Clunkers in Douay

  • Thread starter Thread starter johnbres2
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

johnbres2

Guest
Doh! Every translation frustrates me at some point. I had been reading the RSV, and came across “David wooed her” referring to Nebal’s wife. I thought, “wooed”? Are you kidding me?

I love the Douay-Rheims. But, man, what were they thinking with some of their choices? How can you say, at Luke 5:39, don’t put old wine in new BOTTLES? How can you not use the word wineskins, which every modern translation has? There are other things too, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, “your faith has made you safe.” How could they not choose to translate it, instead, “your faith has saved you” as every other translation picks?
 
The Douay is not a modern translation of course. So a lot of the modern language or choices in vocabulary will be different, not to mention it is not a direct translation from the original languages.

Also keep in mind that what seems odd ways to put thing in your head may have been perfectly acceptable back in the 1600s. We read older texts with modern prejudice to familiar renderings.
 
I like the NAB when Jacob and Essau were convesing, “Let me gulp down some of that red stuff”. 😃
 
Douay clunker??? What is a wineskin??? I know what a bottle is but, wineskin??? I think that may be an RSV-CE clunker( and there are a lot of them) and NAB clunker. By the way it is Luke 5:38 not 5:39
 
yeah, maybe bottle is right, is there anyone who knows the bottle/wineskin distinction?
 
according to wikitionary, a wineskin is a bag usually made of goat skin that holds wine for storage or pouring. I had to look this one up myself.
 
I did not state my meaning clearly. I know what a wineskin is. What I meant was, does anyone KNOW why the Douay and the KJV have “bottle” here but nearly all other translations have “wineskins”?
 
From the Haydock Commentary:
Ver. 17. New wine into old bottles.[3] These vessels were made of skins, or were leather bottles, in which wine used to be carried and kept. (Witham) — They were made of goat-skins prepared and sewed together, as is common in Spain and other southern countries to this day. (Haydock) — They were to wait till they were renewed by the Holy Ghost, before they could enter with advantage on the hard ways of penance. (Bible de Vence)
Click to expand...
 
johnbres2 said:
I did not state my meaning clearly. I know what a wineskin is. What I meant was, does anyone KNOW why the Douay and the KJV have “bottle” here but nearly all other translations have “wineskins”?
Click to expand...
The Greek term “askouv” can be translated either as wineskin (leather bag) or bottle. The reason that wineskin is used is probably because it is realized that people back then wouldn’t likely be carrying around bottles like we think of today.
 
Back in the 1600’s, leather bottles were still pretty common. So were leather drinking mugs, leather armor, leather canteens… the whole boiled-leather lifestyle.

There’s actually a pilgrim stop in a small English town that still serves people water in the same leather mugs (jacks) originally donated for the purpose 500 years ago or so. So you see that leather bottles could last a very long time.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top