English translations of popular prayers

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Neil_Anthony

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I recently bought ‘Christian Prayer’, a Liturgy of the Hours book online from the US, and I’m noticing that some common prayers are slightly different than I’ve always said them:

“Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.”

vs.

“Glory **be **to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”

Also the Hail Mary uses “you” instead of Thou, etc.

I assume this is just a different translation, and that the Glory Be we use in the rosary is the same as this prayer in Christian Prayer. Is this something new, or maybe is it different in Canada than in the USA? (I’m in Canada, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard people use the more modern english forms of those prayers).

Thx in advance for any information you can provide!
Neil
 
When we were getting ready to start CCD classes this year, one of the catechists asked if we would be teaching the new Hail Mary. I was flumoxed. New? :confused:

Turns out saying “you” and “your” instead of “thou” and “thee” is the new way. Personally I like the ‘old’ way better, but I’ll teach the kids what my pastor prefers. 🤷

Although, I do slip every now and then. :o
 
I’m sure they want to “update” the prayers. I personally prefer the old way just because that’s how I was taught. As long as it’s consistent though (meaning not switching from older English into modern English), then it’s ok.

I never understood why the language in the Lord’s Prayer starts off the traditional way, and then the people respond “for the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory are YOURS…” I just prefer consistency in language.
 
The new version of the Glory to the Father… is a more accurate translation of the original Latin. The older is a more liberal and poetic translation of the prayer. I’m a fan of accurate translations so when I realized this, I’ve come to prefer it to the older “sense” translation.

It’s slightly ironic that, in this case at least, a preference for accuracy in translation means liking the ‘new’ over the old, the older being more liberal in its representation of the actual prayer! Sort of akin to the new mass texts that will be coming out in the new few years.

God bless,
mp
 
In the US we seem to use the longer Glory Be in the Rosary and most other occasions. The only place I’ve seen the abbreviated version is in the book of Christian Prayer…
 
I wouldn’t say that the older form of the Gloria Patri is less accurate than the ICEL (so called “newer” form). They’re just different words conveying accurately the Latin Gloria Patri.

Those of us who use the non-ICEL translation of Liturgia Horarum titled “The Divine Office” would use the traditional translation of the Gloria Patri. Makes more sense to me to have a single translation of the same text in all the prayers.
 
peregrinus_sg said:
I wouldn’t say that the older form of the Gloria Patri is less accurate than the ICEL (so called “newer” form). They’re just different words conveying accurately the Latin Gloria Patri.
Click to expand...
Correct – I probably should have used more “literal” translation rather than more “accurate” translation. They are intended to be the same prayer after all.

God bless,
mp
 
Neil, I am in Canada too and I was puzzled when I saw that new translation in Christian Prayer. Then I went to my parish for Morning Prayer one day … and everyone ignored the new translation and said the traditional one anyway.
 
Regarding the new Glory Be, my limited understanding of Latin doesn’t support having “world without end” in the prayer, but the rest is just more poetic in the older translation. I don’t know when that changed, but I’ve never heard a single person say it the new way.

I kind of feel like Richard John Neuhaus on First Things. It’s OK for language to be poetic sometimes.

I notice the Our Father is still the Our Father.
 
peregrinus_sg said:
I wouldn’t say that the older form of the Gloria Patri is less accurate than the ICEL (so called “newer” form). They’re just different words conveying accurately the Latin Gloria Patri…
Click to expand...
The meaning is the same but, as you indicated, the emphasis is different. Consider a more literal translation:

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Sicut erat in principio,
As it was in the beginning

et nunc, et semper,
and now, and forever

et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
and in ages of ages. Amen

There just seems to be something missing from the shortened form.
 
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