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1Tim. 5:23 Μηκέτι ὑδροπότει, ἀλλὰ οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ διὰ τὸν στόμαχον καὶ τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας.

The two Georgian recensions differ little, most importantly in იმსახურე vs. იჴუმიე.

AB

ნუ ხოლო წყალსა ჰსუამ, არამედ ღჳნოჲცა მცირედ იმსახურე სტომაქისათჳს და ზედაჲ-ზედა უძლურებისა შენისათჳს.

CD

ნუ წყალსა ხოლო ჰსუამ, არამედ ღჳნოჲცა მცირედ იჴუმიე სტომაქისათჳს და ზედაჲზედა უძლურებისა შენისათჳს.

Vocabulary and gramm. remarks

• წყალი water
• ჰ-სუამ pres 2sg O3 სუმა to drink
• ი-მსახურ-ე aor impv 2sg მსახურება to use (also, to serve; მსახური servant)
• ზედაჲსზედა one after another, often, frequently (< ზედა on)
• უძლურებაჲ weakness, sickness (უძლუერი weak, sick)
• ი-ჴუმი-ე aor imv 2sg ჴუმევა to use [the added -ი- (the second one) marks the verb as a so-called strong aor.]

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Among the texts surviving in Christian Palestinian Aramaic (CPA) that were translated from Greek is a fair amount of Cyril of Jerusalem’s Catechetical Lectures (CPG 3585), translations of which also survive in several other languages. In one place (§ 6.14),* Cyril is discussing Simon Magus and says that the emperor Claudius set up a statue to him in Rome, so much did the traditional arch-heretic lead the city of Rome astray. (The story appears in other patristic texts, too.)

Καὶ ἐπλάνησέ τε οὕτω τὴν Ῥωμαίων πόλιν, ὥστε Κλαύδιον ἀνδριάντα αὐτου στῆσαι, ὑπογράψαντα τῇ Ῥωμαίων γλώττῃ, ΣΙΜΟΝΙ ΔΕΟ ΣΑΓΚΤΩ, ὅπερ ἑρμηνευόμενον δηλοῖ, Σίμωνι Θεῷ ἁγίῳ.

So Cyril gives the Latin of this inscription as Simoni Deo Sancto: “To Simon, the holy god.” Turning to the CPA text, we have:

ܘܟܠ ܕܢ ܐܛܥܝ ܪܘܡܐ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ܃ ܠܡܠܘ ܕܐܩܝܡ ܠܗ ܩܠܘܕܝ ܨܠܡ ܘܟܬܒ ܥܠܘܝ ܒܠܝܫܢܐ ܪܘܡܝܐ ܣܝܡܘܢ ܕܐܝܘܣ ܙܢܩܛܘ܃ ܡܐ ܕܗܘ ܡܬܪܓܡ ܘܡܘܕܥ ܣܝܡܘܢ ܐܠܗ ܩܕܝܫ

wkl d<y>n ʔṭʕy rwmʔ mdyntʔ lmlw dʔqym lh qlwdy ṣlm wktb ʕlwy blyšnʔ rwmyʔ symwn dʔyw{s} znqṭw mʔ dhw mtrgm wmwdʕ symwn ʔlh qdyš

The translation is straightforward and makes sense, but the appearance of the Latin inscription, which the CPA translator would have seen in Greek letters, is a bit mangled, not surprisingly. There is no indication of the dative -i in symwn, the -s of dʔyws should be deleted, and the znqṭw, while reflecting the right pronunciation of -γκτ-/-nct-, is a little odd for having a z- at the beginning. In addition, in the CPA version of the Greek translation of the Latin inscription, we really expect the preposition l- to mark the dedication, but there is not one.

Every translation naturally deals with at least two languages, but sometimes, as here, another language also makes an appearance, and, also as here, that appearance may offer an opportunity for some confusion, yet it also grants us an opportunity to have a glimpse at translators and/or scribes with their feet in a more or less complicated labyrinth of more than two languages.

*Greek and CPA published side-by-side in Christa Müller-Kessler and Michael Sokoloff, The Catechism of Cyril of Jerusalem in the Christian Palestinian Aramaic Version, A Corpus of Christian Palestinian Aramaic Version 5 (Groningen, 1999), here pp. 60-61.

 

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As I’ve done before (see also here), here are a few sentences from the Armenian synaxarion together with Bayan’s French translation. I’ve made a few notices of the Armenian vocabulary, too, ad usum scholarum. The story here (for 24 Hrotic’/30 July) is the martyrdom of Goharine and her brothers (nothing in BHO; summary in English here), set, it seems, in the twelfth century. The PO text (21: 795-799) and FT is here.

795

հայրն իւրեանց Դաւիթ գերեալ ի Տաճկաց որ եւ դարձուցին զնա ի կրօնս իւրեանց, եւ զանդրանիկ որդի նորա։

• գերեալ ptcp գերեմ, -եցի to take prisoner, capture
• Տաճիկ, -ճկաց Arab; Turk
• դարձուցանեմ, -ուցի to turn, convert
• կրօն, -նից religion; custom; way of life; sect
• անդրանիկ, -կաց oldest, first-born

Leur père David fut emmené captif par les Musulmans qui le convertirent à leur religion ainsi que son fils aîné.

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796

Իսկ մայրն իւրեանց հաստատուն եկաց ի հաւատսն որ ի Քրիստոս, եւ բարեպաշտութեամբ սնոյց զորդիս իւր.

• հաստատուն firm, solid, constant
• եկաց 3s aor of կամ to stand (Meillet § 112)
• հաւատ, -ոյ, -ք, -տոց faith, belief, creed
• բարեպաշտութիւն piety, religion
• սնոյց 3s aor of սնուցանեմ, -ցի, սնո՛ to nourish, instruct (see the end of the post for more on this verb)

Mais leur mère demeura ferme dans sa foi au Christ, et éleva pieusement ses enfants;

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եւ վասն արիութեանն իւրեանց զինուորեցան բռնաւորին Տաճկաց Ալի Բասանայ, յազգէ Դանշմանացն որ տիրէր Սեբաստիոյ եւ կողմանցն Պոնտոսի,

• արիութիւն bravery, courage (արի brave, courageous)
• զինուորեցան 3pl aor mid/pas զինուորեմ, -եցի to enlist, maintain soldiers (so in the mid/pas, to be enlisted in the army)
• բռնաւոր violent; tyrant
• ազգ, -աց nation, people
• տիրէր 3s impf տիրեմ, -եցի to rule, seize, conquer
• կողմն, -մանաց quarter, country, region

ceux-ci à cause de leur courage s’enrôlèrent dans l’armée du tyran musulman Ali Bassan, de la race des Danishmends, qui régnait à Sébaste et sur les contrées du Pont;

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այր գազանաբարոյ եւ արիւնախանձ մոլեալ ընդդէմ քրիստոնէից։

• գազանաբարոյ fierce, savage (գազան beast)
• արիւնախանձ bloodthirsty, cruel (արիւն, արեանց blood)
• մոլեալ ptcp of մոլեմ, -եցի to drive made (so here, raging, furious)
• ընդդէմ against

homme d’un naturel bestial, assoiffé de sang, et fou furieux contre les chrétiens.

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Նոքա որդիք են տաճկի եւ թողեալ զօրէնս մեր կան քրիստոնէութեամբ, գարշին ի կերակրոց մերոց, եւ ոչ կան յաղօթս ընդ մեզ։

• թողում, թողի to abandon, give up
• օրէնք, օրինաց faith, religion
• կան (2x) 3pl pres կամ, կացի to be, exist, live, remain, stand
• գարշիմ, -եցայ to detest, hate, abhor
• կերակուր, -կրոց food
• աղօթք, -թից prayer

Ce sont les enfants d’un musulman, qui ont abandonné notre religion, vivent en chrétiens, répugnent à nos mets et ne prient point avec nous.

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797

Ռատիոս գնաց ի վանքն եւ եղել կրօնաւոր։

• գնաց 3s aor. ind. գնամ, գնացի to go
• վանք convent, monastery
• եղել 3s aor եղանիմ to become
• կրօնաւոր monk (< կրօն, -ք, -նից religion, faith; religious order, monastic life)

Ratios se retira dans un couvent et se fit religieux.

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…հրամայեաց փորել զերկիր եւ թաղել զԳոհարինէ մինչեւ ի մէջսն, եւ նետաձիգ լինել ի նա ամենայն բազմութիւնն։

• հրամայեաց 3s aor հրամայեմ, -եցի to command
• փորել inf փորեմ, -եցի to dig
• թաղել inf թաղեմ, -եցի to bury
• մէջ, միջոյ, -ով (pl.) middle > waist
• նետաձիգ լինել to shoot an arrow (cf. նետ, -ից arrow, shaft, dart)
• բազմութիւն crowd, multitude

…il ordonna de creuser la terre et d’y enterrer Gohariné jusqu’à la taille, et commanda à toute la foule de lui lancer dex flèches.

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798

Եւ բարկացեալ անօրէնն հրամայեաց զԳոհարինէ հեղձամղձուկ առնել ի ջուրն հեղեղատին. եւ զՏունկիոս եւ զԾամիդէս ածել զառաջեաւ, եւ զՌատիոս պրկել փոկովք եւ հարկանել։

• բարկացեալ angry, in a rage (cf. բարկանամ, -ացայ to be angry)
• անօրէն unjust, wicked
• հեղձամղձուկ suffocated, choked (adj.)
• առնել inf առնեմ, արարի to make, cause (w/ prev. and foll. words: to drown)
• ջուր, ջրոյ water
• հեղեղատ, -աց torrent (cf. հեղեղ, -աց torrent, flood)
• ածել inf ածեմ, ածի to fetch, carry, bring
• զառաջեաւ before, in front (adv.)
• պրկել inf պրկեմ, -եցի to bind
• փոկ, -ոց/-աց leather thong, strap
• հարկանել inf հարկանեմ, հարի to beat, strike

L’infidèle, irrité, ordonna de noyer Gohariné dans les eaux du torrent et d’introduire en sa présence Tounkios, Dsamidès, puis d’enserrer fortement Ratios dans des lanières et de le frapper.

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եթէ թողուս մեզ կեալ քրիստինէութեամբ, եւ քեզ ծառայեսցուք միամտութեամբ, ապա թէ ոչ այլ իրք մի՛ հարցաներ ընդ մեզ. քրիստոնէայք եմք, զոր ինչ առնելոց ես արա՛։

• թողուս 2s pres թողում, թողի to let, leave, allow
• կեալ inf կեամ to live
• ծառայեսցուք 1p aor ծառայեմ, -եցի to serve, wait upon
• միամտութիւն sincerity, fidelity, simplicity
• իր, -ի, -աց thing, affair
• հարցաներ 2s imv հարցանեմ, -ցի to ask
• եմք 1p pres եմ to be
• առնելոց ptcp gen.pl. [NB -եալ > -ելV] առնեմ, արարի to do
• ես 2s pres եմ to be
• արա՛ 2s imv առնեմ, արարի to do

…si tu nous laisses vivre en chrétiens, nous te servirons fidèlement; dans le cas contraire, ne nous fais plus de questions: nous sommes chrétiens; fais ce que tu as à faire.

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799

Եւ տարեալ ի տեղի կատարմանն հատին զգլուխ երանելոյն Ռատիոսի։ Եւ հատեալ գլուխն խօսէր եւ քաջալերէր զեղբարսն մի՛ երկնչել ի մահուանէ։

• տարեալ ptcp տանիմ, տարայ to lead [NB -ն- in pres, -ր- in aor]
• տեղի, -ղւոյ, -ղեաց place, spot, site
• կատարումն end, death, completion (here gen.sg.; see Meillet § 56 for nouns in -մն)
• հատին 3p aor հատանեմ, հատի to cut
• գլուխ, գլխոց head
• երանեալ blessed, happy [again NB -եալ > -ելV] (cf. in Ps 1:1, Երանեալ է այր որ ո՛չ գնաց ՛ի խորհուրդս ամպարշտաց, but the Beatitudes have a different, but related adjective: Երանի́ աղքատաց հոգւով, etc.)
• հատեալ ptcp հատանեմ, հատի to cut
• խօսէր 3s impf խօսիմ, -եցայ to speak
• քաջալերէր 3s impf քաշալերեմ, -եցի to encourage, embolden
• եղբայր, եղբաւր, եղբարց  brother (Meillet § 57b)
• երկնչել inf  երկնչիմ, -կեայ, -կի՛ր to fear
• մահ, մահու/մահուան death (Meillet § 59f)

Les ayant menés au lieu de l’exécution, ils tranchèrent la tête au bienheureux Ratios. Mais la tête tranchée parla à ses frères et les encouragea à ne point craindre la mort.

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On the form սնոյց. The 3s aor ends in -ոյց, the 1s being -ուցի. For the alternation ոյ/ու (see Meillet, p. 18; Godel §2.222), cf. լոյս light, with gen/dat/abl լուսոյ; that is, -ոյ- in closed syllable, -ու- in open syllable.

Here are a few more occurrences of the form (also with the imper in Ex 2:9), with the Greek for the biblical texts:

Ex 2:9 եւ ասէ ցնա դուստրն փարաւոնի. ա́ռ զմանուկդ, եւ սնո́ ինձ զդա. եւ ես տաց քեզ զվարձս քո։ Եւ ա́ռ կինն զմանուկն՝ եւ սնոյց զնա։ εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἡ ϑυγάτηρ Φαραω Διατήρησόν μοι τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο καὶ ϑήλασόν μοι αὐτό, ἐγὼ δὲ δώσω σοι τὸν μισϑόν. ἔλαβεν δὲ ἡ γυνὴ τὸ παιδίον καὶ ἐϑήλαζεν αὐτό.

Dt 1:31 զի սնո́յց զքեզ տ(է)ր ա(ստուա)ծ քո, ո(ր)պ(էս) սնուցանիցէ ոք զորդի իւր ὡς ἐτροϕοϕόρησέν σε κύριος ὁ ϑεός σου, ὡς εἴ τις τροϕοϕορήσει ἄνϑρωπος τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ

1Sam 1:23 Եւ նստա́ւ կինն եւ սնո́յց զորդին իւր՝ մինչեւ հատոյց զնա ՛ի ստենէ։ καὶ ἐκάϑισεν ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἐϑήλασεν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς, ἕως ἂν ἀπογαλακτίσῃ αὐτόν.

Ps 22:2 եւ առ ջուրս հանգստեան սնոյց զիս։ ἐπὶ ὕδατος ἀναπαύσεως ἐξέϑρεψέν με

Acts 7:21 եւ յընկեցիկն առնել զնա՝ եբարձ զնա դուստրն փառաւոնի, եւ սնոյց զնա ի́ւր յորդեգիրս։ ἐκτεϑέντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀνείλατο αὐτὸν ἡ ϑυγάτηρ Φαραὼ καὶ ἀνεϑρέψατο αὐτὸν ἑαυτῇ εἰς υἱόν.

Agat. § 37 եւ մերձաւորեալ զնա սնոյց դայեկօք երկիւղիւն Քրիստոսի. Thomson, p. 53: “And he was brought up by his tutors [lit. he (i.e. an unnamed person), having adopted him, raised him with tutors (n. on p. 458)] in the fear of Christ.”

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In his Classical Heritage in Islam, Franz Rosenthal gives an English translation of what has become a well-known, if too simplistic, presentation of Graeco-Arabic translation technique by Al-Ṣafadī (1297-1363) in his Al-ġayṯ al-musaǧǧam (Cairo ed., 1888, vol. 1, 46.12-25), a commentary on Al-Ṭuġrāʾī’s (1061-1120/1) Lāmiyyat al-ʿaǧam. Since the Cairo edition is not always easily discoverable, and not always easily legible to every Arabic student that might wish to read it, I have re-typeset the passage together with Rosenthal’s ET, prefaced by a short introduction. See the PDF here: al-safadi_on_transl_method.

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Today’s text comes from Gregory of Nyssa’s De opificio hominis (CPG 3154), ch. 22; for this specific part, the Greek is in PG 44, col. 204, and the Georgian version in Ilia Abuladze, უძველესი რედაკციები ბასილი კესარიელის «ექუსთა დღეთაჲსა» და გრიგოლ ნოსელის თარგმანებისა «კაცისა აგებულებისათჳს» (Tbilisi, 1964), 195.13-20. Of manuscripts available online, the Greek will be found in BL Harley 5576 (images online here), this passage at f. 67r, beginning about halfway down in line 18. Note, too, that part of this passage from Gregory is quoted (without attribution) in Pseudo-Zonaras, Lexicon (cf. Dickey, Ancient Greek Scholarship, § 3.2.19), s.v. Γήϊνον, following the definition Ἀδὰμ ἑρμηνεύεται.

Below I’ll give the Greek and Georgian version together, but first let’s look at 1 Cor 15:47 in Greek and Georgian, since this verse is the background to Gregory’s discussion. The Greek in Nestle-Aland reads ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γῆς χοϊκός, ὁ δεύτερος ἄνθρωπος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ. (NB χοϊκός derived from ὁ χοῦς soil, dust.) There are two notable readings:

• ἄνθρωπος πνευματικός in the famous P46, this part (f. 59r) in the Chester Beatty papyrus collection in Dublin: image here, line 7 from bottom)
• ἄνθρωπος ὁ κύριος, the nomen sacrum marked to be read in the margin in Sinaiticus, f. 273v, col. b., line 8; image here (there are a number of other witnesses, too)

Now for the Georgian. The Epistles of Paul are known in two recensions, referred to as AB and CD, and for this verse each reflects one of the above Greek variants. (Vocabulary: მიწაჲ earth, ground; ზეცაჲ heaven)

AB პირველი იგი კაცი ქუეყანისაგან მიწისაჲ, ხოლო მეორჱ იგი კაცი ზეცით გამო სულიერი. (სულიერი reflects πνευματικός)

CD პირველი იგი კაცი ქუეყანისაგან მიწისაჲ, ხოლო მეორე იგი კაცი უფალი ზეცით. (უფალი reflects κύριος)

Now we turn to Gregory’s text. I mentioned the Harley Greek manuscript above, and I urge you to have a look at the handwriting there, especially those who are less experienced reading Greek manuscripts: you can compare it to the text that Migne gives, in comparison with which there are just two differences, namely Ἀδὰμ λέγεται (PG transp.) and ἐκ χοϊκῆς (PG ἐκ γῆς), with θεός and ἄνθρωπος (including derivatives) abbreviated.

BL Harley 5576, f. 67r: οἱ τῆς Ἑβραίων φωνῆς ἐπίστορες

Here are three sentences from Gregory’s work, given separately in Greek and in Georgian, with a few notes for Georgian vocabulary and grammar. In addition to the apparent omission in the second sentence, I would especially point out with regard to the translation, “they say” in Greek is “we heard” in the Georgian version, and the former’s “those who know the language of the Hebrews” is rather “the Pharisees, the Jews” in the latter. The verse from 1 Cor 15 is explicitly quoted in the Georgian version. More might be said, of course!

Ἡ μὲν οὖν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἡ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει θεωρουμένη, τὸ τέλος ἔσχεν.

ხოლო ხატებაჲ იგი ღმრთისაჲ, ხილული ყოველსა შინა ბუნებასა კაცობრივსა, განსრულებულ არს,

• ხატებაჲ similarity, likeness (cf. ხატი image)
• ხილული seen, visible (for this word, S-F 1569b has “geöffnet (Augen), sehend”, but the mng. here [and elsewhere] is clearly like that of ხილვული “gesehen”, S-F 1569a)
• ბუნებაჲ nature
• კაცობრივი human (adj.)
• განსრულებული completed, ended

Ὁ δὲ Ἀδὰμ οὔπω ἐγένετο· τὸ γὰρ γήϊνον πλάσμα κατά τινα ἐτυμολογικὴν ὀνομασίαν λέγεται Ἀδάμ, καθώς φασιν οἱ τῆς Ἑβραίων φωνῆς ἐπίστορες.

არამედ ადამი ჯერეთ არღა არს, რამეთუ ადამ გამოითარგმნების ქუეყანიერი, ვითარ-იგი გუესმა ფარისეველთა მათგან ჰურიათა,

[Geo. has nothing for τὸ … γήϊνον πλάσμα]

• ჯერეთ still, yet
• გამო-ი-თარგმნ-ებ-ი-ს 3sg pres. pass. გამოთარგმანება to translate (here seemingly for all of κατά τινα ἐτυμολογικὴν ὀνομασίαν λέγεται)
• ქუეყანიერი earthy, from the earth (< ქუეყანაჲ earth, ground)
• გუ-ე-სმ-ა 1pl aor სმენა to hear (conj. IV verb; see OGPS 13) (cf. Adishi Lk 4:23, 22:71; Jn 12:34 for ἠκούσαμεν)
• ფარისეველი Pharisee
• ჰურიაჲ Jew

Διὸ καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος διαφερόντως τὴν πάτριον τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν πεπαιδευμένος φωνήν, τὸν ἐκ γῆς ἄνθρωπον χοϊκὸν ὀνομάζει, οἱονεὶ μεταβαλὼν τὴν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ κλῆσιν εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα φωνήν.

და მოციქული, რამეთუ წურთილ იყო მოძღურებასა მას ჰურიაებრსა და მიწევნულ სიტყუასა მათსა ფრიად, ამისთჳს სახელ-სდვა კაცსა მას და თქუა: პირველი იგი კაცი ქუეყანისაგან მიწაჲ.

• მოციქული apostle
• წურთილი taught, instructed, experienced (participle adj. < წურთა to teach)
• მოძღურებაჲ doctrine, teaching
• ჰურიაებრი Jewish
• მიწევნული knowing
• სახელ-ს-დვ-ა 3s aor სახელის-დება to name (სახელი name + დება to lay, put). Cf. ხოლო მოგუნი ფედ სახელ სდებენ but the Magi call it “Ped” (Cave of Treasures § 27.20 [Kourcikidzé, La caverne des trésors. Version géorgienne (CSCO 527)]); სახელ-სდვა თჳსად he named them with his own name (Garitte, Narratio de rebus Armeniae (CSCO 132), p. 270).

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At the end of one of the texts in SMMJ 183, which contains theological and hagiographic writings in Garšūnī, some later reader (or readers?) — the handwriting does not seem to be the same as the scribe’s — has recorded some intended wisdom. The two four-line sayings are in Arabic, but written in both Syriac and Arabic script.

SMMJ 183, f. 98v

This is not the prettiest handwriting, and the spelling might not be what is expected, but the meaning of both is relatively clear. (For the long vowels at line-end, cf. Wright, Grammar, vol. 2, § 224.) The sideways text in the center has its Arabic-script version is on the bottom.

O seeker of knowledge! Apply yourself to piety,
Forgo sleep and subdue satiety,
Continue studying and don’t leave it,
For knowledge consists and grows in study.

On the right we have four more lines in Garšūnī, with its Arabic-script version immediately below.

O child of Adam! You are ignorant!
There is no more awaiting the reckoning:
Look! Your life and your time have vanished.
Now you shall return to dust.

In line 2, al-ḥisābi (written –ī) must be genitive with the foregoing V maṣdar, tanaẓẓur; the latter word is written with ḍ in the Arabic text, but a derivative of “to blossom” doesn’t make much sense, and the Garšūnī writing of ṭ, even without a dot, is known well for ẓ. In the last word of these lines, the Garšūnī version lacks the preposition l-, but it’s present in the Arabic version and is needed for the sense in any case.

Finally, the three Garšūnī lines on the far left read, “Our trust is in God, the quickener of our souls. To him be glory forever.”