[b-greek] Re: racist overtones in Hermas

From: Numberup@worldnet.att.net
Date: Sun Sep 03 2000 - 22:59:21 EDT


It seems to shift the emphasis away from any possible racialist aspect if the last
line is rendered:

"....for theirs is a lawless race."

Putting "lawless" before "race" emphasizes action, making color secondary. Or so it
would seem.

Solomon Landers

Bart Ehrman wrote:

> In that oh so long ninth Similitude, the Shepherd is explaining to
> Hermas the significance of the twelve mountains that he saw. I'm trying
> to figure out if it's possible to translate the passage about the first
> mountain without giving it modern racist overtones (which would have been
> foreign to the world of the text). The passage reads something like:
>
> The believers from the first mountain, which was black, are like
> this: they are apostates and blasphemers against the Lord and betrayers
> of the slaves of God. There is no repentance for these, but
> death. This is why they are black, because their race also is lawless.
>
> The last bit is: KAI DIA TOUTO KAI MELANES EISI, KAI GAR TO GENOS AUTWN
> ANOMON ESTIN.
>
> I'm eager to give a translation that sticks to the text. Any
> suggestions?
>
> -- Bart D. Ehrman
> University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
>
> ---


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