{"id":1518,"date":"2023-08-24T22:33:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-24T20:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcgill.org.za\/stuff\/?p=1518"},"modified":"2023-08-25T12:09:29","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T10:09:29","slug":"the-holy-city-jerusalem-just-not-in-afrikaans-please","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcgill.org.za\/stuff\/archives\/1518","title":{"rendered":"The Holy City, Jerusalem – just not in Afrikaans, please"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

G\u00e9 Korsten popularised an Afrikaans translation of Fred\u00ader\u00adic E. Wea\u00adther\u00adly’s “The Holy City” (1892)<\/a>. This is a song that, in its original, is filled from end to end with allusions to scripture. It is about the joy of Jerusalem of old, the darkness of the cross, and the glory of the new Jerusalem: it has measured repetition and understatement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Afrikaans translation<\/a> drops a number of allusions to scripture, carelessly trampling on the fine poetic structure, and at the end, it heedlessly inserts blatantly incorrect concepts. A simple reading of just one chapter of the Bible would have prevented this (Revelation 21).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The song itself (in Afrikaans) is superficially appealing, but if you know the English, the Afrikaans is really jarring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

English<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here is the last verse, in English,with its many allusions to scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1<\/strong> And once again the scene was changed, New earth there seemed to be,
2<\/strong> I saw the Holy City Beside the tideless sea;
3<\/strong> The light of God was on its streets, The gates were open wide,
4<\/strong> And all who would might enter, And no one was denied.
5<\/strong> No need of moon or stars by night, Or sun to shine by day,
6<\/strong> It was the new Jerusalem, That would not pass away,
It was the new Jerusalem, That would not pass away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7<\/strong> Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Sing, for the night is o\u2019er!
8<\/strong> Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna for evermore!
Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna for evermore!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Here are the scripture references that come to mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1<\/strong> Revelation 21:1 And I saw .. a new earth ..
2<\/strong> Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem \u2026
Revelation 21:1 .. there was no more sea. with Revelation 15:2 I saw as it were a sea of glass \u2026
3<\/strong> Revelation 22:5 \u2026 the Lord God giveth them light \u2026
4<\/strong> Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that \u2026 may enter in through the gates into the city. with Revelation 22:17 .. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
5<\/strong> Revelation 22:5 .. they need no .. light of the sun;
6<\/strong> Revelation 22:5 \u2026and they shall reign for ever and ever.
7<\/strong> Revelation 21:25 .. there shall be no night there.
8<\/strong> Mark 11:10 \u2026 Hosanna in the highest.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Afrikaans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here is the Afrikaans. Most of the scripture references are obliterated, as if they were meaningless filler material:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1<\/strong> En weer verander die toneel, ‘n helder glans verskyn.
2<\/strong> Ek sien die heilige stad daar, die son begin weer te skyn,
3<\/strong> die poorte word wyd oopgemaak, die duister het verdwyn.
4<\/strong> En almal kan nou binnegaan, geeneen sal buite staan.
5<\/strong> ‘n Nuwe dag het aangebreek, die kinders sing weer saam.
6<\/strong> Die heil’ge stad Jerusalem sal nooit weer kan vergaan.
Die heil’ge stad Jerusalem sal nooit weer kan vergaan.

7<\/strong> Jerusalem! Jerusalem, sing nou ‘n loflied saam.
8<\/strong> Hosanna, in die hoogste. Hosanna, prys Sy naam.
Hosanna, in die hoogste. Hosanna, prys Sy naam.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Translation of the Afrikaans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here’s my translation of that Afrikaans into English. You might complain that my words are not very prosaic. Indeed. The source material is pretty bland:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1<\/strong> And once again the scene was changed, a bright shining appeared
2<\/strong> I saw the holy city there, the sun shone again,
3<\/strong> The gates were opened wide, the darkness had disappeared,
4<\/strong> And all can enter now, none shall stand without
5<\/strong> A new day had dawned, the children sing together again
6<\/strong> The holy city of Jerusalem can never be destroyed again
The holy city of Jerusalem can never be destroyed again

7<\/strong> Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Sing a song of praise together now
8<\/strong> Hosanna in the highest, hosanna, praise his name
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna, praise his name<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Afrikaans version contradicted by scripture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not only are these not the words of scripture (If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God<\/em>), but the Bible teaches the exact opposite<\/strong> of more than one of these statements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2<\/strong> No, it was not the sun that shone: it was the light of God. It had no need of the sun:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Revelation 21:11<\/strong> Having the glory of God<\/strong>: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revelation 21:23<\/strong> And the city had no need of the sun<\/strong>, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God<\/strong> did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light<\/strong> thereof.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

4<\/strong> No, while the gates of the new Jerusalem are open wide, some are<\/strong> without, and can not enter: those in the lake of fire cannot enter: they do not have the right. While they could have done the commandment of God and have taken the water of life freely, they didn’t:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Revelation 22:15<\/strong> For without<\/strong> are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This problem does not exist in the English, because it says “all who would”, which is past tense – meaning that the opportunity was<\/strong> given to all. The Afrikaans changes it to present tense and ends up with some kind of universalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poetry of the original, and its butchering by Afrikaans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The holy city is seen three times. Each time, there a scene set:<\/p>\n\n\n\n