little lesson demonstrates is that there are usually more levels, observable only in the original language.  This is especially true in Hebrew.  That’s why rabbinic commentary is a constant source of enlightenment.  Our job as careful readers of Scripture is to recapture this aesthetic level so that we can clearly articulate all that God stored up in His words.  That takes serious work and a healthy skepticism about translations.  As a general rule, there is always more in the text than a translation can provide.

What do we do about this, especially if we aren’t Greek and Hebrew scholars?  Well, the first thing is to be aware that there is probably more.  The second thing is to compare many translations to see if you can peek under the English text.  The third thing is to repair your deficiencies by studying reliable commentaries that deal with the original text.  And finally, dare to push the envelope.  Question everything until you are satisfied that you really do know what God was communicating.  Don’t rely on the preacher or the teacher (including me) to interpret God’s word for you.  SEEK HIM yourself.

There is an enormous storehouse of priceless discoveries awaiting those who seek.

Topical Index:  syntax, gloss, translation, Hebrews 1:1