Identity

"The roots of my identity are not in time", Rowan Williams, Lost Icons, page 109.

We don't need the personal pronoun. He is using himself as a generic human. The roots of identity are not in time. What is 'in time'. He means, we can't construct by will or redemption our identity based on past experience. Past experience is too much intertwined with the experience of those we have affected by our lives. It is not under our control alone. Identity is therefore intertwined.

The first 100 pages of this little book are a difficult read. These 9 words are as succinct a summary as I can hear so far. (But I got them quite wrong. He means the opposite. He sees identity as so overlaid with temporal accident as to be unrecoverable except by extreme vulnerability - and no sense of an identity that is otherwise. But maybe I won't get it until I finish this puzzle.)

Williams on the cover in ecclesiastic splendour is himself a lost icon.

Now off to church... to find my identity, splintered all over the place, in past and future, each a foreign country.

New book - why did you read the Bible in Hebrew. Call it Translation. There is certainly a book there, on purpose, process, foreignness, and identity. Maybe I will right it some day. Then it would be a ship, my own arkish barge of pitched atonement.

Genesis 6

Ah, the beginning of the Noah cycle, more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Enjoy. Some of my glosses will surprise you. I am still in transition from the earthling to humanity (same word), and construct and make/do are the same word in Hebrew, and so is destroy/impair, but KJV is not concordant so the passage is rife with innuendo one way or another. The gods, this God, God are all related to the apparently random use of the definite article with elohim. So my whim counts. Also note that face/presence/before are the same word in Hebrew. Gotta pick one for each place. I seem very awkward in preposition usage here - help me if you want especially with verse 21. Note verse 22 how it is marked by the cadence after the second word. This is a rare early atnah.

I don't use repent, remember. But this God is passionate and not without feelings. The biggest surprise for me was in the כפר. Look for it in the word for cover over. It is the word for atonement. And I might add that the word for gopher wood (trad) is pitch, or maybe sulphur. Some barge - made of the stuff of hell-fire and damnation! And with second and third decks - but where the door is I have no idea from these instructions. (And only one porthole!)

Genesis 6		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־הֵחֵ֣ל הָֽאָדָ֔ם לָרֹ֖ב עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וּבָנ֖וֹת יֻלְּד֥וּ לָהֶֽם	1		And it happened that the earthling started to multiply over the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them.	3e	4B	16 7
וַיִּרְא֤וּ בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֥י טֹבֹ֖ת הֵ֑נָּה וַיִּקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּחָֽרוּ	2		And the sons of the gods saw the daughters of humanity that they were good, and they took for themselves wives from all whom they chose.	3e	4C	19 14
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה לֹֽא־יָד֨וֹן רוּחִ֤י בָֽאָדָם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ם בְּשַׁגַּ֖ם ה֣וּא בָשָׂ֑ר וְהָי֣וּ יָמָ֔יו מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָֽה	3		And Yahweh said, My spirit will not make the case for an earthling forever in that it also is flesh, so let its days be a hundred and twenty years.	3e	4C	21 12
הַנְּפִלִ֞ים הָי֣וּ בָאָרֶץ֮ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵם֒ וְגַ֣ם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבֹ֜אוּ בְּנֵ֤י הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְיָלְד֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם הֵ֧מָּה הַגִּבֹּרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מֵעוֹלָ֖ם אַנְשֵׁ֥י הַשֵּֽׁם	4		The fallen were in the earth in those days, and moreover after such that the sons of the gods came to the daughters of humanity and they gave birth to them. These are the valiant that are from of old, the men of repute.	3c	4C	40 15
וַיַּ֣רְא יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם	5		And Yahweh saw that abundant was the evil of humanity in the earth, and all the fashioning of the devisings of its heart was solely evil all the day long.	3d	4B	15 14
וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ	6		And Yahweh sighed that he had made humanity in the earth, and it caused him pain in his heart.	3e	4B	15 7
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֙אתִי֙ מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם	7		And Yahweh said, I will wipe out humanity that I created from off the surface of the ground, from human to beast to creeper and to the fowl of the heavens, for I regret that I made them.	3e	4C	41 8
וְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה	8		But Noah found grace in the eyes of Yahweh.	3e	3g	11
אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ	9	C	These are the successions of Noah. Noah, a righteous man, was complete in his generations. With this God walked Noah.	3d	4C	19 10
וַיּ֥וֹלֶד נֹ֖חַ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים אֶת־שֵׁ֖ם אֶת־חָ֥ם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת	10	f	And Noah had three children, Shem, Ham, and Japhet.	3e	4B	10 8
וַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ חָמָֽס	11		And impaired was the earth in the face of this God, and the land was filled with violence.	3e	4B	13 9
וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נִשְׁחָ֑תָה כִּֽי־הִשְׁחִ֧ית כָּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר אֶת־דַּרְכּ֖וֹ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ	12		And God saw the earth and behold it was impaired, for all flesh had impaired its way upon the earth.	3c	4B	15 13
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים לְנֹ֗חַ קֵ֤ץ כָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ בָּ֣א לְפָנַ֔י כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ חָמָ֖ס מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהִנְנִ֥י מַשְׁחִיתָ֖ם אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ	13		And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh is come into my presence, for the earth is full of violence from their presence, so behold me impairing them with the earth.	3d	4C	28 10
עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ תֵּבַ֣ת עֲצֵי־גֹ֔פֶר קִנִּ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֶת־הַתֵּבָ֑ה וְכָֽפַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛הּ מִבַּ֥יִת וּמִח֖וּץ בַּכֹּֽפֶר	14		Construct for yourself a barge of the trees of pitch. Cubicles you will make with the barge. Cover her over on the inside and on the outside an over-covering.	3d	4C	18 15
וְזֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֹתָ֑הּ שְׁלֹ֧שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אַמָּ֗ה אֹ֚רֶךְ הַתֵּבָ֔ה חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים אַמָּה֙ רָחְבָּ֔הּ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אַמָּ֖ה קוֹמָתָֽהּ	15		And this is how you will construct her: three hundred cubits the length of the barge, fifty cubits her breadth and thirty cubits her height.	3c	4C	9 26
צֹ֣הַר ׀ תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַתֵּבָ֗ה וְאֶל־אַמָּה֙ תְּכַלֶ֣נָּה מִלְמַ֔עְלָה וּפֶ֥תַח הַתֵּבָ֖ה בְּצִדָּ֣הּ תָּשִׂ֑ים תַּחְתִּיִּ֛ם שְׁנִיִּ֥ם וּשְׁלִשִׁ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶֽׂהָ	16	B	A porthole you will construct for the barge and to a cubit you will finish her from her ascent and you will put a door for the barge in her side. Lower decks second and third, you will construct.	3d	4B	30 13
וַאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶת־הַמַּבּ֥וּל מַ֙יִם֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לְשַׁחֵ֣ת כָּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ֙ ר֣וּחַ חַיִּ֔ים מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֖רֶץ יִגְוָֽע	17		As for me, note me well, I will bring the deluge of waters on the earth to impair all flesh that has in it a living spirit from under the heavens. All that is in the earth will expire.	3e	4B	36 8
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וּבָאתָ֙ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֔ה אַתָּ֕ה וּבָנֶ֛יךָ וְאִשְׁתְּךָ֥ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנֶ֖יךָ אִתָּֽךְ	18		But I will place my covenant with you. And you will come to the barge, you and your children and your wife and the wives of your children with you.	3d	4A	11 23
וּמִכָּל־הָ֠חַי מִֽכָּל־בָּשָׂ֞ר שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל תָּבִ֥יא אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֖ה לְהַחֲיֹ֣ת אִתָּ֑ךְ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה יִֽהְיֽוּ	19		And from all the living, from all flesh, two from all you will bring to the barge to keep alive with you. Male and female they will be.	3c	4B	25 7
מֵהָע֣וֹף לְמִינֵ֗הוּ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ מִכֹּ֛ל רֶ֥מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה לְמִינֵ֑הוּ שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל יָבֹ֥אוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ לְהַֽחֲיֽוֹת	20		From fowl of its species and from the cattle of its species, from all that creep of the ground of its species, two from all will come with you to keep alive.	3c	4B	27 13
וְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־לְךָ֗ מִכָּל־מַֽאֲכָל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְהָיָ֥ה לְךָ֛ וְלָהֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָֽה	21		And you take for yourself from all food that is eaten, so you will gather with you. And it will be for you and for them for food.	3d	4B	23 11
וַיַּ֖עַשׂ נֹ֑חַ כְּ֠כֹל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֥ה אֹת֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים כֵּ֥ן עָשָֽׂה	22		And Noah constructed. Everything that God commanded him, so he constructed.	3d	4A	5 14

Job 18

And how does Bildad answer Job? The frame for the whole is the words after and place. From verse 5 to 18 the frame is light, darkness and tent. The inner frame is fright. (You do the coloring and you will see what I am saying.) The centre is solitude. Perhaps the beginning of this main section of the poem is signaled by verse 4, the only tricolon marked by the accents, ole-veyored, rest on the supertonic, and atnah, rest on the subdominant, in the same verse. The end of the verbal structure just pointed out is signaled by the accent on the first beat of verse 19 leading to the only recitation on high C (see the music below).

Don't tell me that the accents are confined to a single verse (Wickes, 1871, 1878, Dresher, 1994). That is a flat earth model of our textual inheritance. It is demonstrably wrong, not to mention confusing and misleading.

The poem uses a lot of spatial imagery, under, over, round about, from beneath, from above (10, 11, 16).  Again these reinforce the isolation at the centre of the poem. Good for Bildad - nice work, O poet. But these isolating truths are not truth. Don't put Bildad on a mental health committee.

Job 18		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשֻּׁחִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר	1	g	Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said,	3e	3g	11
עַד־אָ֤נָה ׀ תְּשִׂימ֣וּן קִנְצֵ֣י לְמִלִּ֑ין תָּ֝בִ֗ינוּ וְאַחַ֥ר נְדַבֵּֽר	2		How long please, will you put a wrench in speeches? You will understand, and after we will speak.	3e	4C	11 9
מַ֭דּוּעַ נֶחְשַׁ֣בְנוּ כַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נִ֝טְמִ֗ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם	3	g	For what purpose are we reckoned as beast, unclean in your sight?	3e	4B	9 7
טֹֽרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֗וֹ בְּאַ֫פּ֥וֹ הַ֭לְמַעַנְךָ תֵּעָ֣זַב אָ֑רֶץ וְיֶעְתַּק־צ֝֗וּר מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ	4		It tears itself in its anger. On account of you should earth be forsaken, a rock be shifted from its place?	3e	4B	7 9 7
גַּ֤ם א֣וֹר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־יִ֝גַּ֗הּ שְׁבִ֣יב אִשּֽׁוֹ	5	C	Even the light of the wicked will be extinguished, and its scintillating fire will fail to illuminate.	3e	4C	7 7
א֭וֹר‬ חָשַׁ֣ךְ בְּאָהֳל֑וֹ וְ֝נֵר֗וֹ עָלָ֥יו יִדְעָֽךְ	6	g	Light is darkness in his tent, and its lamp upon him will be extinguished.	3e	4B	7 7
יֵֽ֭צְרוּ צַעֲדֵ֣י אוֹנ֑וֹ וְֽתַשְׁלִיכֵ֥הוּ עֲצָתֽוֹ	7		Refashioned is the march of his virility, and his own counsel will cast him down.	3e	4B	7 8
כִּֽי־שֻׁלַּ֣ח בְּרֶ֣שֶׁת בְּרַגְלָ֑יו וְעַל־שְׂ֝בָכָ֗ה יִתְהַלָּֽךְ	8		For he is sent into a net by his own feet, and on a mesh he walks.	3e	4B	8 8
יֹאחֵ֣ז בְּעָקֵ֣ב פָּ֑ח יַחֲזֵ֖ק עָלָ֣יו צַמִּֽים	9		A snare will grasp by the heel, thirsts resolute upon him.	3e	4B	6 7
טָמ֣וּן בָּאָ֣רֶץ חַבְל֑וֹ וּ֝מַלְכֻּדְתּ֗וֹ עֲלֵ֣י נָתִֽיב	10	B	Buried in the earth is his rope, and his catch is over a pathway.	3e	4B	7 8
סָ֭בִיב בִּֽעֲתֻ֣הוּ בַלָּה֑וֹת וֶהֱפִיצֻ֥הוּ לְרַגְלָֽיו	11	g	Round about frights alarm him, and propel him to his feet.	3e	4B	9 8
יְהִי־רָעֵ֥ב אֹנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֵ֗יד נָכ֥וֹן לְצַלְעֽוֹ	12		Famished is his virility, a misfortune prepared for his rib.	3e	4A	5 7
יֹ֭אכַל בַּדֵּ֣י עוֹר֑וֹ יֹאכַ֥ל בַּ֝דָּ֗יו בְּכ֣וֹר מָֽוֶת	13	g	He will eat the solitude of his skin. The firstborn of death will eat his solitude.	3e	4B	6 8
יִנָּתֵ֣ק מֵ֭אָהֳלוֹ מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְ֝תַצְעִדֵ֗הוּ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהֽוֹת	14		Snapped from his tent is his trust, and it will march him to the king of frights.	3e	4B	10 11
תִּשְׁכּ֣וֹן בְּ֭אָהֳלוֹ מִבְּלִי־ל֑וֹ יְזֹרֶ֖ה עַל־נָוֵ֣הוּ גָפְרִֽית	15		It will dwell in his tent from its fright, and pitch will winnow his home.	3e	4B	8 9
מִ֭תַּחַת שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יִבָ֑שׁוּ וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל יִמַּ֥ל קְצִירֽוֹ	16	g	From beneath his roots dry up. And from above cut down is his harvest.	3e	4B	9 9
זִֽכְרוֹ־אָ֭בַד מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶץ וְלֹא־שֵׁ֥ם ל֝֗וֹ עַל־פְּנֵי־חֽוּץ	17		His memory will perish from earth, and he is nameless on the face of the street.	3e	4A	6 8
יֶ֭הְדְּפֻהוּ מֵא֣וֹר אֶל־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּֽמִתֵּבֵ֥ל יְנִדֻּֽהוּ	18	g	Evicted from light to darkness, and from the world fled away.	3e	4B	9 8
לֹ֘א נִ֤ין ל֣וֹ וְלֹא־נֶ֣כֶד בְּעַמּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ין שָׂ֝רִ֗יד בִּמְגוּרָֽיו	19	~	No posterity for him, nor descendant among his people, and there is no survivor in his abode.	3e	4C	9 7
עַל־י֭וֹמוֹ נָשַׁ֣מּוּ אַחֲרֹנִ֑ים וְ֝קַדְמֹנִ֗ים אָ֣חֲזוּ שָֽׂעַר	20		On his day those who follow after will be desolate, and those who came before grasp hair.	3e	4B	10 9
אַךְ־אֵ֭לֶּה מִשְׁכְּנ֣וֹת עַוָּ֑ל וְ֝זֶ֗ה מְק֣וֹם לֹא־יָדַֽע־אֵֽל ס	21		But these are the dwellings of injustice, and this is the place without knowledge of the One.	3e	4B	8 8

What to do

Continues the post on Amos 3. Here is an image of the recurrence around the word for 'do', or make, undertake, etc.

What does Yahweh do? Yahweh does not fail to do something (act) in the face of evil. (verse 6).

Yahweh does not fail to uncover what he is doing to his prophets. So do they speak today to say what is going on? Are we perceptive enough to see or hear?

What are we to do within our citadels? the thing that is straightforward. Do we know what that is? The prophet says we don't. What is straightforward if you have filled your 'citadel' with violence and devastation? Turning away from such evil. If your worth, and your achievement is measured only by your own accumulation of money, then you must turn away from that. Give it away.

Or as Spike Lee would say quoting Amos - Do the right thing.

Evil in the city - Amos 3

Amos announces that privilege comes to an end for the rich in Samaria. Is it a time when privilege will come to a conclusion for us? The prophets are about power, inequity, and consequences, destructive or not.

Traditionally, the translations for Amos 3:6 seem to prefer "is there evil in the city and Yahweh has not done it?".

I am being stubbornly rigid in my translation here. There are two interrogative sentence forms: the traditional begun by ה and the response, begun by אם. When there are a sequence of questions in two forms, I sometimes render (translation is always destructive) the second form as 'if', meaning that the second form of question is an answer to the first. It's not important. Verse 6 could be also a pair of rhetorical questions.

But what is important is the implied theology that God does evil. This is a false theology in this context. It is true that we wrestle with God as Jacob does, but this Amos is not Isaiah whose question penetrates further.

Here is the verse for Amos 6, the two conditional answers responding to the four rhetorical questions of verses 4 and 5.

and below is the one for Isaiah 45:7, a series of active participles showing the work of Yahweh in the active life of the world. This is the negative of the series of active participles of Psalm 146. 

The implications of Isaiah undermine our capacity to understand what we call God. The Amos passage does not seem the same to me, so I have rendered it as closer to consequential actions reflecting the sin of humanity. It is not too difficult to think through Isaiah similarly but perhaps that is too simple. Ezekiel 28:16 came up this week and has similar implications for the traders of today.

In the abundance of your trading they have filled your centre with violence and you have sinned,
and you are profaned from the hill of God and I will have you perish, cherub overshadowing, from the centre of the stones of fire.

In the abundance of our trading, we may well sin too as the stronger and more deceptive become richer at the expense of those they exploit. Panama anyone? Or just listen to the sound of the British parliamentarian Duncan "their real point is that they hate anyone who has got a hint of wealth in them ... we risk seeing a House of Commons which is stuffed full of low-achievers" - with such supporters, who needs an enemy? When I first heard this broadcast I was sure he was opposition and speaking tongue-in-cheek. May be a rich man, but high achiever? I doubt it.

Verse 10 is the conclusion of the prophet - the incompetence of the rich:

And they do not know to do the straightforward, an oracle of Yahweh,
those with a treasury of violence and devastation within their citadels.

Anybody listening to the prophets these days? Does Yahweh have a hand in the destruction that permeates the world?

Is there destruction in the translation and Bob has not done with it? Destruction is creative I guess. By the way, my rendering of verse 6 is disputed by those who know better than I, but in my opinion the parallels are broken by the structure of verse 6 with its leading ים. Is this if? or a strong negative? or an implied question (not in the same form as the prior questions at all), or when?

Continued here. (with a table of word recurrence for עשה).

Amos 3		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
שִׁמְע֞וּ אֶת הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עַ֚ל כָּל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֶעֱלֵ֛יתִי מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לֵאמֹֽר	1		Hear this matter that Yahweh spoke about you, the children of Israel, about all the families that I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,	3c	4C	22 19
רַ֚ק אֶתְכֶ֣ם יָדַ֔עְתִּי מִכֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת הָאֲדָמָ֑ה עַל כֵּן֙ אֶפְקֹ֣ד עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת כָּל עֲוֺנֹֽתֵיכֶֽם	2	C	Solely you I have known from all the families of humanity, therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.	3e	4C	15 14
הֲיֵלְכ֥וּ שְׁנַ֖יִם יַחְדָּ֑ו בִּלְתִּ֖י אִם נוֹעָֽדוּ	3		Can two walk together, if they are not compatible?	3e	4A	7 6
הֲיִשְׁאַ֤ג אַרְיֵה֙ בַּיַּ֔עַר וְטֶ֖רֶף אֵ֣ין ל֑וֹ הֲיִתֵּ֨ן כְּפִ֤יר קוֹלוֹ֙ מִמְּעֹ֣נָת֔וֹ בִּלְתִּ֖י אִם לָכָֽד	4		Does a lion roar in the forest and it has no prey? Will a young lion give its voice from its den if it has caught nothing?	3e	4C	13 16
הֲתִפֹּ֤ל צִפּוֹר֙ עַל פַּ֣ח הָאָ֔רֶץ וּמוֹקֵ֖שׁ אֵ֣ין לָ֑הּ הֲיַֽעֲלֶה פַּח֙ מִן הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וְלָכ֖וֹד לֹ֥א יִלְכּֽוֹד	5		Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth and there is no trap for it? Does one bring up a snare from the ground and have caught nothing?	3e	4C	15 16
אִם יִתָּקַ֤ע שׁוֹפָר֙ בְּעִ֔יר וְעָ֖ם לֹ֣א יֶחֱרָ֑דוּ אִם תִּהְיֶ֤ה רָעָה֙ בְּעִ֔יר וַיהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א עָשָֽׂה	6	C	When a shophar sounds in the city and the people are not apprehensive. When there is evil in the city and Yahweh fails to act.	3e	4C	15 12
כִּ֣י לֹ֧א יַעֲשֶׂ֛ה אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה דָּבָ֑ר כִּ֚י אִם גָּלָ֣ה סוֹד֔וֹ אֶל עֲבָדָ֖יו הַנְּבִיאִֽים	7	B	For my lord Yahweh will not do any thing, except he uncovers his deliberation to his servants the prophets.	3c	4C	12 13
אַרְיֵ֥ה שָׁאָ֖ג מִ֣י לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ דִּבֶּ֔ר מִ֖י לֹ֥א יִנָּבֵֽא	8		A lion roared, who will not fear? My lord Yahweh spoke, who will not prophesy?	3e	4C	8 12
הַשְׁמִ֙יעוּ֙ עַל אַרְמְנ֣וֹת בְּאַשְׁדּ֔וֹד וְעַֽל אַרְמְנ֖וֹת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְאִמְר֗וּ הֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ עַל הָרֵ֣י שֹׁמְר֔וֹן וּרְא֞וּ מְהוּמֹ֤ת רַבּוֹת֙ בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ וַעֲשׁוּקִ֖ים בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ	9		Broadcast over the citadels in Ashdod and over the citadels in the land of Egypt, and say, Gather yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see manifold discomfort in her midst and the oppressed within her.	3e	4C	21 28
וְלֹֽא יָדְע֥וּ עֲשׂוֹת נְכֹחָ֖ה נְאֻם יְהוָ֑ה הָאֽוֹצְרִ֛ים חָמָ֥ס וָשֹׁ֖ד בְּאַרְמְנֽוֹתֵיהֶֽם	10		And they do not know to do the straightforward, an oracle of Yahweh, those with a treasury of violence and devastation within their citadels.	3d	4A	13 13
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה צַ֖ר וּסְבִ֣יב הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהוֹרִ֤ד מִמֵּךְ֙ עֻזֵּ֔ךְ וְנָבֹ֖זּוּ אַרְמְנוֹתָֽיִךְ	11		Therefore thus says my Lord Yahweh, There will be trouble both surrounding the earth, and bringing down from you your strength, and looting your citadels.	3e	4C	16 16
כֹּה֮ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֒ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יַצִּ֨יל הָרֹעֶ֜ה מִפִּ֧י הָאֲרִ֛י שְׁתֵּ֥י כְרָעַ֖יִם א֣וֹ בְדַל אֹ֑זֶן כֵּ֣ן יִנָּצְל֞וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן בִּפְאַ֥ת מִטָּ֖ה וּבִדְמֶ֥שֶׁק עָֽרֶשׂ	12	~	Thus says Yahweh, As the shepherd delivers from the mouth of the lion two shanks or the ligament of an ear, so the children of Israel will be delivered, those who settled in Samaria in a quarter couch and a Damascan bed.	3c	4B	28 25
שִׁמְע֥וּ וְהָעִ֖ידוּ בְּבֵ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב נְאֻם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַצְּבָאֽוֹת	13		Hear, and testify, house of Jacob, an oracle of my Lord Yahweh the God of hosts.	3e	4B	11 13
כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם פָּקְדִ֥י פִשְׁעֵֽי יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עָלָ֑יו וּפָֽקַדְתִּי֙ עַל מִזְבְּח֣וֹת בֵּֽית אֵ֔ל וְנִגְדְּעוּ֙ קַרְנ֣וֹת הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְנָפְל֖וּ לָאָֽרֶץ	14	~	For in the day of the visiting of the transgressions of Israel on him, I will visit the altars of the house of God and the horns of the altar will be chopped off and will fall on the earth.	3d	4B	12 26
וְהִכֵּיתִ֥י בֵית־הַחֹ֖רֶף עַל־בֵּ֣ית הַקָּ֑יִץ וְאָבְד֞וּ בָּתֵּ֣י הַשֵּׁ֗ן וְסָפ֛וּ בָּתִּ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה	15		And I will strike the autumn house with the summer house, and the ivory houses will perish and many houses will come to a conclusion. An oracle of Yahweh.	3d	4B	13 18

Job 17

If half the speech is done, the other half had better follow. (I know people move things around among the speeches of Job, but I don't.) There are verses that are short sharp triple sentences. It seems they should be split, but my program only splits for the emperors, atnah and ole-veyored (in this book).

What is the music like? For verse 1 it is e B g f# rev,f# e, a pattern that occurs 10 times (this one in Job, and the others are Psalms 59:7,15, 99:3, 119:33,64,112,145, 120:3, 126:3). It is a gentle declining phrase after its initial jump up of a fifth.

Don't forget that the accents may be used to determine the notes. There's a brief here on the rules I use. Anyone can learn to sing this music with these tonally memorable instructions. If I had sung all those verses I might well have remembered them, but instead I queried my database to find out the ones that have that tonal sequence. No one to my knowledge has done the equivalent with the traditional accent names or cantillation.

Job 17		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
רוּחִ֣י חֻ֭בָּלָה יָמַ֥י נִזְעָ֗כוּ קְבָרִ֥ים לִֽי	1		My spirit is pledged. My days are extinct. It's the tombs for me.	3e	4B	14
אִם־לֹ֣א הֲ֭תֻלִים עִמָּדִ֑י וּ֝בְהַמְּרוֹתָ֗ם תָּלַ֥ן עֵינִֽי	2		Are there not jesters against me? And in their provocation does my eye stop over?	3e	4B	8 8
שִֽׂימָה־נָּ֭א עָרְבֵ֣נִי עִמָּ֑ךְ מִֽי ה֝֗וּא לְיָדִ֥י יִתָּקֵֽעַ	3		You lay up if you will. My insurance is with you. Who is he will sound a clap on my hand?	3e	4B	8 9
כִּֽי־לִ֭בָּם צָפַ֣נְתָּ מִּשָּׂ֑כֶל‬ עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן לֹ֣א תְרֹמֵֽם	4		(For their heart you have treasured from insight, therefore you will not celebrate them.)	3e	4B	8 6
לְ֭חֵלֶק יַגִּ֣יד רֵעִ֑ים וְעֵינֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו תִּכְלֶֽנָה	5	g	Flattery he tells to friends, but the eyes of his children are consumed.	3e	4B	7 8
וְֽ֭הִצִּגַנִי לִמְשֹׁ֣ל עַמִּ֑ים וְתֹ֖פֶת לְפָנִ֣ים אֶֽהְיֶֽה	6		He has exhibited me as a parable of the peoples, and a tambourine in the presence I have become.	3e	4B	9 8
וַתֵּ֣כַהּ מִכַּ֣עַשׂ עֵינִ֑י וִֽיצֻרַ֖י כַּצֵּ֣ל כֻּלָּֽם	7		Weak from grief is my eye, and my features like a shadow, all of them.	3e	4B	8 7
יָשֹׁ֣מּוּ יְשָׁרִ֣ים עַל־זֹ֑את וְ֝נָקִ֗י עַל־חָנֵ֥ף יִתְעֹרָֽר	8		The upright will be desolate over this, and an innocent will be roused over a hypocrite.	3e	4B	8 9
וְיֹאחֵ֣ז צַדִּ֣יק דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּֽטֳהָר־יָ֝דַ֗יִם יֹסִ֥יף אֹֽמֶץ	9		A righteous one will hold fast his way, and the clean of hands will add assurance.	3e	4B	7 9
וְֽאוּלָ֗ם כֻּלָּ֣ם תָּ֭שֻׁבוּ וּבֹ֣אוּ נָ֑א וְלֹֽא־אֶמְצָ֖א בָכֶ֣ם חָכָֽם	10		Nevertheless all of you will return, so come if you will, and I will not find among you one who is shrewd.	3e	4B	11 8
יָמַ֣י עָ֭בְרוּ זִמֹּתַ֣י נִתְּק֑וּ מ֖וֹרָשֵׁ֣י לְבָבִֽי	11		My days pass onward. My schemes are snapped, the possession of my heart.	3e	4B	9 6
לַ֭יְלָה לְי֣וֹם יָשִׂ֑ימוּ א֝֗וֹר קָר֥וֹב מִפְּנֵי־חֹֽשֶׁךְ	12	g	Night for day they have set up. Light is near in the face of darkness.	3e	4B	7 6
אִם־אֲ֭קַוֶּה שְׁא֣וֹל בֵּיתִ֑י בַּ֝חֹ֗שֶׁךְ רִפַּ֥דְתִּי יְצוּעָֽי	13		If I wait, Sheol is my house. In the darkness I spread out my bed.	3e	4B	8 9
לַשַּׁ֣חַת קָ֭רָאתִי אָ֣בִי אָ֑תָּה אִמִּ֥י וַ֝אֲחֹתִ֗י לָֽרִמָּֽה	14		To destruction I called, My father are you, my mother and my sister, to the maggot.	3e	4B	10 9
וְ֭אַיֵּה אֵפ֣וֹ תִקְוָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י מִ֣י יְשׁוּרֶֽנָּה	15	g	And where indeed is my expectation? And my expectation, who will scrutinize it?	3e	4B	8 9
בַּדֵּ֣י שְׁאֹ֣ל תֵּרַ֑דְנָה אִם־יַ֖חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר נָֽחַת	16		In solitude Sheol they descend, even as one to dust pinned.	3e	4B	7 8

Job 16

Job 16 takes some language from Lamentations 3. I worked with Job 6 years ago when I was about 4 years old. Reworking it is a second pleasure. It is a parable. A parable. A parable. And it underlines corporate responsibility. It is not about an individual made in the image of the wealthy westerner.

Word / Gloss	1	2	3	4	Vs	Stem
הייתי I was	░				JOB 16:12	היה
למטרה as to target		░			JOB 16:12	נטר
כליותי my vital centres			░		JOB 16:13	כלי
מררתי my bitterness				░	JOB 16:13	מרר
כמטרא as the target		░			LAM 3:12	נטר
בכליותי my vital centres			░		LAM 3:13	כלי
הייתי I have become	░				LAM 3:14	היה
במרורים with bitterness				░	LAM 3:15	מרר

Neither is Lamentations. We are in this together. There is no escaping our interdependence.

Due homage to Shakespeare. Blurring is from the rare usage of place (קום) to the state of aged eyes. There is a missing double negative in the Hebrew, presumably elided but it needs to be explicit in the English. Verse 19, notoriety, is a pun of sorts, a unique word that could have the hope of the incarnate referee attached to it. There is too little understanding of Job in Christendom (perhaps because it is hard to see in the NT). I have some poor resolution of minor issues of concordance here, but I may just forget about it.

Job 16		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר	1		And Job answered and said,	3e	3f	8
שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי כְאֵ֣לֶּה רַבּ֑וֹת מְנַחֲמֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם	2		I have heard many such things, miserable comforters, the lot of you.	3e	4B	8 8
הֲקֵ֥ץ לְדִבְרֵי־ר֑וּחַ א֥וֹ מַה־יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֶֽה	3		Will they end, these windy words? Or what stilts you that you answer?	3e	4B	6 9
גַּ֤ם ׀ אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֪ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ־יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמ֣וֹ רֹאשִֽׁי	4	C	Even I myself as you could speak, supposing your selves there in my stead, I could cobble speeches about you, and wag my head over you.	3d	4C	10 18 11
אֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם בְּמוֹ־פִ֑י וְנִ֖יד שְׂפָתַ֣י יַחְשֹֽׂךְ	5		I would assure you with my mouth, and the wavering of my lips would keep back.	3e	4B	7 7
אִֽם־אֲ֭דַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ כְּאֵבִ֑י וְ֝אַחְדְּלָ֗ה מַה־מִנִּ֥י יַהֲלֹֽךְ	6		If I speak, my sorrow is not kept back. And I am finite. What from me walks away?	3e	4B	10 10
אַךְ־עַתָּ֥ה הֶלְאָ֑נִי הֲ֝שִׁמּ֗וֹתָ כָּל־עֲדָתִֽי	7		But now he has fatigued me. You have desolated all my testimony.	3e	4A	6 8
וַֽ֭תִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵ֣ד הָיָ֑ה וַיָּ֥קָם בִּ֥י כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗י בְּפָנַ֥י יַעֲנֶֽה	8		You have overrun me. A witness it has become. Rising in me is my cringing, answering in my face.	3e	4B	9 13
אַפּ֤וֹ טָרַ֨ף ׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵ֗נִי חָרַ֣ק עָלַ֣י בְּשִׁנָּ֑יו צָרִ֓י ׀ יִלְט֖וֹשׁ עֵינָ֣יו לִֽי	9	C	Its anger tears. And it opposes me. It gnashes its teeth at me. My straits hone its eyes on me.	3e	4C	16 7
פָּעֲר֬וּ עָלַ֨י ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֗ם בְּ֭חֶרְפָּה הִכּ֣וּ לְחָיָ֑י יַ֝֗חַד עָלַ֥י יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן	10		They gawk at me with their mouths. With reproach they strike my cheek. Together against me they are filled.	3e	4B	16 8
יַסְגִּירֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל אֶ֣ל עֲוִ֑יל וְעַל־יְדֵ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְטֵֽנִי	11		The One has latched me to injustice. And to the hand of the wicked he has surrendered me.	3e	4B	8 10
שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי ׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי ל֝֗וֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה	12	~	I was at ease and he has thwarted me. He has grasped by the scruff and scattered me to bits, and has placed me as his to target.	3e	4C	21 9
יָ֘סֹ֤בּוּ עָלַ֨י ׀ רַבָּ֗יו יְפַלַּ֣ח כִּ֭לְיוֹתַי וְלֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מְרֵרָֽתִי	13	~	His tens of thousands surround me. He slices my vital centre without pity. He pours out on the earth my bitterness.	3e	4C	17 9
יִפְרְצֵ֣נִי פֶ֭רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ יָרֻ֖ץ עָלַ֣י כְּגִבּֽוֹר	14		He breaches me, breach upon breach in my face. He races at me as one who prevails.	3e	4B	10 7
שַׂ֣ק תָּ֭פַרְתִּי עֲלֵ֣י גִלְדִּ֑י וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי בֶעָפָ֣ר קַרְנִֽי	15	B	Sackcloth I have sewed over my scarred skin, and shackled with dust my horn.	3e	4B	8 9
פָּנַ֣י חֳ֭מַרְמְרוּ מִנִּי־בֶ֑כִי וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י צַלְמָֽוֶת	16		My face is reddened from my weeping, and on my eyelids is a death-shadow.	3e	4B	9 8
עַ֭ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס בְּכַפָּ֑י וּֽתְפִלָּתִ֥י זַכָּֽה	17	g	Though no violence is in my palm, and my prayer is clear.	3e	4B	6 6
אֶ֭רֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּ֣י דָמִ֑י וְֽאַל־יְהִ֥י מָ֝ק֗וֹם לְזַעֲקָתִֽי	18	g	Earth, cover not my blood, and let there be no blurring for my appeal.	3e	4B	8 11
גַּם־עַ֭תָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם עֵדִ֑י וְ֝שָׂהֲדִ֗י בַּמְּרוֹמִֽים	19		Even now behold in the heavens is my witness, and my notoriety is on the high ground.	3e	4B	10 7
מְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי	20		My friends scorn me. To God my eye implores	3e	4A	5 8
וְיוֹכַ֣ח לְגֶ֣בֶר עִם־אֱל֑וֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָ֥ם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ	21		That one who is valiant might referee with God, and a child of humanity for his friend.	3e	4B	10 8
כִּֽי־שְׁנ֣וֹת מִסְפָּ֣ר יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ וְאֹ֖רַח לֹא־אָשׁ֣וּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ	22		For counted years are upon me, and the path of no return I will walk.	3e	4B	9 8