More Songs in Ancient Greek: "You Are Holy"

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GarySimmons
Posts: 8
Joined: February 6th, 2012, 12:41 am

More Songs in Ancient Greek: "You Are Holy"

Post by GarySimmons »

[Χορος]
αγιος ει, κραταιος ει
αξιος ει, αινεσεως
ακολουθησω, υποκουσω
αγαπησω, παντοτε

[Γυναικες]
κυριος κυριων, αρχων αρχοντων
θεος κραταιος, κυριος παντων
Εμμανουηλ, ο Εγω Ειμι
αρχων ειρηνης, οστις και αμνος

ο θεος ζων, χαριτι σωζων
βασιλευσεις αει, παλαιος ημερων
το Αλφα Ωμεγα, αρχη και τελος
ο σωτηρ μου, μεσσιας στηριγμος και φιλος
αρχων ειρηνης ει, και βιωσω εις σε

[Ανδρες]
προσαινησω, προσκυνησω
τω βασιλει, τω αξιω
αγαπησω, και φιλησω
προσπεσουμαι, προς αυτω

προσαινησω, προσκυνησω
τω βασιλει, τω αξιω
αγαπησω, και φιλησω
προσπεσουμαι, προς αυτω

αρχων ειρηνης ει, και βιωσω εις σε

As far as I can tell, I coined the word προσαινεω, but it was required to make this fit metrically. Although Greek does allow one to leave off the direct object of transitive verbs to some extent, I may have taken poetic license a bit too far on that.

As a former seminary student, I learned and (unfortunately?) internalized the Erasmian pronunciation that this board loves oh so much. I ran through this with the Buthian pronunciation and I believe it works metrically either way. Let me know what you folks think!
Mark Lightman
Posts: 300
Joined: May 6th, 2011, 6:30 pm

Re: More Songs in Ancient Greek: "You Are Holy"

Post by Mark Lightman »

Hi, Gary,

Not long ago Louis Sorenson did his own version.

http://www.letsreadgreek.com/songs/youa ... efault.htm

I find it interesting to compare the two.

Sorenson-- Simons

σὺ εἶ ἅγιος-- αγιος ει
σὺ εἶ δυνατός-- κραταιος ει
σὺ εἶ ἄξιος-- αξιος ει
ἐπαίνου ἄξιος-- αινεσεως
ἀκολουθήσω σοι-- ακολουθησω
ἐπακούσω σου-- υποκουσω
ἀγαπήσω σε-- αγαπησω
πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας μου-- Παντοτε

αὐτῷ ᾄσομαι-- προσαινησω
αὐτὸν σεβήσομαι-- προσκυνησω
τὸνδε βασιλέα-- τω βασιλει
ὃς ἐστὶν ἄξιος-- τω αξιω


Yours fits the meter a little better, but LoSo’s is also awesome. Occasionally you guys come up with the same phrase, but the differences show that there are lots of ways of expressing the same thought in Greek. Translating songs into Greek is IMO a great way to internalize the forms. You both done good, κατά με.
GarySimmons
Posts: 8
Joined: February 6th, 2012, 12:41 am

Re: More Songs in Ancient Greek: "You Are Holy"

Post by GarySimmons »

Thank you!

I saw that version about a day before I posted mine. Mine's been around for about six weeks, but I haven't posted it online due to not understanding copyright matters. But since others feel safe posting and citing educational purposes as fair use, that works for me.

I feel mine is grammatically incomplete, but definitely metrical. Sorenson's is excellent in particular for pedagogical purposes.

Thanks again for the feedback!
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