Excellent analogy

by Paul , Monday, September 16, 2024, 09:48 (29 days ago) @ Frank S

I was raised on the KJV and it "sounds like the Bible" more than any other English translation. But it is, after all, a translation. Then when I was still little I started hearing the Ferreira de Almeida version in Portuguese and started being exposed to more modern English versions as well. Then we moved to Coffee Country and found most folk stuck in the Reina Valera 1960, which has a cult following like the KJV 1611 in the US. Interesting that they opted for the 1960 revision over what is labeled on Bible Gateway as the "Reina Valera Antigua", but the difference between those two shows the importance of not limiting oneself to one translation as the RVA says that a deacon can not be bi-lingual, a weird, strange and non-helpful translation for those who don't take time to study out what is behind the translated word in order to understand the original meaning. The verse in question is 1 Timothy 3:8 and the KJV renders the same word as "not double tongued" which renders out in more modern usage as "not hypocritical".

Regarding the Bible, folks forget that even the KJV is a translation, and one done at the behest of an ungodly tyrant. Each translation has something to offer, if only a different perspective on how a phrase may be rendered in order to better comprehend the meaning of the original text. Being tri-lingual gives me a very different perspective on the matter compared to folk who only speak/read/write one language. I do not, for example, trust "Google Translate" or other such translation services as they are mostly word based, rather than thought based. The language one reads in a translation is different from the original and the culture of the translators is different from that of the original, which means that in order for us to better understand the original meaning it is helpful to get a perspective from a variety of different translators. I've got a hard copy of more than 30 translations in three languages, plus access to many more via Bible Gateway and other electronic options. I've found that even languages I'm not fluent in (Italian, Romanian, etc) can give me an insight on occasion, such as when looking at how John 1:1 is translated. The New World Version by the Watchtower Society is the worst "translation" I've found to date, but even it can be used to point readers towards Jesus the Christ and salvation through Him.

Reloading manuals, however, are not as thick on the ground, more's the pity. Some have gotten lost over the years (due to moves, etc). I'd really love to get my hands on a copy of Nonte's Outdoor Life book on reloading. He had a lot of good stuff in there, but I've not had access to that book since late in the 20th Century. When playing around with powders and projectiles and primers and etc, it REALLY helps to get more than one perspective, and to remember that components DO change over the years. So the advice on starting loads is a VERY important bit of info when working on a new load for any firearm.

I greatly appreciate JimT's thoughts on both these subjects. It helps to learn to think things through and not just go with "gut feeling" or what one's favorite book may indicate without double checking and working our way through the thought process.