Saturday, July 25, 2009

Decree, statute, portion

After the discussion here on Job 23, I found I had to rethink my inconsistent glossing of חֹק in Job. The word occurs in several contexts and might be read several ways. I decided on 'decree' for its aural value rather than 'statute' which is even more impersonal in English and has standing authority rather than a heard and meditated authority. I did not use portion since I already have this sound in apportionment and related words.


ה אִם חֲרוּצִים יָמָיומ סְפַּר-חֳדָשָׁיו אִתָּךְ
חֻקָּו עָשִׂיתָ וְלֹא יַעֲבֹר
14.05 If engraved are his days, the number of his months with you
his decree you have made and he does not pass over it
יג מִי יִתֵּן בִּשְׁאוֹל תַּצְפִּנֵנִי
תַּסְתִּירֵנִי עַד-שׁוּב אַפֶּךָ
תָּשִׁית לִי חֹק וְתִזְכְּרֵנִי
14.13 If only you would treasure me in Sheol
and conceal me till turned is your wrath
fix me a decree and remember me
יב מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ
מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי-פִיו
23.12 the command of his lips - such I have not ignored
from his decree I have treasured the words of his mouth
יד כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי
וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּוֹ
23.14 for he makes peace the decree for me
and like these are many with him
י חֹק-חָג עַל-פְּנֵי-מָיִם
עַד-תַּכְלִית אוֹר עִם-חֹשֶׁךְ
26.10 a decree circled on the face of the waters
till the consummation of light with darkness
כו בַּעֲשׂתוֹ לַמָּטָר חֹק
וְדֶרֶךְ לַחֲזִיז קֹלוֹת
28.26 when he made for the rain a decree
and a way for the lightning of voices
י וָאֶשְׁבֹּר עָלָיו חֻקִּי
וָאָשִׂים בְּרִיחַ וּדְלָתָיִם
38.10 and broke in pieces for him my decree
and set out bar and doors
לג הֲיָדַעְתָּ חֻקּוֹת שָׁמָיִם
אִם-תָּשִׂים מִשְׁטָרוֹ בָאָרֶץ
38.33 do you know the decrees of the heavens?
can you set out his dominion in the earth?

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