Bare In PLACE

Bare Bare

The Niece Law of Leasts « Better Bibles Blog

Bare In PLACE

How is this relevant to Bible ransla Niece ion?

Because Fred’s PhD work was interrupted by his tumor. He left a fair amount of unfinished work behind that contains no few brilliant linguisticl insightshich mave never been published (or never been properly credit Bare ed to him). Niece One of them is of pinpoint relevance to the debate about the nee yd to translate literally and stick to structure.

Fred noticed that when you want to talk about all (or none) of something, you tend to want todo so in emphaticrays. He further observed that languages achieve this emphasis Bare byreferring to the smallest amount of the stuff. (Or more accurately the conventionally smallest amount of the stuff.)

It’s good to the last drop. (= all of it)
A drop is the smallest amount of a liquid.

He doesn’t have a penny to his name. (= no money)
A penny is the smallest amount of money.

She was gone in an instant. (= in no time)
An instant is the smallest amount of time.

I didn’t hear a word she said. (= no communication)
A word is the smallest amount of language.

καὶ ἰάθη ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ (Mat. 8:13)

… And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. (KJV)
… And the servant was healed that very moment. (NASB)

ὅταν δὲ παραδῶσιν ὑμᾶς μὴ μεριμνήσητε πῶς ἢ τί λαλήσητε δοθήσεται γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ τί λαλήσητε (Matt. 10:19)

But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. (NASB)

When they bring you to trial, do not worry about what you are going to say or how you will say it, when the time comes, you will be given what you will say. (TEV) [marginally better: at that moment]

καὶ ἐζήτησαν οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς ἐπιβαλεῖν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ … (Lk. 20:19)

The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, … (NASB)

The teachers of the Law and the chief priests tried to arrest Jesus on the spot, … (TEV) [more literal but still a dynamic equivalent: right then or then and there]

καὶ ἀναστάντες αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ (Lk. 24:33)

And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, … (NASB)

They got up at once and returned to Jerusalem, … (TEV)

οἷς οὐδὲ πρὸς ὥραν εἴξαμεν τῇ ὑποταγῇ ἵνα ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ εὐαγγελίου διαμείνῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς (Gal. 2:5)

But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. (NASB)

… but in order to keep the truth of the gospel safe for you, we did not give in to them for a minute. (TEV)

… ἵνα παραστήσῃ αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ ἔνδοξον τὴν ἐκκλησίαν μὴ ἔχουσαν σπίλον ἢ ῥυτίδα ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων ἀλλ’ ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ ἄμωμος (Eph. 5:27)

… that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. (NASB)

He has an unblemished record.

ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν γέγραπται οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ (Mat. 4:4)

But He answered and said, “It is written, ”MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.” ” (NASB)

In Matt. 5:18 it says:

ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται (Matt. 5:18)

For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. (NASB)

In the Old Testament there is Prov. 30:5:

ה כָּל-אִמְרַת אֱלוֹהַּ צְרוּפָה; מָגֵן הוּא, לַחֹסִים בּוֹ. (Prov. 30:5)

Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. (NASB)