Comparing Isaiah 25, various translations

In today's lesson while listening to the Selwyn evensong I noted a few issues with translating and I thought I would explore them a little more.

Should one pay attention to words? City vs town in verse 2. KJV and NRSV ignore the difference between city (yir) and town (qrh). NIV and NRSV ignore the difference between strength (KJV) and refuge. Refuge (ksh) is a totally different word from strength (yzz). Strength in verse 4 reflects the strong in verse 3. I think the translator should reflect the same stem in both Hebrew and English. There are some good arguments against concordant translation but they don't apply here.

But speaking of concordance, what is to be done with the word I have rendered as clutch? Why did I use this word? The translations are not confusing but explanatory. My rendering is a stumble to read. This word is used 38 times for the name Lot. It is used only 5 times in the sense of something that grasps and clothes you tightly. The 5 instances include two examples of 'clutching' the face, 1 Kings 19:13, Isaiah clutched his face in his majestic cape, and 2 Samuel 19:5, David clutches his face (perhaps with his hands) out of sadness at the death of Absalom. In 1 Samuel 21:10, the sword of Goliath is clutched in a shawl behind the ephod. So the word seems to signify a covering of some sort. It is all too easy to smooth the translation out so that no one hears the uniqueness of the usage any more. Translations typically allow this unique usage to be veiled in the English by using various synonyms for covering, shrouding, veiling the face. HALOT allows the synonym cover or wrap and makes no attempt to distinguish this from other words in Hebrew which are rendered as cover.

The following sentence has the word for a libation (spilling out) used as a noun. JB has invented a parallel, rendering nsc as shroud and enwrap. HALOT allows the synonym intertwine, weave and applies it to the phrase in Proverbs 8:23, wisdom formed or woven before before earth came into being, JB has firmly set. This seems to me to be pure invention. I am getting far afield here and my only solution to this problem at the moment is the one below. 

It seems from the next verse that this is a passage that has had an impact far beyond the prophet's immediate concern. Verse 8 is used by Revelation 7:15-16. Isaiah like Proverbs is talking about ultimates, one at one end of our imaginary time line and the other at its apogee in the other imagined direction. The problem is that the language supports the linearity of time assumed in our culture and religious thought, something even our science cannot define. I don't want to give up on this rare word lv't (לוט) just yet. I also don't want to invent another synonym for nsc (נסך) that makes me lose the sense of the libation poured out before the foundation of the world.

It shows my bias. I think I am into a model of time that emphasizes presence - specifically the presence of the sacrifice (spilling out) that is in our face always in the ways we fail to treat each other with justice, and the trouble that has us ever in its clutches, which we call sin resulting in death. This is dealt with, removing our reproach, says Isaiah, but how do we enter into it? How then, should we act? With the same overwhelmingly liberal prodigality which we observe in the created order, life in all its abundance.

So you don't understand my translation on first hearing. You can't pass over it with smooth synonyms. But it stops you in its tracks and you say (as I did) - what did he (I) write that for? That's why I think we should keep the bit about Moab in the lesson (but that's yet another subject while we pursue our economic 'realities'). The lesson omits the last three verses. Are these just all negative verses about Moab? Moab is an intensely important neighbour of Israel. After all, the mother of the line of David emerged from Moab. Is Isaiah simply boasting about Israel and the hill of Zion? I think this trivializes the prophet.

I am not going to solve these issues in a flash.

Isaiah 25
יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהַי֙ אַתָּ֔ה אֲרֽוֹמִמְךָ֙ אוֹדֶ֣ה שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֥י עָשִׂ֖יתָ פֶּ֑לֶא עֵצ֥וֹת מֵֽרָח֖וֹק אֱמ֥וּנָה אֹֽמֶן	a ihvh alohii ath arommç aodh wmç ci ywit pla yxot mrkoq amunh aomn	1 Yahweh, my God you are, I will exalt you. I will give thanks to your name, for you have done wonders, advice from afar, dependable faithfulness.
כִּ֣י שַׂ֤מְתָּ מֵעִיר֙ לַגָּ֔ל קִרְיָ֥ה בְצוּרָ֖ה לְמַפֵּלָ֑ה אַרְמ֤וֹן זָרִים֙ מֵעִ֔יר לְעוֹלָ֖ם לֹ֥א יִבָּנֶֽה	b ci wmt myir lgl qrih bxurh lmplh armon zrim myir lyolm la iibnh	2 For you have rendered a city to rubble, a fortified town fallen, a citadel to strangers from a city. Forever it will not be built.
עַל־כֵּ֖ן יְכַבְּד֣וּךָ עַם־עָ֑ז קִרְיַ֛ת גּוֹיִ֥ם עָרִיצִ֖ים יִירָאֽוּךָ	g yl-cn icbduç ym-yz qrit goiim yrixim iirauç	3 Therefore a strong people will glorify you. A town of ruthless nations will fear you.
כִּֽי־הָיִ֨יתָ מָע֥וֹז לַדָּ֛ל מָע֥וֹז לָאֶבְי֖וֹן בַּצַּר־ל֑וֹ מַחְסֶ֤ה מִזֶּ֙רֶם֙ צֵ֣ל מֵחֹ֔רֶב כִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ עָרִיצִ֖ים כְּזֶ֥רֶם קִֽיר	d ci-hiit myoz ldl myoz labion bxr-lo mksh mzrm xl mkorb ci ruk yrixim czrm qir	4 For you have been strength for the weak, strength for the needy in his straits, refuge from inundation, shade from the desert, for a wind of the ruthless is as an inundation of house walls.
כְּחֹ֣רֶב בְּצָי֔וֹן שְׁא֥וֹן זָרִ֖ים תַּכְנִ֑יעַ חֹ֚רֶב בְּצֵ֣ל עָ֔ב זְמִ֥יר עָֽרִיצִ֖ים יַעֲנֶֽה	h ckorb bxion waon zrim tcniy korb bxl yb zmir yrixim iynh	5 As desert in an arid place, the noise of strangers you will subdue. As desert in the shade of thick cloud, the pruning of the ruthless will be answered.
וְעָשָׂה֩ יְהוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת לְכָל־הָֽעַמִּים֙ בָּהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה מִשְׁתֵּ֥ה שְׁמָנִ֖ים מִשְׁתֵּ֣ה שְׁמָרִ֑ים שְׁמָנִים֙ מְמֻ֣חָיִ֔ם שְׁמָרִ֖ים מְזֻקָּקִֽים	v vywh ihvh xbaot lcl-hymim bhr hzh mwth wmnim mwth wmrim wmnim mmukiim wmrim mzuqqim	6 And Yahweh of hosts will make for all the peoples on this hill, a party of stout things, a party of dregs, stout things full of marrow, dregs purged.
וּבִלַּע֙ בָּהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה פְּנֵֽי־הַלּ֥וֹט ׀ הַלּ֖וֹט עַל־כָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים וְהַמַּסֵּכָ֥ה הַנְּסוּכָ֖ה עַל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם	z ubily bhr hzh pni-hlo't hlo't yl-cl-hymim vhmsch hnsuch yl-cl-hgoiim	7 And he will swallow up on this hill, the face of the clutch, the clutch over all the peoples, and the spilling out, the spilling out over all the nations.
בִּלַּ֤ע הַמָּ֙וֶת֙ לָנֶ֔צַח וּמָחָ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֧י יְהוִ֛ה דִּמְעָ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל כָּל־פָּנִ֑ים וְחֶרְפַּ֣ת עַמּ֗וֹ יָסִיר֙ מֵעַ֣ל כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר	k bily hmvvt lnxk umkh adonii ihvh dmyh myl cl-pnim vkrpt ymo isir myl cl-harx ci ihvh dibr	8 He will swallow up death in perpetuity, my Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from every face. And the reproach of his people he will put aside from all the earth, for Yahweh has spoken.
וְאָמַר֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא הִנֵּ֨ה אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ זֶ֛ה קִוִּ֥ינוּ ל֖וֹ וְיֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נוּ זֶ֤ה יְהוָה֙ קִוִּ֣ינוּ ל֔וֹ נָגִ֥ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֖ה בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹ	't vamr biom hhua hnh alohinu zh qivvinu lo viowiynu zh ihvh qivvinu lo ngilh vnwmkh biwuyto	9 And it will be said in that day, Behold this is our God. We have waited for him, and he will save us. This is Yahweh. we have waited for him. We will rejoice and be glad in his salvation.
כִּֽי־תָנ֥וּחַ יַד־יְהוָ֖ה בָּהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וְנָ֤דוֹשׁ מוֹאָב֙ תַּחְתָּ֔יו כְּהִדּ֥וּשׁ מַתְבֵּ֖ן בְּמ֥וֹ מַדְמֵנָֽה	i ci-tnuk id-ihvh bhr hzh vndow moab tktiv chduw mtbn bmo mdmnh	10 For the hand of Yahweh will rest on this hill, and Moab will be pounded under him as straw is pounded into compost.
וּפֵרַ֤שׂ יָדָיו֙ בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְפָרֵ֥שׂ הַשֹּׂחֶ֖ה לִשְׂח֑וֹת וְהִשְׁפִּיל֙ גַּֽאֲוָת֔וֹ עִ֖ם אָרְבּ֥וֹת יָדָֽיו	ia uprw idiv bqrbo cawr iprw hwokh lwkot vhwpil gavvto ym arbot idiv	11 And he will spread his hands within it, as the swimmer spreads to swim, and he will humble its pomp with what is lurking in his hands.
וּמִבְצַ֞ר מִשְׂגַּ֣ב חוֹמֹתֶ֗יךָ הֵשַׁ֥ח הִשְׁפִּ֛יל הִגִּ֥יעַ לָאָ֖רֶץ עַד־עָפָֽר	ib umbxr mwgb komotiç hwk hwpil hgiy larx yd-ypr	12 And from the enclosure of the retreat of your ramparts, he will press down, he will abase, he will touch to the earth, even dust.