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Tuesday 9 November 2021

Wisdom's call

I could not write an oratorio about creation without including something from Proverbs 8. The first verses here are 1-4, an allegretto, strangely enough. Not every set of verses presents itself as recitative. The cymbal and wood blocks are an insistent invitation. Then there is an aria based on Proverbs 8:22-24, 27, 29-31. One thing I have noticed is that there are a large number of words in the Biblical song and one has to select representative texts for one's libretto. The aria is a duet between soprano and alto. Finally we finish with a choral conclusion verses 32, 34, and 35. I have put the chapter below from verses 22-35 to show what I left out as well. (Reminder - the whole score is here.)

Performing this work requires not only a musical commitment but an artistic and theological commitment as well. Would it be worth the effort? How would people react to the translation? Given the music is derived from the word itself, what would people think who are not musicians or are even anti-music? 

As usual the recurring words show the rhetorical focus of the chapter. The final recurring word is 'find'. Wisdom is an active force seeking a response. We too are to seek her. I see that verses 1-4 are not in the full score in their primitive form so I have reproduced them below. The application of the deciphering key for these signs above and below the text always produces a suitable musical line.

Proverbs 8:1-4 interpreting the deciphering key of Suzanne Haïk-Vantoura

It has been a while since I have worked with the music, so I am reminding myself both of the basic concepts and of the work I did to arrange these. I will need to explain myself if anyone gets interested in performing them, and I will need to be able to make changes. For a full introduction to the music, please see my book, The Song in the Night, available through this link.

I read some stuff this morning while preparing the carnival on textual criticism. 'How You Can Know We Have the Right Books in the Bible.' Impressive new site on first glance. This article sounds circular to me. There may be enough circles to define a centre - I haven't pushed the article too much. My intro to The Song in the Night on the sale page says this about what is 'right' and about 'knowing': 

How valuable it is to hear the Word of the Most High with its tone of voice, and realize that it is not the same voice that we have imagined. It is, of course, a voice of kindness, a voice of truth, a voice of love, and a voice of grief, calling all creation into everlasting praise.

I would just say - don't read without music - and don't imagine you are 'right'. You might not be. 

Proverbs 8

The opening of Proverbs 8:1-4

Wisdom's call
Syllables: 59. Words: 27. Roots: 24. Root Recurrence: 22%. Average per verse: 1.5.
הֲלֹֽא־חָכְמָ֥ה תִקְרָ֑א
וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלָֽהּ
1 Does not wisdom call,
and understanding give her voice?
a hloa-kcmh tqra
utbunh titn qolh
6
7
h/la kcm\h t/qra
vt/bvn\h tt\n qvl\h
בְּרֹאשׁ־מְרוֹמִ֥ים עֲלֵי־דָ֑רֶךְ
בֵּ֖ית נְתִיב֣וֹת נִצָּֽבָה
2 At the head, from the high ground, by a way,
the house of pathways, she stands firm.
b braw-mromim yli-drç
bit ntibot nixbh
8
7
b/raw m/rvm\im yl\i drc
bit nt\ibvt nxb\h
לְיַד־שְׁעָרִ֥ים לְפִי־קָ֑רֶת
מְב֖וֹא פְתָחִ֣ים תָּרֹֽנָּה
3 From the hand at the gates, to the edge of the town,
she shouts at the entrance of the doors.
g lid-wyrim lpi-qrt
mboa ptkim tronh
8
8
l/id wyr\im l/p\i qr\t
m/bva ptk\im t/rn\h
אֲלֵיכֶ֣ם אִישִׁ֣ים אֶקְרָ֑א
וְ֝קוֹלִ֗י אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם
4 To each and every one of you I call,
and my voice is to the children of humanity.
d alicm aiwim aqra
vqoli al-bni adm
7
8
al\icm aiw\im a/qra
v/qvl\i al bn\i adm
Recurrence: al qvl qra
Word / Gloss 1 2 3 Vs Stem
תקרא call
1 קרא
קולה her voice
1 קול
אליכם to you
4 אל
אקרא I call
4 קרא
וקולי and my voice is
4 קול
אל to
4 אל

Proverbs 8

The verses struck out below were not used.
The origins of Wisdom
Syllables: 263. Words: 114. Roots: 77. Root Recurrence: 56%. Average per verse: 4.3.
adm ain (2) amn amx ani arx (4) at axl az bn cbd cl cvn drc 'tby 'trm gby hih (2) hr ihvh im isd ivm (2) kq kqq (2) kvg kvl (2) kvx la (2) mim (2) nsc ph pnh (3) pyl qdm (2) qnh raw (3) tbl (2) thvm (3) wkq (3) wm wmim wvm wyy (2) ybr yd yin (2) yl (2) ylm ypr yt ywh yzz
יְֽהוָ֗ה קָ֭נָנִי רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכּ֑וֹ
קֶ֖דֶם מִפְעָלָ֣יו מֵאָֽז
22 Yahweh bought me, the beginning of his way,
preceding his work from then.
cb ihvh qnni rawit drco
qdm mpyliv maz
9
7
ihvh qn\ni raw\it drc\v
qdm m/pyl\iv m/az
מֵ֭עוֹלָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָֽרֶץ 23 ♪g From everlasting I have offered libation from the beginning, out of the precedents of earth.
cg myolm niscti mraw mqdmi-arx 12
m/yvlm nsc\ti m/raw m/qdm\i arx
בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמ֥וֹת חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי
בְּאֵ֥ין מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם
24 When there were no abysses, I was birthed,
when there were no springs, heavy with water.
cd bain-thomot kollti
bain myiinot ncbdi-mim
8
9
b/ain thm\vt kvl\lti
b/ain m/yin\vt n/cbd\i mim
בְּטֶ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים הָטְבָּ֑עוּ
לִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתִּי
25 From ere hills were ringed,
before the presence of hillocks, I was birthed.
ch b'trm hrim hu'tbyu
lpni gbyot kollti
8
8
b/+rm hr\im h/+by\v
l/pn\i gby\vt kvl\lti
עַד־לֹ֣א עָ֭שָׂה אֶ֣רֶץ וְחוּצ֑וֹת
וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ עָפְר֥וֹת‬ תֵּבֵֽל
26 While he had not made earth or outsides,
or the preeminent fauna of the world.
cv yd-la ywh arx vkuxot
vraw yprot tbl
9
6
yd la ywh arx v/kvx\vt
v/raw ypr\vt tbl
בַּהֲכִינ֣וֹ שָׁ֭מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑נִי
בְּח֥וּקוֹ ח֝֗וּג עַל־פְּנֵ֥י תְהֽוֹם
27 In the establishing of the heavens, there am I,
when he engraved the ambit on the face of the abyss.
cz bhcino wmiim wm ani
bkuqo kug yl-pni thom
9
9
bh/cin\v wmim wm ani
b/kvq\v kvg yl pn\i thvm
בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל
בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם
28 When he assured the skies from above,
in the strength of the springs of the abyss.
ck bamxo wkqim mmyl
byzoz yinot thom
9
7
b/amx\v wkq\im mm/yl
b/yzz yin\vt thvm
בְּשׂ֘וּמ֤וֹ לַיָּ֨ם ׀ חֻקּ֗וֹ וּ֭מַיִם לֹ֣א יַֽעַבְרוּ־פִ֑יו
בְּ֝חוּק֗וֹ מ֣וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ
29 In his defining to the sea his decree, and the waters not to bypass his mandate,
when he engraved the foundations of earth,
c't bwumo lim kuqo umim la iybru-piv
bkuqo mosdi arx
14
7
b/wvm\v l/im kq\v v/mim la i/ybr\v p\iv
b/kvq\v mv/sd\i arx
וָֽאֶהְיֶ֥ה אֶצְל֗וֹ אָ֫מ֥וֹן
וָֽאֶהְיֶ֣ה שַׁ֭עֲשֻׁעִים י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם
מְשַׂחֶ֖קֶת לְפָנָ֣יו בְּכָל־עֵֽת
30 And I was next to him as confidante,
and I was reveling day by day,
gamboling in his presence all the time,
l vahih axlo amon
vahih wywuyim iom iom
mwkqt lpniv bcl-yt
7
9
10
va/hih axl\v amvn
va/hih wy\wyim ivm ivm
m/wkq\t l/pn\iv b/cl yt
מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵ֣ל אַרְצ֑וֹ
וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם פ
31 ♪g gamboling in the world of his earth,
reveling with the children of humanity.
la mwkqt btbl arxo
vwywuyii at-bni adm p
9
11
m/wkq\t b/tbl arx\v
v/wy\wyi at bn\i adm
וְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י
וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י דְּרָכַ֥י יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ
32 So now, children, hear of what is mine.
Happy are those keeping my ways.
lb vyth bnim wmyu-li
vawri drcii iwmoru
8
9
v/yth bn\im wmy\v l\i
v/awr\i drc\i i/wmr\v
שִׁמְע֖וּ מוּסָ֥ר וַחֲכָ֗מוּ וְאַל־תִּפְרָֽעוּ 33 Hear chastening and be wise, and do not be negligent.
lg wmyu musr vkcmu val-tpryu 13
wmy\v mv/sr v/kcm\v v/al t/pry\v
אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי אָדָם֮ שֹׁמֵ֪עַֽ֫ לִ֥י
לִשְׁקֹ֣ד עַל־דַּ֭לְתֹתַי י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם
לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר מְזוּזֹ֥ת פְּתָחָֽי
34 ♪f Happy a human that has heard of what is mine,
to be alert at my gateways day by day,
to watch from the posts of my doors.
ld awri adm womy li
lwqod yl-dltotii iom iom
lwmor mzuzot ptkii
8
8
8
awr\i adm wmy l\i
l/wqd yl dl\tti ivm ivm
l/wmr m/zvz\t ptk\i
כִּ֣י מֹ֭צְאִי מָצָ֣א‬ חַיִּ֑ים
וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה
35 ♪B For who finds me finds life,
and will draw forth acceptance from Yahweh.
lh ci moxai mxa kiim
vipq rxon mihvh
7
8
ci mxa\i mxa ki\im
vi/pq rx\vn m/ihvh
וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ
כָּל־מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת פ
36 ♪g But who sins against me does itself violence.
All who hate me love death.
lv vko'tai koms npwo
cl-mwnaii ahbu mvvt p
7
10
v/k+a\i kms npw\v
cl m/wna\i ahb\v mvt
Selected recurrence: adm ain arx awr bn drc hih kvl kqq ihvh ivm cl l la mim mxa yin yl pnh qdm raw wkq wmy wmr wyy tbl thvm
Word / Gloss12345678910123456789201234567VsStem
יהוה Yahweh
22יהוה
ראשית the beginning of
22ראש
דרכו his way
22דרך
קדם preceding
22קדם
מראש from the beginning
23ראש
מקדמי out of the precedents of
23קדם
ארץ earth
23ארץ
באין when there were no
24אין
תהמות abysses
24תהום
חוללתי I was birthed
24חול
באין when there were no
24אין
מעינות springs
24עין
מים water
24מים
לפני before the presence of
25פנה
חוללתי I was birthed
25חול
לא not
26לא
ארץ earth
26ארץ
וראש or the preeminent
26ראש
תבל the world
26תבל
בחוקו when he engraved
27חקק
על on
27על
פני the face of
27פנה
תהום the abyss
27תהום
שחקים the skies
28שחק
ממעל from above
28על
עינות the springs of
28עין
תהום the abyss
28תהום
ומים and the waters
29מים
לא not
29לא
בחוקו when he engraved
29חקק
ארץ earth
29ארץ
ואהיה and I was
30היה
ואהיה and I was
30היה
שעשעים reveling
30שעע
יום day by
30יום
יום day
30יום
משחקת gamboling
30שחק
לפניו in his presence
30פנה
בכל all the
30כל
משחקת gamboling
31שחק
בתבל in the world of
31תבל
ארצו his earth
31ארץ
ושעשעי reveling
31שעע
בני the children of
31בן
אדם humanity
31אדם
בנים children
32בן
שמעו hear
32שמע
לי of what is mine
32ל
ואשרי happy are
32אשר
דרכי my ways
32דרך
ישמרו those keeping
32שמר
שמעו hear
33שמע
אשרי happy
34אשר
אדם a human
34אדם
שמע that has heard
34שמע
לי of what is mine
34ל
על at
34על
יום day by
34יום
יום day
34יום
לשמר to watch
34שמר
מצאי who finds me
35מצא
מצא finds
35מצא
מיהוה from Yahweh
35יהוה
כל all
36כל

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