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mu''a'vo' mu' - A Klingon Word from the Word
Category: Talk - Religious
Thinking about the Scriptures, through the lens of the Klingon Language Version of the World English Bible.
Previews of mu''a'vo' mu' - A Klingon Word from the Word
(All Active Shows)
These Lttle Ones.... (St. Nicholas Day repost)
Thu, 06 Dec 2012 14:07:02 PST (2.8 Mb)
'ach vaj 'oH ghaH ghobe' the DichDaq vo' lIj vav 'Iv ghaH Daq chal vetlh wa' vo' Dochvammey mach ones should chIlqu'.
Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
(click for podcast)
If you're a pastor, and looking for a way to quickly be driven out of your parish - I can't think of a better controversy to raise than.... a discussion about Santa Claus. I fear at times that the deepest beliefs of the Bible could be question without the kind of difficulties a preacher would meet if they weighed in on the reality of Kris Kringle.
Nor am I brave enough to tread on this legend - though I wonder what a Klingon would make of some of the stories? The Klingon disposition toward things military lend to a tendency to be (shall we say?) paranoid. Imagine how they'd feel about a silent intruder who routinely slips in past all defenses to surprise the inhabitants! Motivated by generosity or not - I expect a Klingon hearing of such stealth would be more alarmed than happy.
But - maybe if they were introduced to the real Santa Claus - St Nicholas:
St. Nicholas, lover of the poor and patron saint of chi...
Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:24:00 PDT (4.3 Mb)
Daq 'Iv taH the batlh reH je ever. Amen.
to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen Galatians 1:5
(click for podcast)
There are limits to the practical value of studying a language like Klingon - which is not to say there are NONE. It is certainly a great way to learn about linguistics - and understand the limits of translation between languages and cultures. And in studying languages, real and constructed, you also can discover a few universals.
Without warp drives or cloaking devices, words have the power to move across borders, from culture to culture. Some time ago I talked about Alleluia - a scripture word that has found its way into many languages. Today I've got another - a universal word you all know whether you speak Afrikaans, Bulgarian, Creole, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Esperanto, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Kenyan, Latvian, Maori, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, or Xhosa. Can somebody say "amen?"
Originally a Hebrew word, from a primitive root meaning to build up or support, Amen has become a part of many languages. We see it used in different ways in the Bible. As a word used to reinforce a statement (eg. when the...
Tue, 23 Oct 2012 19:21:00 PDT (2.5 Mb)
Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1c(click for podcast version)
Prayer. Or, tlhlobtaHghach, as rendered in the KLV, is a mystery.
If you are inclined to be overly analytical - maybe the kind of person who ponders "can God make a rock so big he can't lift it?" - you may ponder WHY prayer is needed at ALL. Doesn't God know what we need? Indeed Isaiah records God's word about that very point:
'oH DIchDaq qaS vetlh, qaSpa' chaH ja', jIH DichDaq jang; je qaStaHvIS chaH 'oH yet speaking, jIH DichDaq Qoy.
It shall happen that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24
And yet - we pray. In desperate straits David - and we - call out
Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer.
Well, of course. Prayer is a part of the life of believers. From beginning to end, it is the advice, the command of Scripture
In the first book of Chronicles we read:
Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more. (1 Chr 16:11)
And James tells us:
Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. (James 5:13)
We pray...
Tue, 03 Jul 2012 06:42:07 PDT (2.6 Mb)
joH'a' vo' wIj QaQtaHghach.
God of my righteousness.
(click for podcast)
When David calls out for help in Psalm 4, he uses a curious title for the almighty: Elohi tzediki - God of my righteousness, or in the KLV, joH'a' vo' wIj QaQtaHghach.
That's quite a title - but what does it mean?
The word here for righteousness is tzaddeq - and occurs quite a few times in the scriptures. This Hebrew word shows up over one hundred times - in other forms, around 600. Adding in the related Greek word dikaios there are over 700 occurences of the term through the Bible. Some may recognize a form of the word, familiar to those who know of the practice of a "pushke" or Tzeddekah box; a small coin box used for collecting spare change for the poor.
Tzaddik and Dikaios mean "righteousness" in the sense of things being, or being made RIGHT. It is translated in a variety of ways across the scriptures - in the KJV you'll find cleanse, clear self, equity, even, judgment, just, justification, justly, ordinance, righteously and righteousness, - to name a few.
So - what does God my righteousness MEAN?
Well - consider. Humans often agree with Klingons in ...
Mon, 25 Jun 2012 08:25:17 PDT (3.4 Mb)
pa' ghaH ghobe' joH toDpu' Sum the qevmey vo' an army. A HoS loD ghaH ghobe' toDta' Sum Dun HoS.
There is no king saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. Psalm 33:16
(click for podcast version)
What more proof do you need to see that the Bible is not a Klingon book?
These words from Psalm 33 go a long way toward making itc clear that the Scriptures do not reflect traditional Klingon ideas regarding strength and power. Add in David’s victory over Goliath - rejecting the King’s armor and sword for his mere slingshot. Or the Hebrew’s victory over Jericho with nothing but marching and trumpets. Or Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” of which he said
vaj jIH tlhap pleasure Daq weaknesses, Daq injuries, Daq necessities, Daq persecutions, Daq distresses, vaD Christ's chIch. vaD ghorgh jIH 'oH weak, vaj 'oH jIH HoS
Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for...
Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:00:00 PDT (3.9 Mb)
ghaH 'Iv fashions Hoch vo' chaj tIQDu'; je ghaH considers Hoch vo' chaj vum.He who fashions all of their hearts; And he considers all of their works. Psalms 33:15
(click for podcast)
I build spaceships. And rockets.
No, really, it’s true. That is - I really do build (and fly) rockets. I’ve been doing it on and off since around 1969. Model rockets, yes, but rockets all the same. They’re the reason I first learned how to use a slide rule. Some of the first computer programs I wrote in BASIC were programs to predict and assess the flight of my rockets. And in building and flying these model rockets I have learned a lot about the big ones that go into orbit and beyond.
And my spaceships - well, they’re scale models of real spaceships - some of them even fly. And again, in making them I’ve learned a lot about the real rockets. I think my favorite is the Mercury Redstone rocket from Delta 7 - you can download that one for free yourself.
The reason these rockets and spaceships are of interest to me is because, in building these models I learn about what it takes to make the...
Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:00:02 PDT (3.7 Mb)
ghurtaH ghaH the Hatlh 'Iv joH'a' ghaH joH'a', the ghotpu 'Iv ghaH ghajtaH wIvpu' vaD Daj ghaj inheritance. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance. Psalm 33:12(Click for podcast)
Do you remember playing a game - say baseball or soccer - and “choosing up sides?” Waiting for the team leaders to pick the members of their team. And do you remember what it’s like to be picked, chosen to be on the team you really, REALLY, wanted to be on? Then you have a window to the impact of this verse from Psalm 33.
The people God chooses - the “nation” …. “he has chosen for his own....” are HAPPY - ashri, the word usually translated as “blessed” - happy in the way you or I might remember at being chosen for that team long ago. Happy because we’ve been chosen to be part of a team, part of something greater than our self. And this is the kind of happiness, of blessing God’s people know.
The word for chosen here is בָּחַר bachar and it occurs over 150 times in the Bible. From a root meaning to try, by implication, to select, t...
Sat, 21 Apr 2012 19:00:55 PDT (3.8 Mb)
vaD ghaH jatlhta', je 'oH ghaHta' ta'pu'. ghaH ra'ta', je 'oH Qampu' firm
For he spoke and it was done. He commanded, and it stood firm. Psalm 33:9
(click for podcast)
Picture this:
You are a crewmember of a Klingon bird of prey. Your captain turns to you and... what do you do? Well, if you are a wise Klingon, you probably will say:
chay' jura'? What are your orders?
Klingons take command (and commanders) seriously. So much so, in fact, that within Klingon military culture, a commander who cannot hold his command is fair game - advancement in rank to commander may happen when a subordinate officer challenges and defeats his or her commander. A commander perceived as weak will never last. While this does not appeal to most humans - it's guaranteed to develop a leadership class that gets things done. Commands are obeyed. The Klingon commander will be as the psalmist here describes God: For he spoke and it was done.
The Bible likewise takes command seriously - God's commands are so sure, they are the foundation of creation -...
Sat, 21 Apr 2012 19:02:47 PDT (3.7 Mb)
chaw' Hoch the tera' taHvIp joH'a'. chaw' Hoch the nganpu' vo' the qo' Qam Daq awe vo' ghaH.
Let all the earth fear the LORD. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. ps 33:8
podcast version
How do you imagine that Klingons recruit?
I think, though I don't know, that it would be direct, not some sweet winsome wooing or promise of reward. I picture it more as
yIqIm! / AttentionqaneH / I need YOU!DaH! / NOW!SoHvaD Dochvam / THIS MEANS YOU!
Military recruitment, or proposal of marriage - that's the sort no-nonsense approach I imagine would be the Klingons. Particularly SoHvaD Dochvam / THIS MEANS YOU!
chaw' Hoch the tera' taHvIp joH'a'. chaw' Hoch the nganpu' vo' the qo' Qam Daq awe vo' ghaH.
Let all the earth fear the LORD. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. ps 33:8
The word here "all" is one of those happy (however rare) cases where the KLV is right on - ALL in this verse, in Hebrew KOL, nicely is translated here as the Klingon H...
Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:00:09 PST (2.2 Mb)
Podcast Version
Thanks to Think-a-Tron and Digicomp I, I can happily claim to have worked with computers for something like forty years. From the days of those toy computers to today I've used punch cards, paper tape, magnetic tape and disks, compact disks, and now, small flash-ram "jump drives" to store and retrieve information. We've seen the same progress with our music. From vinyl to eight track and cassette tapes to compact disks and mp3 players, every year seems to bring a new way to record our tunes.
We can't imagine what will be used in the future. Though we can assume the obvious: things will continue to hold more and more data in smaller and smaller devices.
Yet these improvements introduce a problem: as older storage techniques become obsolete, we may lose access to important information. It seems funny to think that we have scientific data from the 1960's that is becoming inaccessible. We still possess the records - but as time goes on we're losing the ability to read them.
vaD joH'a' SovtaH the way vo' the QaQtaHghach
'ach the way vo' the mIgh DIchDaq chIlqu'.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked shall ...
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:15 PST (2.4 Mb)
(note: this was originally podcast in 2005)podcast version
As I wrote this, space enthusiasts around the world are waiting to hear the fate of Cosmos 1, the first attempt to launch a solar sail powered spacecraft. The prognosis isn't looking too good right now. Almost no communications have been received since launch. Most evidence points to a failed launch - at best a lower orbit than planned. This exciting project used a decommissioned Soviet missile as a launch vehicle and was run by a combination of international teams headed by the Planetary Society. They are pioneering the most efficient technology we know to head out to the planets, and the best to get to the stars!
However, first we have to get the project under way, first we have to - literally - get it off the ground. (Well, okay, off the water - they used a sub to launch the rocket.)
vaj the mIgh DIchDaq ghobe' Qam Daq the yoj
Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment Psalm 1:5
Those words in Psalm 1 speak of "getting off the ground," too. We hear that the wicked shall not Qam or stand (the Hebrew word is quwm which means 'to rise.') In other words, we're tal...
Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:00:12 PST (2.5 Mb)
The mIgh 'oH ... rur the yub nuq the SuS drives DoH.
The wicked are ... like the chaff which the wind drives away. Psalm 1:4
podcast version
Picture for a moment what you consider to be your enemies. Imagine them before you. Consider those who represent to you, the most formidable villains. This is the wicked, the rishaim in Hebrew, or mIgh in Klingon. These are the adversaries of all that was described in the first three verses of Psalm 1. In this psalm we have read that the blessed person will refuse to join in with the wicked. We've heard that these blessed ones who dwell on God's words will flourish like a well rooted tree. Such a blessed person will endure.
The psalmist now turns back to consider the other side of the coin: the wicked. These are those who rur the yub SuS drives DoH (are like the chaff the wind drives away).
Chaff: Not a familiar term in an increasingly urban world. This verse depends on our knowing that grains like wheat actually have to be processed, crushed so the outer cover of the the grain, this chaff, can be thrown away.
These words assure us that ultimately the threat of the wicked...
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:00:01 PST (2.2 Mb)
'Iv Sornav je ta'taH ghobe' wither. Whatever ghaH ta'taH DIchDaq chep.
whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper Psalm 1:3b
podcast version
Vulcans are not Klingons. The Klingon language's words for hello (nuqneH) and goodbye (Qapla') translate to "what do you want" and "success." Compare that to Vulcans in whose language the peaceful salute is:
tich tor ang tesmur / Live long and prosperThat sentiment, not often expressed in Klingon, is a good summation of Psalm 1, verse 3: The person who is blessed, who relies on God completely, will live long: ('Iv Sornav je ta'taH ghobe' wither: whose leaf also does not wither). Not having a word for "leaf," we use a compound here Sor (tree) nav (paper). The imagery calls to mind a tree, ever growing, yet never shedding its leaves - the Hebrew, lo yibool, says this tree's leaves don't wilt or fall away.
And this blessed one "prospers": whatever ghaH ta'taH DichDaq chep in all they do, they prosper (NLT).
I think this is an interesting shift in the psalm. We've started speaking of a blessed person, then compared him to a tree and now we hear about "in all they do." Tre...
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:00:11 PST (2.1 Mb)
ghaH DichDaq taH rur a Sor planted Sum the streams vo' bIQ
He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water Psalm 1:3a
podcast version
yInroHmey yIHotlh! Scan for life signs!
Anyone familiar with space exploration - particularly as practiced by the United Federation of Planets - knows that this a primary task when discovering a new world or a derelict ship. Facing the unknown, the quest for yInroH, life signs, is job number one.
Even today we see this. The first landers on Mars included automated chemical labs to detect Martian life. Most think this first attempt failed, though there are some who think life was found back in 1976. And now, the ships orbiting and the robots prowling on the red planet continue looking for life signs, especially in the form of water. Simple H20 that covers three quarters of our planet makes life possible on Earth - and it may well be so elsewhere.
What about you? If you are scanned for "life signs," what will be found? "Barren wilderness," "salty flats where no one lives?" That's how the book of Jeremiah describes people "who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the LORD." (Jeremia...
Fri, 13 Jan 2012 04:00:18 PST (2.4 Mb)
Daq Daj chut ghaH ja''eghqa'taH jaj je ram.
On his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2b)
podcast version
Okay, I admit it - I talk to myself! (Of course, with a spouse or some other close observer that is the kind of thing that is hard to keep a secret forever. )
I can explain this "talking to myself": it is a useful strategy for pushing things over from short-term memory to the long-term storage. Anyone on the far side of fifty can appreciate this. And it could be worse. I take comfort in something I was once told: "it's okay to talk to yourself - as long as you don't start answering."
"Talking to yourself" is usually taken to mean either you have no audience, or that you're completely cracked. Maybe then it comes as a surprise that Psalm 1 admires just that action - in fact it seemes to be what the Bible admonishes us to do.
Turn to Psalm 1:2 and you'll learn that the blessed person:
ja''eghqa'taH jaj je ram - meditates day and night on God's law
The Hebrew word used here for meditate is "hagah," to murmur - the sense here is to review, rehearse, recite, and remember God's words by saying them over and over to ...
Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:21:00 PST (2.3 Mb)
'ach Daj tIv ghaH Daq joH'a' chut.
but his delight is in Yahweh's law
psalm 1:2a
podcast version
Delight. Think for a moment about what gives you delight. Family? Travel? Sports? Chocolate? From deep to trivial, what delights us is as varied as we individuals are. Now, Psalm 1, when it turns from what the happy, the blessed person DOESN'T do, to what they DO do - maybe it comes as a bit of a surprise, when being blessed is tied to finding DELIGHT in LAW.
Law, to me, probably to most people who aren't lawyers - is NOT a subject that quickens the pulse. Yet, in Psalm 1 when we turn to what the blessed DO, we read:
Daj tIv ghaH Daq joH'a' chut - his delight is in Yahweh's law
Part of me rebels at this: "Law? Happiness is bound up in rules and regulations? No, thanks!"
But, wait - this isn't law in the abstract, or in any city, state or national sense. This is joH'a' chut - God's law. This law is charged with a personal quality, a relationship. The specific Hebrew word used here may be a familiar one: Torah. Occurring over 200 times in the Hebrew scriptures, "torah," is commonly used to refer to the "books of Mo...
Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:18:01 PST (2.0 Mb)
podcast version
ghurtaH ghaH the loD 'Iv ta'be' ... Qam Daq the way vo' yemwI'pu', ghobe' ba' Daq the seat vo' scoffers;
Blessed is the man who doesn't ...stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; Psalm 1:1b
Ever heard this old joke? "Teacher, should I get in trouble for something I didn't do?" "No, of course not." "Good. I didn't do my homework."
Nice try, but I don't think any real teacher would fall for it. And, it is true - we can get in trouble, not only for what we DO but for what we fail to do.
Psalm 1 shows us what it takes to be a person who is blessed. The author starts by telling us an action to avoid: "following evil advice." But he continues by warning us away from, well something that sounds like "doing nothing." Just being stuck amongst "the wrong crowd." Not DOing anything in particular - just hanging out.
Don't Qam (stand) among sinners, the psalmist says. Why not? Didn't Jesus eat and drink with sinners? The problem isn't meeting or moving among them, the problem is staying put. Yes - Jesus associates with sinners (and don't forget - that means you and me) because, as he says: the puqloD vo' loD ghoSta' Da...
Fri, 23 Dec 2011 10:17:33 PST (2.6 Mb)
ghurtaH ghaH the loD 'Iv ta'be' yIt Daq the qeS vo' the mIgh
Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked
podcast version
ghurtaH ghaH the loD/ Blessed is the man
"Bless" is one of those "Bible" words that might seem simple. Bless you! What a blessing! I was blessed. Yet when pressed to define it, it turns out to be a fairly complex bundle rolled up into one simple syllable.
Psalm 1 presents us with a description - maybe a prescription for what it is to be blessed.
There are multiple words in Hebrew, Greek and Latin that are all translated into English as "bless" or "blessed." Now, because the KLV is developed as a relexification (one Klingon term for one English word) of the World English Bible, the text winds up flattening that meaning into a single word: ghurtaH, : on-going increase, that is an increase or benefit to one's material or spiritual riches. In this case, the Hebrew word used in Psalm 1, ashri, means "happy," a translation you will find being used in many modern translations. Eventually that meaning may replace ghurtaH in the KLV, and you'll see the word Quch (happy) used : Quch ghaH the loD...
Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:28:01 PST (2.7 Mb)
yItIv Daq joH'a', SoH QaQtaHghach! naD ghaH fitting vaD the upright.
Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous! Praise is fitting for the upright.
click for podcast version
What is right? Not the opposite of "left," of course. Not just getting the correct answer. But to be committed to the JUST life, the correct path.
The word here for "upright" is yashar, and occurs over 100 times in the Bible. From a root meaning "straight" it is translated as with words like just, meet, well, or right. You'll note that I didn't have a Klingon word in this verse - I'd suggest for this text that lugh: be right, correct could make a good choice - for the Psalmist is telling us that when we are "right" with the Lord we can, we should rejoice and praise God.
When I stay on that road, the right path, things around me make sense. I cannot count on earthly rewards, but I CAN see the way things are working - the way they work together.
I play trumpet in a few community bands, and the occasional pit orchestra. One of the things you need to do with a brass instrument is make sure it is oiled properly. It doesn't take too many mistakes to learn th...
Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:06:00 PST (2.8 Mb)
'ach vaj 'oH ghaH ghobe' the DichDaq vo' lIj vav 'Iv ghaH Daq chal vetlh wa' vo' Dochvammey mach ones should chIlqu'.
Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
(click for podcast)
If you're a pastor, and looking for a way to quickly be driven out of your parish - I can't think of a better controversy to raise than.... a discussion about Santa Claus. I fear at times that the deepest beliefs of the Bible could be question without the kind of difficulties a preacher would meet if they weighed in on the reality of Kris Kringle.
Nor am I brave enough to tread on this legend - though I wonder what a Klingon would make of some of the stories? The Klingon disposition toward things military lend to a tendency to be (shall we say?) paranoid. Imagine how they'd feel about a silent intruder who routinely slips in past all defenses to surprise the inhabitants! Motivated by generosity or not - I expect a Klingon hearing of such stealth would be more alarmed than happy.
But - maybe if they were introduced to the real Santa Claus - St Nicholas:
St. Nicholas, lover of the poor and patron saint of childre...
Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:28:00 PST (1.8 Mb)
Hoch the jajmey vo' wIj yIn
all the days of my life
podcast version
News flash! MIT is hosting a Time Travelers get-together May 7th, 2005. Well, maybe this is old news, since by the time you hear this podcast, the event will have happened. Yet, if you are a time traveler, I encourage you to head on over to the the MIT East Campus Courtyard and check it out - I'm sure you'll get a warm welcome.
Time travel can be a pain. Think about the complicated problems you can encounter: DON'T step on a bug - you might wipe out hundreds of species yet to come! Don't prevent your grandparents from meeting or you'll never exist! The list goes on and on - you have to be soooo careful! After all, nobody wants to deal with those agents from the Federation's Department of Temporal Investigations!
Harder still, consider the grammar! How do you explain something you did yesterday - in the future? How do you talk about what you plan to do in the past tomorrow?
Now - we are all time travelers. Not dramatically - not skipping back and forth in a souped up DeLorean, but gradually, daily we sail along into tomorrow:
Hoch the jajmey vo' wIj yIn a...
Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:27:00 PST (1.5 Mb)
QaQ je loving kindness DIchDaq tlha' jIH
goodness and loving kindness shall follow me
podcast version
The great pitcher Satchel Paige often said “Don’t look back—something might
be gaining on you.”
That doesn't sound like Klingon advice to me. Few would disagree that the straightforward Klingon response to pursuit is to stand one's ground and eliminate trouble before it sneaks up on you!
But these words from Psalm 23 involve a different kind of pursuit; and mark a return in this shepherd's psalm to the picture of God's care as shepherding us, his flock.
Among the tools of a shepherd are herd dogs. We see that God's are QaQ (goodness) and loving kindness - a word not translated in the current revision of the KLV. This word, "Hesed" in Hebrew, is rendered in English translations as 'mercy' or 'loving kindness' and means a deep kind of "covenant faithfulness." The Klingon term batlh (honor) comes to mind as a good translation.
We are pursued by God. His dogs nudge us along the good path and direct us to follow the honorable road - and we will, if only we don't turn on these hounds that are just there to lead ...
Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:27:21 PST (2.5 Mb)
wIj HIvje' qettaH Dung
My cup runs overpodcast version
Half full? Half empty? That evaluation of a partially filled glass is the classic way to measure whether a person is an optimist or pessimist.
Which are you? And what happens when somebody fills the glass SO full it overflows?
That's what David considers in Psalm 23 when he writes:
wIj HIvje' qettaH DungMy cup runs over
God can (and will) bless his people beyond their mere needs. He just will NOT stop!
[My guess, by the way is that the pessismist will gripe about the work cleaning up the over flow, while the optimist delights in the surplus - "aren't we LUCKY to have more than we need?"]
The mechanical process of creating the Klingon Language Version of the Bible involves a simple program that replaces English words with Klingon translations, one word at a time. When that works we get Klingon text arranged in English grammatical fashion - a pidgin Klingon that a translator can polish off. "wIj HIvje'," for "my cup" can be made grammatical by attaching the first person possesive suffix (wIj) to HIvje' (glass, or tumbler): Hivje'wIj becomes a good translation f...
Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:41:00 PDT (2.1 Mb)
Daq vo' wIj jaghpu'
in the presence of my enemies
podcast version
Nobody likes to say it out loud, but inviting people to a party means, on some level, you've decided who not to invite. That is why one might look twice at what David says in Psalm 23 -
You prepare a table before me
I like hearing this; God wants me to be his guest.
But then I read
Daq vo' wIj jaghpu'
in the presence of my enemies.
and I ask, what is going ON?! What are my enemies doing at this party?
The Klingon word for enemy, jagh, appears here in the plural form jaghpu'. It is worth noting that Klingon has three forms of plural suffixes: "mey", which is plural for things, for example yIHmey means "tribbles." "Du'" indicates the plural of body parts, as in ghopDu', "hands". In this case we use the third form "pu'" which is plural for things that have speech - usually taken to mean intelligent beings, i.e. people. Using jaghpu' here, instead of jaghmey, indicates that our enemies are not just a figure of speech as in "the weather is my enemy." We're talking about some person who plots against us, who wants to do us harm.
What is going on? Wh...
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