www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship The Kliros Thinking about Translations and problems with them.....

David,

I have not seen Michael Asser's adaptation of the KJV Psalter, but have seen Coverdale. I will look per Archimandrite Irenei's thread, and proceed from there. I have to warn, though, that I am very busy with my secular job right now, and may not have much free time until late May or even June.

Stuart

Interesting.....
A few weeks ago I was surfing the Greek Orthodox website and ran across the English translation of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts http://www.goarch.org/chapel/liturgical_texts/lentenliturgies

In most of the applications instead of "unto ages of ages" they substitute "now and always and forever and ever"

As they are truly Greek, I assume that they know the language well and are qualified to interpret. In fairness I must add that the translation used in the Divine Liturgy is "unto ages of ages." Are they going through a transition?

Just remember that few Greeks can actually understand, speak or write liturgical Greek; and that technical translation of any sort requires more than just knowledge of the original language--it requires fluency and comprehension in the language into which the text is being translated, and also a profound understanding of the specific technical area involved. On that count, I wouldn't put much credence in the merits of any translation based solely on the presumed fluency of the translator. My wife tests and screens applicants for extremely difficult technical translator positions, and her experience is only the top five in reading comprehension--in English--have even a hope of making good translators into English.

No problem. I'm a patient guy. I'm wondering, though: Is the version of the Coverdale you've seen the self-published version I shared early on with Fr. Serge Keleher and John Vernoski, or the 2nd edition, published by Jordanville? They are substantially the same, but there were a gazillion corrections of typos, internal inconsistencies (different versions of the same prayer, for example), etc., in the printed edition.

I saw the original one, not the official Jordanville translation. If Jordanville is on line, I would like to down load it. If not, it would be a useful edition to own, and I would purchase it if Jordanville offers it through their on line catalogue.

It is for sale from Jordanville here

http://www.holytrinitypublications.com/Book/92/A_Psalter_for_Prayer.htm

But is it cheaper at Barnes & Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-p...&itm=1&usri=a+psalter+for+prayer

and at Amazon (where there are also some customer reviews)

http://www.amazon.com/Psalter-Prayer-Adaptation-Translation-Instructional/dp/0884651886

There are also reviews at

http://frbenedict.blogspot.com/2011/07/psalter-for-prayer.html

http://abbamoses.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/searching-for-a-psalter/

http://www.worldcat.org/title/psalt...034316&referer=brief_results#reviews

You can also get the electronic edition from the wholesale distributor at this site:

http://www.ipgbook.com/a-psalter-for-prayer-products-9780884651888.php

It works fine on my iPhone and iPad

David

I'm personally becoming a fan of New Skete's translation of the Psalms, minus a couple of unfortunate translation choices. But my preference is still for the DeVinck-Contas translation, again minus some unfortunate translation choices.

I should be getting an iPad a little later this month, so I may go for the e-book version.

I prefer Archimandrite Lazarus' (Moore) translation from the LXX now available once again in both print and electronic form. Unfortunately, the Psalter Prayers are not included but they do differ among the various Sister Churches.

The Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, PA, has published a handy booklet with the Prayers Before and After Reading the Psalter and the troparia and prayers for each kathisma, in a style of English consistent with Fr. Lazarus Moore's translation. I got my copy from St. Tikhon's Bookstore for $3.

FYI, I consulted Fr. Lazarus' translation constantly while preparing "A Psalter for Prayer", and it was my collaborator, Nikita Simmons, who digitized a rare copy of the 2nd edition and made it available on the web, after nearly a generation of being out of print.

David James

The digitized version of the LXX together with Archimandrite Lazarus' Gospels is available via LuLu.