HIja' - Yes

HIja', ghobe' wa' 'Iv waits vaD SoH DIchDaq taH shamed.
Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. (Psalm 25:3)

(click for podcast version)

Our survey of the Klingon alphabet has reached a great word - YES - and as a benefit, you'll get the word for "NO." This might not make you a fluent Klingon speaker, but it's a good start.

We've now reached the Klingon letter "H" - it looks like a capital "h" when you see it in print, and it's pronounced like the ch at the end of Bach or the beginning of Chanukah. The word is "HIja'" - yes

It's what you might say if you were asked "lhIngan Hol Dajatlh'a'?" - do you speak Klingon? At least that's what you'd say if you were confident enough to communicate with any Klingon you were fortunate enough to meet. If not, the next word in our verse from Psalm 25, ghobe', NO, is what you'd answer (though of course the Klingon MIGHT think you were a liar if you answered in Klingon - be careful).

HIja', ghobe' wa' 'Iv waits vaD SoH DIchDaq taH shamed.
Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. (Psalm 25:3)

In Hebrew, the word translated as HIja' is "gam," a short word used adverbally to mean a variety of things. It's familiar to us as the word "yea" in Psalm 23 "yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death," and here also affirms a statement, the wonderful promise "no one who waits for you shall be shamed."

I subscribe to a daily newspaper, more than a half dozen magazines, and hundreds of RSS feeds. Many, maybe most, of them provide news or commentary on what is happening in our world - and I'd be happy to say it was, well a happy story - but it isn't. There is so much that makes us worry, so many ways the world says to us ghobe' - "NO." That's not a surprise to a believer. This is, I'd say, a message that echoes the Bible - when we read of our failings, of how short we fall of what God intended for us. As Paul says "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 ), and the prophet Isaiah, as well, reminding us "All we like sheep have gone astray; everyone has turned to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6)

But - we don't despair, because the WHOLE of scripture is more than this - the Bible has GOSPEL, Good NEWS!, as well:

St. Peter reminds us: he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises ( 2 Peter 1:4 ) and St. Paul underlines for us how God offers us a great big HIja', YES -

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not "Yes and no," but in him is "Yes." 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. (2 Corinthians 1:19, 20 )

and in another place he adds:

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:11-13 )

What do we say to this? This affirmation, this treasury of promise of rescue, of salvation, that God offers us? Well I know the Klingon word - HIja'!!! YES!

HIja', ghobe' wa' 'Iv waits vaD SoH DIchDaq taH shamed.
Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. (Psalm 25:3)