Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: Jack Campin
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 12:10 PM

Anyone got a translation of this one into a language that REALLY does consonant clusters, like Georgian or Abkhaz?

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: leeneia
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 11:29 AM

Whatcha been smoking, keb?

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: keberoxu
Date: 15 Apr 19 - 11:15 AM

refresh --

and the Buddhists speak of lovingkindness,
I didn't know the Christians did.

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 08:34 AM

I think 'lovingkindness' is a word.

You're right, Joe, it was 136. The bulletin had 135, apparently a typo. I see that our pastor threw out the more murderous verses. (We do have 'peace' in our name.)

Tonight we are supposed to rendezvous with the Catholics and have a fire to begin the Easter vigil. I don't know if I'll go or not. Church four days in a row?

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 01:35 AM

I'm thinking the text leeneia refers to is Psalm 136, the phrase "His steadfast love endures forever" appears in a number of places in the Bible, particularly in Psalms 118 and 136. The Kings James and many other translations use "His mercy endures forever, but the word "mercy" can have certain negative connotations that may not have been intended in the original text. You can compare a number of translations here (click). Since this psalm is a litany, the phrase does tend to grind when you hear it over and over. The Good News version has "His love is eternal," which doesn't have a very poetic meter.

I usually find that the New Revised Standard Version is the most accurate translation, but that often causes it to lack the poetic feeling that many scriptural passages require. At least one translation has "His lovingkindness endures forever." That one feels best to me, although I'm sure some would question whether "lovingkindness" is a real word.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 10:24 PM

Yes, Ebor, I'm sure you're right. And also, they would have had instruments - harp, psaltery, etc.

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: GUEST,Ebor_Fiddler
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 05:51 PM

I think you'll find that in the original version as sung in the Temple at Jerusalem, there would be at least two divisions in the choir. One part would sing the verse and "God's steadfast love endureth forever" would be repeated as a chorus or refrain(I never can remember the difference).
Happy Easter (though it's still Good Friday when I write this)

Chris.

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 10:25 AM

It was Psalm 135, which tells of the Jews escaping Egypt and crossing the Red Sea, and it is a traditional reading at Passover. The language is modern, New Standard Revised, or something like that.   

It went well, though I didn't actually make it a rap. I tried to make it sound like someone telling a story. Crowhugger, you are right about modifying words if they don't change the sense, but the tongue-tangler, "God's steadfast love endures forever," was already printed in the bulletin, 15 times.

It was a nice service. The crowd was small, and we had it on the long benches in the chancel, where the choir sat (men on one side, women on the other, no doubt) in the Olden Days.

Maundy Thursday is not my favorite day of the year, but it's my favorite NAME for a day of the year.

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: Mo the caller
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 05:34 AM

Which Psalm is this? Is it AV, RSV or some adaptation?

Subject: RE: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: Crowhugger
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 06:00 PM

Great idea. Does it have to be precisely verbatim? Maybe it'll smooth out better for you if you repeat certain words or add a word here or there, or insert a clap or two, to make the rhythm work for rather than against you. A good groove is more important than speed, especially if the listeners aren't already well exposed to the genre.

Subject: Maundy Thursday. Letter clusters
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 05:20 PM

Well, happy Maundy Thursday, everyone. Today is the day before Good Friday.

I'll be reading tonight, and it's pretty clear that whoever worked up the Psalm was not an English major. Nobody who is into poetry would have people say

"God's steadfast love endures forever" fifteen times.

Remember the thread about my Chinese friend, and how she made me aware of how English sometimes bunches too many consonants in a row? Well, 'God's steadfast', with it's ds-st, is a good example.

The st-l of 'fast love' isn't any picnic either. I was gonna do this Psalm as a rap number, but I can't get it smooth enough.

It probably would have been a big liturgical breakthrough.