Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
KCB - Mark 3:6
The KCB translates Mark 3:6 as follows:
«អ្នកខាងគណៈផារិស៊ីបានចេញទៅភ្លាម ហើយពិគ្រោះជាមួយអ្នកខាងគណៈហេរ៉ូឌ ដើម្បីរកវិធីសម្លាប់ព្រះអង្គ។»
απολεσωσιν in this verse has been translated as សម្លាប់
I think a word closer to the Greek (slightly broader) could be used.
G622
ἀπόλλυμι
apollumi
Thayer Definition:
1) to destroy
1a) to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin
1b) render useless
1c) to kill
1d) to declare that one must be put to death
1e) metaphorically to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell
1f) to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed
2) to destroy
2a) to lose
While “kill” I believe is not far off the meaning here – the Greek word used has other meanings besides just “killing” someone – but in this case I believe it also had to do with the Pharisees wanting not only to kill Jesus but “destroy” His whole following in the process (ruin Him, or destroy Him are words in English that do well).
That being said I suggest the following re-translations:
«អ្នកខាងគណៈផារិស៊ីបានចេញទៅភ្លាម ហើយពិគ្រោះជាមួយអ្នកខាងគណៈហេរ៉ូឌ ដើម្បីរកវិធីធ្វើឲ្យព្រះអង្គវិនាស។»
or
«អ្នកខាងគណៈផារិស៊ីបានចេញទៅភ្លាម ហើយពិគ្រោះជាមួយអ្នកខាងគណៈហេរ៉ូឌ ដើម្បីរកវិធីកំទេចព្រះអង្គ។»
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
KCB - Mark 2:28
I think through this translation, some of the meaning of the Greek is lost.
Here is a Greek Interlinear to help:
ωστε 5620[SO THEN, ដូច្នេះ] κυριος 2962[LORD, ម្ចាស់] εστιν 2076(5748)[IS, គឺជា] ο 3588 υιος 5207 του 3588[THE SON, កូនប្រុស] ανθρωπου 444[OF MAN, មនុស្ស] και 2532[ALSO, ហើយ] του 3588 σαββατου 4521[THE SABBATH, ថ្ងៃសប្ប័ទ]
Some general info about Greek to help in regards to why I feel that some of the meaning has been lost in the KCB translation of this verse:
1) Due to the linear nature of the Greek language, in general, words at the beginning of a sentence/clause
have more prominence than words at the end.
2) Emphasis in Greek is oftentimes shown by words occurring out of their customary order in relation to
other words in the sentence.
As you can see in the Greek, "κυριος" shows as the second word in the verse – and if you took off "και του σαββατου" (also the Sabbath) the sentence would still be complete and make sense.
But in the KCB translation – you cannot separate, «ថ្ងៃសប្ប័ទ» from the sentence because it would not make sense. I feel like in this verse Jesus is not only stating that He is Lord of the Sabbath but is stating, “I am Lord. And Lord of the Sabbath as well.” (and this translation or separation of being “Lord” and not only the “Lord of the Sabbath” is supported by all the major English translations [the NASB translates it, "So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." using the word, “even” to state He is Lord, and also Lord over the Sabbath).
In this Khmer translation (and the other Khmer Bibles as well) all we can get from this verse is that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath – we don't know if He is Lord over anything else. But in fact, here in this verse, looking at the Greek, Jesus makes a blanket statement and adds on to that blanket statement that the Sabbath is included in that blanket statement – mainly, that He is Lord and also Lord of the Sabbath.
In Khmer I cannot think of any way other than this (adding quite a few extra words), to translate the verse and still keep the same meaning as is in the Greek – but I think if someone else who is more experienced were to take time, they could come up with something better:
«ដូច្នេះ កូនមនុស្សគឺជាម្ចាស់ ហើយជាម្ចាស់លើថ្ងៃសប្ប័ទផងដែរ»
Friday, April 21, 2006
KCB - Mark 2:15
Mark 2:15
The only thing I would change in this verse is the addition of, "របស់ទ្រង់" in the phrase, "ព្រះយេស៊ូ និងពួកសិស្សដែរ" (it is in the Greek like this, “ιησου 2424[JESUS, ព្រះយេស៊ូ] και 2532 τοις 3588[AND, និង] μαθηταις 3101 αυτου 846[HIS DISCIPLES, ពួកសិស្សរបស់ទ្រង់])
But beyond that, I wanted to take this opportunity to speak about the definition given for the word, "មនុស្សបាប"
I realize, all the Khmer Bible versions translate the word, “αμαρτωλοι [sinners]” here as "មនុស្សបាប"
Some other places in the Old Khmer version it is rendered as "ពួកមានបាប" (James 4:8)
In the Khmer Standard Version, as "អ្នកមានបាប" (Galatians 2:15)
But I think in translating the word differently in each place, some of the meaning is lost – which is shown in what has been said in the definition given by the KCB «មនុស្សបាប» មិនមែនជាអស់អ្នកដែលបានធ្វើបាបសំខានៗទេ ប៉ុន្តែ ជាពពួកមនុស្សដូចជា ពួកអ្នកទារពន្ធដែលពួកមេដឹកនាំសាសនាបានស្អប់ដោយព្រោះការមិនគោរពតាមច្បាប់សាសនារបស់ពួកគេ ជាពិសេសវិន័យដែលហាមឃាត់មិនអោយ បរិភោគអាហារជាមួយពួកសាសន៏ដទៃ។
Which translated into English goes something like: “Sinners” does not mean everyone who has committed some big sin but rather it refers to people such as tax-collectors who the religious leaders hated because the tax-collectors did not follow their religious laws, especially the law that commanded them not to eat with gentiles.
The problem with this definition is that it limits the word to the extent that the reader might start thinking like a Pharisee. This definition is what Pharisees called a “sinner” but not what God defined sinners as. I believe the definition should be changed to say something like, “when the Pharisees and Scribes used the term, “sinners”, it did not mean everyone who had committed some big sin, but rather...”
That way it would not harm the readers understanding of God's perspective – that we all all sinners (a form of the same word in Greek is found in Romans 5:8 which says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”).
I also think that if one word is used for almost all of the instances of ἁμαρτωλός that it would be a major improvement in the Khmer Bible translations.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
KCB - Mark 2:8-9
Mark 2:8-9
៨ «ព្រះអង្គឈ្វេងយល់ក្នុងវិញ្ញាណភ្លាមពីគំនិតគេ ព្រះអង្គក៏មានបន្ទូលទៅកាន់គេថា ៖ «ហេតុអ្វីបានជាអ្នករាល់គ្នាគិតក្នុងចិត្តដូច្នេះ? ៩ តើការដែលនិយាយទៅកាន់អ្នកស្លាប់ដៃជើងថា ៖ «អំពើបាបរបស់អ្នកបានទទួលការលើកលែងទោសហើយ» និងការដែលនិយាយថា ៖ «ចូរក្រោកឡើង យកកន្ទេលអ្នកដើរទៅ» មួយណាស្រួលជាង?»
My only concerns in verse 8 are the words, "ព្រះអង្គ" and the location of, "ភ្លាម"
In the Greek “ιησους” is used (meaning Jesus) but it has been translated as, "ព្រះអង្គ".
I don't feel like there is any reason to do that – I would change it to "ព្រះយេស៊ូ"
Second, the location of "ភ្លាម"
In the Greek verse 8 starts with, “ και 2532 [AND, ហើយ] ευθυς 2117 [IMMEDIATELY, ភ្លាមនោះ]”
In other places where this phrase is at the beginning of a verse the KCB has translated the phrase as “ភ្លាមនោះ" or as “ហើយភ្លាមនោះ" (1:12, 18, 20, 23...) so I am not sure why the translators chose to change their translation in this case (it does not seem any different that any of the other cases, warranting a different translation). Also the in the Greek "ព្រះអង្គ" is not present in the phrase as the translators have translated it, “ព្រះអង្គក៏មានបន្ទូល....”, so I would remove that because I don't feel it takes away from the Khmer, and it allows the translation to better follow the Greek.
I believe putting “ភ្លាមនោះ" at the beginning would not interfere with the Khmer, and also allow the text to be closer to the Greek (also, the way it is right now, it could almost mean that the thought traveled really fast into Jesus' spirit, but if put at the beginning of the sentence it would correctly guide the reader to understand that right after the scribes had those thoughts Jesus knew).
Here is my re-translation of verse 8:
ហើយភ្លាមនោះ ព្រះយេស៊ូបានឈ្វេងយល់ក្នុងវិញ្ញាណរបស់ទ្រង់ពីគំនិតគេ ក៏មានបន្ទូលទៅកាន់គេថា ៖ «ហេតុអ្វីបានជាអ្នករាល់គ្នាគិតក្នុងចិត្តដូច្នេះ?
In verse 9, my concerns are again about sentence order. The way the translation is currently seems top heavy and hard to read. Also, the phrase, "យកកន្ទេលអ្នកដើរទៅ" to me does not sound complete, so I changed the wording, doing my best to follow the Greek as well as get the Khmer correct. To me, it seems as if the question is split in two, so I feel like it should be put at the end to help it be clear in Khmer.
To start, here's a Greek/English Interlinear with Khmer added:
τι 5101[WHICH, តើមួយណា] εστιν 2076(5748)[IS, គឺជា] ευκοπωτερον 2123[EASIER, ស្រួលជាង] ειπειν 2036(5629)[TO SAY, និយាយ] τω 3588[TO THE, ទៅកាន់] παραλυτικω 3885[PARALYTIC, អ្នកស្លាប់ដៃជើង] αφεωνται 863(5769)[HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, បានទទួលការលើកលែងទោសហើយ] σοι 4671 αι 3588[THEE "THY", អ្នក] αμαρτιαι 266[SINS, អំពើបាប] η 2228[OR, ឬ] ειπειν 2036(5629)[TO SAY, និយាយ] εγειραι 1453(5669)[ARISE, ក្រោកឡើង] και 2532[AND, ហើយ] αρον 142(5657)[TAKE UP, ស្រវា] σου 4675 τον 3588[THY, របស់អ្នក] κραββατον 2895[COUCH, កន្ទេល] και 2532[AND, ហើយ] περιπατει 4043(5720)[WALK?, ដើរ?]
Here is my re-translation (putting the question at the end, in order to keep things clear in Khmer):
ការនិយាយទៅកាន់អ្នកស្លាប់ដៃជើងថា ៖ «អំពើបាបរបស់អ្នកបានទទួលការលើកលែងទោសហើយ» ឬនិយាយថា ៖ «ចូរក្រោកឡើង យកកន្ទេលរបស់អ្នក ហើយដើរទៅ» តើមួយណាងាយស្រួលនិយាយជាង?
KCB - Mark 2:4
Mark 2:4
The KCB translates Mark 2:4 as follows, «ប៉ុន្តែដោយសារមានមនុស្សច្រើនកកកុញពេក គេមិនអាចនាំមនុស្សស្លាប់ដៃជើងនោះទៅខាងក្នុងបានទេ គេក៏រើដំបូលចំកន្លែងដែលព្រះអង្គនៅ លុះបានរើហើយ ក៏សំរូតមនុស្សស្លាប់ដៃជើងដែលកំពុងដេកលើកន្ទេលនោះចុះ»
In this verse there are words that are left out and added words (I put them in italics) that could be changed to be more faithful to the Greek.
Here is a Greek/English Interlinear with Khmer added to help:
και 2532[AND, ហើយ] μη 3361[NOT, មិន] δυναμενοι 1410(5740)[BEING ABLE, អាច] προσεγγισαι 4331(5658)[TO COME NEAR, ទៅដល់] αυτω 846[TO HIM, ព្រះអង្គ] δια 1223[ON ACCOUNT OF, ដោយសារ] τον 3588 οχλον 3793[THE CROWD, ហ្វូងមនុស្សនោះ] απεστεγασαν 648(5656)[THEY UNCOVERED, គេបានបើក] την 3588στεγην 4721[THE ROOF, ដំបូល] οπου 3699[WHERE, នៅកន្លែង] ην 2258(5713)[HE WAS, ព្រះអង្គគង់] και 2532[AND, ហើយ] εξορυξαντες 1846(5660)[HAVING BROKEN UP "IT", បានបែកហើយ] χαλωσιν 5465(5719)[THEY LET DOWN, សំរូត] τον 3588 κραββατον 2895[THE COUCH, កន្ទេល] εφ 1909[ON, នៅលើ] ω 3739[WHICH, ដែល] ο 3588 παραλυτικος 3885[THE PARALYTIC, មនុស្សស្លាប់ដៃជើង] κατεκειτο 2621(5711)[WAS LYING, ដេក]
As you can see, in the Greek there is no, "ទៅខាងក្នុងបានទេ" but rather something like, "ទៅដល់ព្រះអង្គបានទេ"
If we were to translate in a strict way, it might come out something like this (added words in italics):
«ហើយគេមិនអាចទៅដល់ព្រះអង្គដោយសារហ្វូងមនុស្សនោះ ដូច្នេះគេបានបើកដំបូលនៅកន្លែងដែលព្រះអង្គគង់ លុះបានបែកហើយ គេសំរូតកន្ទេលដែលមនុស្សស្លាប់ដៃជើងដេកនៅលើចុះ»
Though my translation of this verse is quite rough – it is just to say that I believe this passage can be more faithful to the Greek than it currently is.
Any comments or thoughts?
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
KSV (Khmer Standard Version)
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
KCB - Mark 1:45
«ប៉ុន្តែ បុរសនោះបានចេញទៅ រួចក៏ចាប់ផ្តើមប្រកាសពីកិច្ចការជាច្រើន និងបានផ្សព្វផ្សាយអំពីរឿងនេះ ដូច្នេះហើយព្រះអង្គក៏មិនអាចយាងចូលទៅក្នុងក្រុងដោយចំហបានទៀតឡើយ ប៉ុន្តែព្រះអង្គគង់នៅខាងក្រៅក្រុងត្រង់កន្លែងស្ងាត់ៗ ហើយមនុស្សម្នាពីគ្រប់ទិសទីបានមករកព្រះអង្គ។»
I felt like this translation deviated from the original Greek farther than most of the passages in the KCB and also caused a couple of things to be unclear in the Khmer.
Here is a Greek Interlinear (with Khmer added) to help:
ο 3588 δε 1161[BUT HE, ប៉ុន្តែគាត់] εξελθων 1831(5631)[HAVING GONE OUT, បានចេញទៅ] ηρξατο 756(5662)[BEGAN, ចាប់ផ្តើម] κηρυσσειν 2784(5721)[TO PROCLAIM "IT", ប្រកាស “វា”] πολλα 4183[MUCH, ច្រើន] και 2532[AND, ហើយ] διαφημιζειν 1310(5721)[TO SPREAD ABROAD, ផ្សព្វផ្សាយ] τον 3588[THE] λογον 3056[MATTER, រឿង] ωστε 5620[SO THAT, ដូច្នេះហើយ] μηκετι 3371[NO LONGER, មិនបានទៀតឡើយ ] αυτον 846[HE, ទ្រង់] δυνασθαι 1410(5738)[WAS ABLE, អាច] φανερως 5320[OPENLY, ដោយចំហ] εις 1519[INTO "THE",ទៅក្នុង] πολιν 4172[CITY, ក្រុង] εισελθειν 1525(5629)[TO ENTER;, យាងចូល] αλλ 235[BUT, ប៉ុន្តែ] εξω 1854[OUTSIDE, ខាងក្រៅ] εν 1722[IN, នៅក្នុង] ερημοις 2048[DESERTED, រហោ] τοποις 5117[PLACES, ឋាន] ην 2258(5713)[WAS, នៅ] και 2532[AND, ហើយ] ηρχοντο 2064(5711)[THEY CAME, គេបានមក] προς 4314[TO, ដល់] αυτον 846[HIM, ទ្រង់] πανταχοθεν 3836[FROM EVERY QUARTER, ពីគ្រប់ទិសទី]
And here is a list of changes that I feel should be made:
1) "ប្រកាសពីកិច្ចការជាច្រើន" – I feel there is no reason to add "ពីកិច្ចការ" being that there is no equivelent in the Greek, and that it does not help the Khmer to come out more clear (in both cases, with "ពីកិច្ចការ" being included and without it, the question would still arise in the reader's mind, “What did he proclaim, what work did he proclaim?” which I believe is not a problem (nor does Khmer grammar demand it that I know of), they only need to read farther in the verse to find out, as a reader of the Greek would have to do. English translations normally add the word “it” here but I don't think it is needed in the Khmer, and therefore can better follow the Greek than English allows.
2) "និងបាន" I don't think there is a need to use "បាន" here again being that it was already used in the beginning of the verse, "បានចេញទៅ" and by not using it again it better follows the Greek.
3) "អំពីរឿងនេះ" The author is now speaking outside the story; the event (story) had already taken place (not like the quote from Jesus which uses "នេះ" when He refers to the event) and so I believe this should be translated as, "អំពីរឿងនោះ"
4) "ដូច្នេះហើយ" – I don't believe this translation is the best choice in the context for the word, “ωστε” - this is a minor issue, but I feel like the phrase, "រហូតទាល់តែ" is a better reading (an English equivalent might be something like, “to such an extent that”
5) "ព្រះអង្គគង់នៅ" - The KCB chose to translate, “ην” to include "ព្រះអង្គ" but again I don't see this as a necessary addition, being that in Khmer it is understood that it was Jesus who “was there”.
6) "គង់នៅខាងក្រៅក្រុង" – The word "ក្រុង" is not in the Greek, nor do I feel it is needed in order to make the translation clear – I suggest the following translation with the addition of "បាន" to ensure readability: "បានគង់នៅខាងក្រៅ"
7) "ត្រង់កន្លែងស្ងាត់ៗ" - This is minor but I feel a better translation of, “ερημοις τοποις” would be, "រហោឋាន" though the meaning of the phrase in the KCB is very close with this alternate translation.
8) "មនុស្សម្នា" - the addition of "ម្នា" I think should be removed being that in the Greek there is no specifier as to what “type” of people were coming to Christ (the word "ម្នា" modifies the word “មនុស្ស" [people] and makes it out to be only common people, but most likely there were rich people as well).
9) "មនុស្សម្នាពីគ្រប់ទិសទី" - I believe the phrase, "ពីគ្រប់ទិសទី" can and should be moved to the end of the verse in order to better follow the Greek word order.
10) "បានមករកព្រះអង្គ" – I believe this translation lends itself to be misunderstood. Did the people only search/look for Jesus or did they find Him? I suggest the following re-translation in order to remove any confusion (being that the Greek clearly states they “ηρχοντο” [came] to Jesus: "បានមកឯព្រះអង្គ"
A side note is the KCB's usage of the word "ព្រះអង្គ". I do not fully understand why it is used so frequently when a word like ទ្រង់ could be used (and to me, that word seems more “natural”). Anyone have some insight into the reasons behind this?
Putting all these suggestions together – I believe the translation should be something like this:
«ប៉ុន្តែ បុរសនោះបានចេញទៅ រួចក៏ចាប់ផ្តើមប្រកាសជាច្រើន និងផ្សព្វផ្សាយអំពីរឿងនោះ រហូតទាល់តែព្រះអង្គមិនអាចយាងចូលទៅក្នុងក្រុងដោយចំហបានទៀតឡើយ ប៉ុន្តែបានគង់នៅខាងក្រៅ ត្រង់ទីរហោឋាន ហើយមនុស្សបានមកឯព្រះអង្គពីគ្រប់ទិសទី។»
KCB - Mark 1:44
«ចូរប្រយ័ត្ន កុំនិយាយរឿងនេះប្រាប់អ្នកណាអោយសោះ ប៉ុន្តែត្រូវទៅបង្ហាញខ្លួនដល់សង្ឃ ហើយថ្វាយតង្វាយសម្រាប់ការដែលអ្នកបានជាស្អាត ដូចលោកម៉ូសេបានបង្គាប់ ដើម្បីជាបន្ទាល់ដល់មនុស្សទាំងឡាយ»។
I believe this text is more difficult than others (as far as keeping the Khmer in order with the Greek, mainly because of grammar differences in both languages), but I do feel there are some things that can be changed in order to better follow the Greek as well as help make things clear in Khmer.
Here is a Greek Interlinear to help (Khmer added):
και 2532[AND, ហើយ] λεγει 3004(5719)[SAYS, មានបន្ទូលថា] αυτω 846[TO HIM, ទៅគាត់] ορα 3708(5720)[BEWARE, ចូរប្រយ័ត្ន] μηδενι 3367[TO NO ONE, ទៅនរណាម្នាក់ឲ្យសោះ] μηδεν 3367[ANYTHING(LIT. NOTHING), អ្វីមួយ] ειπης 2036(5632)[THOU SPEAK; និយាយ] αλλ 235[BUT, ប៉ុន្តែ] υπαγε 5217(5720)[GO, ទៅ] σεαυτον 4572[THYSELF, ខ្លួនឯង] δειξον 1166(5657)[SHEW, បង្ហាញ] τω 3588[TO THE, ទៅ] ιερει 2409[PRIEST, សង្ឃ] και 2532[AND, ហើយ] προσενεγκε 4374(5628)[OFFER, ថ្វាយ] περι 4012 του 3588[FOR, សម្រាប់] καθαρισμου 2512 σου 4675[THY CLEANSING, ការដែលអ្នកបានជាស្អាត] α 3739[WHAT, អ្វី] προσεταξεν 4367(5656)[ORDERED, បានបង្គាប់] μωσης 3475[MOSES, លោកម៉ូសេ] εις 1519[FOR THE RESULT OF, ដើម្បី] μαρτυριον 3142[A TESTIMONY, បន្ទាល់] αυτοις 846[TO THEM, ដល់គេ]
Here are some suggestions along with some problems that I see:
1) "ប៉ុន្តែត្រូវទៅ" - I don't see any need for "ត្រូវ" to be in this phrase, being that it is already a statement of what the man needs to do – but this is minor.
2) "ថ្វាយតង្វាយ" – The Khmer here does not wholly follow the Greek (being that the word, “α” does not show up as being directly translated [literally it means, “what” [អ្វី]). But I feel that the KCB has done a good translation of the Greek into the Khmer, being that a more direct translation causes more confusion, and should stay as it is (one could translate it, "ថ្វាយអ្វីដែលលោកម៉ូសេបានបង្គាប់" but I do not think either one is better than the other, probably about the same).
3) "ដល់មនុស្សទាំងឡាយ" – To me this seems a clumsy translation of the word, “αυτοις” – I would suggest this instead: "ដល់គេ" or "ដល់ពួកគេ"
Here is a suggested re-translation:
«ចូរប្រយ័ត្ន កុំនិយាយរឿងនេះប្រាប់អ្នកណាអោយសោះ ប៉ុន្តែទៅបង្ហាញខ្លួនដល់សង្ឃ ហើយថ្វាយតង្វាយសម្រាប់ការដែលអ្នកបានជាស្អាត ដូចលោកម៉ូសេបានបង្គាប់ ដើម្បីជាបន្ទាល់ដល់គេ»។



