What is the best translation of the Masoretic Text?

[Dawid]

Is there a different Jewish translation that you would recommend?

No, not really. Most of them are fairly loose renderings. That's why I really like a Christian translation, by Jay P. Green. lol. Much to my chagrin.

[Spyridon]

Would you say that the NJPS is the best out of the Jewish ones available?

[Dawid]

In my limited range of knowledge, yes. All things considered it's very decent. Some good critical notes, though not as good as they could be. Decent translation. No major complaints except in the obvious controversial passages.

[Yochanan5730]

I have the original JPS version of the Holy Scriptures, which seems to be the most accurate translation of the Masoretic that I've found. Lamsa's Old Testament seems to be a modified version of the JPS. What do you think is the best translation of the Masoretic?

i would say the Koren Jerusalem Tenakh'. my reasons for this are because of its close translation of the Hebrew in connection with the messianic prophecies. other versions, JPS and Stone Edition in particular, tend to water down the translation of the Hebrew where the familiar messianic prophecies are concerned. another feature of the Koren Edition i like is that the Hebrew names of people and places are all transliterated from the Hebrew and not anglicized, Moshe for Moses, Y'sha'yahu for Isaiah, etc.

it is a difficult version to get ones mitts on, though. you most likely will have to special order it. look up Koren Publishers online, sometimes Barnes and Nobles will just happen to have one, but usually when you don't have the money to buy it (at least that's been my experience lol) <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/happy.gif" alt="" title="Happy" /><!-- s -->

[Christina]

Interesting, so how does the Koren Tanakh read in in Zekharyah 12:10? Cause JPS & ArtScroll are quite polemical with this verse, as akhn Andrew exposed here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.therefinersfire.org/jps_hypocrisy.htm">http://www.therefinersfire.org/jps_hypocrisy.htm</a><!-- m -->

[Yochanan5730]

Interesting, so how does the Koren Tanakh read in in Zekharyah 12:10? Cause JPS & ArtScroll are quite polemical with this verse, as akhn Andrew exposed here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.therefinersfire.org/jps_hypocrisy.htm">http://www.therefinersfire.org/jps_hypocrisy.htm</a><!-- m -->

<!-- s:lookround: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/lookround.gif" alt=":lookround:" title="Look Round" /><!-- s:lookround: --> i'm beginning to think i may have misspoken concerning fair treatment of Meshichith prophecy in the Koren Tenakh'. up until it's supposed to say "And they will upon me whom they have pierced" and then after that part, it was translated quite accurately. their version says: [i]and they shall look towards me, regarding those whom the nations have thrust through...etc," but [b]V'hibbitu elai eth asher-dakaru doesn't say all of this, it literally says: and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced..

i'm becoming bummed out here <!-- s:dontgetit: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/dontgetit.gif" alt=":dontgetit:" title="Dont Get It" /><!-- s:dontgetit: -->

i will certainly have to look into the other prophecies as well, but all my torah reading from the Koren has been quite accurate, certainly much more than JPS or Stone. but if it turn out that it isn't the Koren, i may have to bury it as dead and retarded. i am wondering if it is the Leeser i'm thinking about <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/huh.gif" alt="" title="Huh" /><!-- s --> i will have to acquire one of those now <!-- stern: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/stern.gif" alt="tern:" title="Stern" /><!-- stern: -->

thanks for asking about that prophecy.

In Yeshua,
John

[Christina]

Shlama Yochanan,

I found the Leeser Bible for you online, go here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://lookhigher.net/englishbibles/theleeserbible/genesis.html">http://lookhigher.net/englishbibles/the ... nesis.html</a><!-- m -->. Here's how Isaac Leeser rendered Zekharyah 12:10

(Zec 12:10) But I will pour out over the house of David, and over the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they will look up toward me [for every one] whom they have thrust through, and they will lament for him, as one lamenteth for an only son, and weep bitterly for him, as one weepeth bitterly for the first???born.

I little more honest than the modern versions eh? Now check out the 1917 JPS reading:

(Zec 12:10) And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto Me because they {That is, the nations. See verse 9.} have thrust him through; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.

It seems that while the "old school" Rabbis had a problem with what this verse clearly says, at least they clearly marked their interpolations.