07-16-2014, 03:53 PM
According to Dr. George Lamsa, native Aramaic speaker and translator of the Peshitta, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Tuwayhun l'meskine b'rukh) means "Blessed are the humble". The term rukh (Spirit) can be referring to spirits (like God, angels, demons, and human spirits) or someone's disposition. Glenn David Bauscher translates this as, "Blessed by The Spirit are the poor." This is a possible translation, as b'rukh can be translated as "by the Spirit", "in the Spirit", or "in spirit". Going by the context, "poor in spirit" seems like the best translation, and "poor in Spirit" is an idiom for humble people.