Whaddya Know?

'ach Sov vetlh joH'a' ghajtaH cher apart vaD himself ghaH 'Iv ghaH godly
But know that the LORD has set apart for himself him who is godly Psalm 4:3a

(click for podcast)

Here's an alien word that you may or may not be familiar with: epistemology.

The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge,
its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity.
[Greek epistm, knowledge (from epistasthai, epist-, to understand :
epi-, epi- + histasthai; see st- in Indo-European roots) + -logy.]
( http://www.thefreedictionary.com/epistemology )

I bring the word up, because David brings it up. That is, the first word of this phrase is the Hebrew word yada - to know. This is a very common word (over 800 times in the Bible!) and has a variety of meanings - from intellectual knowledge to physical intimacy. The Klingon word is "Sov" to know. This verse drives home David's confidence that he can trust God's reliability because he KNOWS it.

As the New Living Translation renders this passage:

You can be sure of this:
The LORD has set apart the godly for himself.

Epistemology is the science of thinking about how we KNOW what we know. It's the way we sort out a problem that Will Rogers noted:

it's not what we DON'T KNOW that will hurt us; it's
what we KNOW that ain't so

That is often the problem - how many times have you been alarmed by a "news item" that turns out to be completly bogus? We need the kind of discernment that keeps us from being too credible. For a start I recommend an anti-Urban Legend website like snopes.com to help you sort out some of the outrageous things "we KNOW that ain't so."

David's assurance - KNOWING of God's care - comes from a life of faith, where he could look back at events in his life, the ups and downs of it, and see God's hand in action. Of course, like us, he relied also on the collective faith, the tradition handed on from Moses down to his time.

Klingons are careful about "what they know" - maybe too much so. They have an inveterate paranoia - they WORRY about knowledge, more specifically KNOWING TOO much. This is expressed in one of their "secrecy proverbs":

"Knowledge of useful information may be unfortunate."
{De' lI' Sovlu'DI' chaq Do'Ha'.}


But the faith of the Bible is an OPEN one - a transparent faith not bound up in secrets. As Jesus said "I said nothing in secret." (John 18:20). The Biblical faith meets the doubter with facts - consider Thomas who is never criticized for doubting, but whose doubt is met with facts to help him believe.

Believers living in a community of fellowship can KNOW from their own experience, and that of their companions in faith, along with the history of Scripture, that the facts on which their faith are based are objective space-time realities, not wishful fantasies. What good news!

'ach Sov vetlh joH'a' ghajtaH cher apart vaD himself ghaH 'Iv ghaH godly
But know that the LORD has set apart for himself him who is godly Psalm 4:3a

quvHa'!

chay' tIq DIchDaq wIj batlh taH tlhe'ta' Daq quvHa'?
You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Psalm 4:2b

(click for podcast version)

Honor. Even a casual observor of Klingon-kind is going to notice that HONOR - or the lack of it is a critical focus for tlhinganpu' (Klingons). This is expressed in a saying like:

Qu' buSHa'chugh SuvwI', batlhHa' vangchugh, qoj matlhHa'chugh, pagh ghaH SuvwI''e'.
If a warrior ignores duty, acts dishonorably, or is disloyal, he is nothing. [The Klingon Way,« by Marc Okrand]

So it is often with humans. This is even expressed in the defiant call: Death before dishonor, or as a Klingon would say it: quvHa'pa' Hegh.

chay' tIq DIchDaq wIj batlh taH tlhe'ta' Daq quvHa'?
You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Psalm 4:2b

But David here is not so concerned with BEING honorable, but the injustice he faces at the hands of deadly enemies - enemies who included his own family. It is not surprising that he cries out at their unfair treatment of him. David's son, Absalom, had led a rebellion against the king - working for years to undermine David's authority, telling anyone who presented a problem to him:

“You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. I wish I were the judge. Then people could bring their problems to me, and I would give them justice!”

2 Samuel 15:3-5 NLT

When the time had come, and people were all looking to Absalom as a better ruler than David - he sprung his rebellion. Our contemporary political fights are nothing new! Whether today, or in David's time, the political operatives would have done well to think about another Klingon saying:

batlhHa' vanglu'taHvIS quv chavbe'lu'.
One does not achieve honor while acting dishonorably. [The Klingon Way,« by Marc Okrand]

The word used in this verse for dishonor is quvHa' - a typical Klingon construction quv (to honor) plus the suffix Ha', which inverts the meaning quv, honor, quvHa' DIShonor. (This is similar to the word often used for "love" in Klingon: muSHa', mus, to-hate plus Ha') The Hebrew is kehlimmah, from a root meaning to wound, and is translated variouisly - as confusion, dishonor, reproach, and shame. It appears about 30 times in the Bible.

While David's complaint is understandable, Jesus has an interesting response to suffering dishonor at the hands of enemies:

"Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Mt 5:11-12 WEB

We cannot count on a world that treats us fairly - our lives, our times, may have ups and downs. Writing on the website decentfilms.com, Steven Greydanus notes, speaking of Tolkien:

All of this is shaped by the author’s consciousness of the fallenness of the world and the inevitable sorrows of this life. "I am a Christian, and indeed a Roman Catholic," Tolkien once wrote to a friend, "so that I do not expect ’history’ to be anything but a ’long defeat’ — though it contains (and in a legend may contain more clearly and movingly) some samples or glimpses of final victory." (http://www.decentfilms.com/sections/articles/2559)

Yes, the world may bring us defeat, may bring us the closest of friends who turn on us, may bring us dishonor when we least expect it. That would only be discouraging if we had no other hope - but that is not the case, as Jesus reminds us:

I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Say HIja' Somebody!

Daq 'Iv taH the batlh reH je ever. Amen.
to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen Galatians 1:5

(click for podcast)

There are limits to the practical value of studying a language like Klingon - which is not to say there are NONE. It is certainly a great way to learn about linguistics - and understand the limits of translation between languages and cultures. And in studying languages, real and constructed, you also can discover a few universals.

Without warp drives or cloaking devices, words have the power to move across borders, from culture to culture. Some time ago I talked about Alleluia - a scripture word that has found its way into many languages. Today I've got another - a universal word you all know whether you speak Afrikaans, Bulgarian, Creole, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Esperanto, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Kenyan, Latvian, Maori, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, or Xhosa. Can somebody say "amen?"

Originally a Hebrew word, from a primitive root meaning to build up or support, Amen has become a part of many languages. We see it used in different ways in the Bible. As a word used to reinforce a statement (eg. when the we read in the Nehemiah "The whole assembly responded, 'Amen,' "), used in prayer ("Bless his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen!" Psalm 72:19)) and as a title for Christ ("the one who is the Amen" Rev 3:14) Actually, even when we don't see it, you can find "Amen" being used, for it is a word that at times IS translated. For example, the familiar words of Jesus as translated in the King James Bible "Verily, verily, I say unto you" translate the Greek "amen amen lego umin" (amen, amen I say to you).

I think it's natural that, in translating Biblical texts in some distant future, we'd preserve "Amen" as a part of the vocabulary. And just as naturally, we'd include synonyms for the strong affirmation when the congregation calls out "Amen!" For Klingons, I'd nominate "HIja'!" That's one of the Klingon words for yes, and I can imagine a Klingon preacher calling out

HIja' noblaH'a' vay'  - can somebody give a HIja'?

 

But what is the point? Is "Amen" simply a rallying cry? Is it no more than a religious cheer or demonstration of loyalty. No - I'd say that the bottom line is truth. As a verb, it signifies to confirm, establish, verify; to trust, or give confidence; as a noun, truth, firmness, trust, confidence; as an adjective, firm, stable. We say "amen" to what is indeed TRUE.

It's not unusual to regard believers as engaging in some disconnected-from-reality enterprise. To see worshippers as being part of a fanciful set of beliefs that don't connect to the day-to-day world. I disagree, and think it is a shame when some believers appear to question science - seeming to fear or doubt the truth. The foundations of a Biblical faith are found in dictates like those of Leviticus "'You shall not steal; neither shall you deal falsely, nor lie to one another. (19:11). The AMEN of believers is to a faith that includes honesty as central - so core to the faith that it is within the ten commandments.

Those who commit themselves to the God of the Bible are putting their trust in one who we're told "cannot lie." So when considering the promises of God - take heart! Whether you speak Afrikaans, Bulgarian, Creole, Croatian,Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Klingon, Latvian, Mando'a, Maori, Russian, or Vulcan - these promises are indeed something about which to shout AMEN!

vaD however law' 'oH the promises vo' joH'a', Daq ghaH ghaH the . HIja'..
vaj je vegh ghaH ghaH the .Amen,. Daq the batlh vo' joH'a' vegh maH.

For however many are the promises of God, in him is the "Yes." Therefore also through him is the "Amen," to the glory of God through us. 2Co 1:20

Hear My Prayer!

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1c

(click for podcast version)


Prayer. Or, tlhlobtaHghach, as rendered in the KLV, is a mystery.

If you are inclined to be overly analytical - maybe the kind of person who ponders "can God make a rock so big he can't lift it?" - you may ponder WHY prayer is needed at ALL. Doesn't God know what we need? Indeed Isaiah records God's word about that very point:

'oH DIchDaq qaS vetlh, qaSpa' chaH ja', jIH DichDaq jang; je qaStaHvIS chaH 'oH yet speaking, jIH DichDaq Qoy.

It shall happen that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

And yet - we pray. In desperate straits David - and we - call out

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer.

Well, of course. Prayer is a part of the life of believers. From beginning to end, it is the advice, the command of Scripture

In the first book of Chronicles we read:

Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more. (1 Chr 16:11)

And James tells us:

Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. (James 5:13)

We pray - we plead, we ask. That is the heart of the Klingon word I've used for prayer: tlhob, to request, plead, or ask, plus taH (on-going) with the nominalizer -ghach. tlhobtaHghach - an asking or plea.

This is the single word used in my KLV for prayer, but there are many used in the original languages - remember, the KLV is a simple relexification - word-for-word replacement - of the WEB. It is more the start of a translation - an example of a pidgin-language that might be used in a world with multi-lingual Klingon and English speakers.

The Bible has something like a dozen words in Hebrew and Greek, that are translated as "prayer." In this passage, tlhobtaHghach represents the Hebrew word tephillah, used about 70 times in the Bible, a word meaning an intercession or supplication. The most common Greek word in the Bible translated prayer is proseuche, used over 30 times in the Bible.

We ASK as believers because we are confident, not of a power or machinery behind the Universe, but of a PERSON. A Personal God who is there to hear when we call - a God who wants our "joy to be full." Psalm 17 reads:

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray. (Psalm 17:6 NLT)

So, in delight or despair, joy or pain, we turn to him,

we ask,

we call out

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer.

Prayer. Or, tlhlobtaHghach, as rendered in the KLV, is a mystery.

If you are inclined to be overly analytical - maybe the kind of person who ponders "can God make a rock so big he can't lift it?" - you may ponder WHY prayer is needed at ALL. Doesn't God know what we need? Indeed Isaiah records God's word about that very point:

'oH DIchDaq qaS vetlh, qaSpa' chaH ja', jIH DichDaq jang; je qaStaHvIS chaH 'oH yet speaking, jIH DichDaq Qoy.

It shall happen that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

And yet - we pray. In desperate straits David - and we - call out

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer.

Well, of course. Prayer is a part of the life of believers. From beginning to end, it is the advice, the command command of Scripture

In the first book of Chronicles we read:

Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more. (1 Chr 16:11)

And James tells us:

Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. (James 5:13)

We pray - we plead, we ask. That is the heart of the Klingon word I've used for prayer: tlhob, to request, plead, or ask, plus taH (on-going) with the nominalizer -ghach. tlhobtaHghach - an asking or plea.

This is the single word used in my KLV for prayer, but there are many used in the original languages - remember, the KLV is a simple relexification - word-for-word replacement - of the WEB. It is more the start of a translation - an example of a pidgin-language that might be used in a world with multi-lingual Klingon and English speakers.

The Bible has something like a dozen words in Hebrew and Greek, that are translated as "prayer." In this passage, tlhobtaHghach represents the Hebrew word tephillah, used about 70 times in the Bible, a word meaning an intercession or supplication. The most common Greek word in the Bible translated prayer is proseuche, used over 30 times in the Bible.

We ASK as believers because we are confident, not of a power or machinery behind the Universe, but of a PERSON. A Personal God who is there to hear when we call - a God who wants our "joy to be full." Psalm 17 reads:

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray. (Psalm 17:6 NLT)

So, in delight or despair, joy or pain, we turn to him,

we ask,

we call out

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer.