12-30-2008, 04:43 PM
Shlama,
The ancient Hebrew Tanakh as it was penned by the original writers obviously no longer exists, unless by the grace of God a miracle occurs and something is discovered. <!-- s:biggrin: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif" alt=":biggrin:" title="Big Grin" /><!-- s:biggrin: --> When it was originally written it obviously would not have looked anything like today's Hebrew Tanakh - including the script in which it was written. (More on this at another time and in another thread).
The Aramaic Peshitta Tanakh is a translation of that original Hebrew version. The Masoretic Text can be viewed as an "update" to the ancient Hebrew version. The Aramaic was not translated from the latter.
Personally I don't suggest Lamsa's version, but unfortunately, currently it's the only one currently available in whole (or in part depending on how you look at it) for English readers. I'm working on one myself and I think one or two others on the forum have plans for an English translation.
If you read Spanish you can get "Biblia Peshitta" (search for that on Amazon.com) which is a formal translation from various Aramaic manuscripts into Spanish. However, like Lamsa, it does not include ALL the books of the Peshitta Tanakh. Biblia Peshitta contains the traditional books of the Protestant "canon" for the OT and NT (including the order of books). The Aramaic Peshitta Tanakh contains several other books that the translators (including Lamsa) did not include.
Push b'shlama,
The ancient Hebrew Tanakh as it was penned by the original writers obviously no longer exists, unless by the grace of God a miracle occurs and something is discovered. <!-- s:biggrin: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif" alt=":biggrin:" title="Big Grin" /><!-- s:biggrin: --> When it was originally written it obviously would not have looked anything like today's Hebrew Tanakh - including the script in which it was written. (More on this at another time and in another thread).
The Aramaic Peshitta Tanakh is a translation of that original Hebrew version. The Masoretic Text can be viewed as an "update" to the ancient Hebrew version. The Aramaic was not translated from the latter.
Personally I don't suggest Lamsa's version, but unfortunately, currently it's the only one currently available in whole (or in part depending on how you look at it) for English readers. I'm working on one myself and I think one or two others on the forum have plans for an English translation.
If you read Spanish you can get "Biblia Peshitta" (search for that on Amazon.com) which is a formal translation from various Aramaic manuscripts into Spanish. However, like Lamsa, it does not include ALL the books of the Peshitta Tanakh. Biblia Peshitta contains the traditional books of the Protestant "canon" for the OT and NT (including the order of books). The Aramaic Peshitta Tanakh contains several other books that the translators (including Lamsa) did not include.
Push b'shlama,
Ya'aqub Younan-Levine
Aramaica.org
Aramaica.org