Modern bible translators have done a wretched job robert alters new translation of the hebrew bible draws out the literariness of the text. The wisdom books here, in robert alters bold new translation, are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. A translation with commentary reprint by alter, robert isbn. See all books authored by robert alter, including the art of biblical narrative, and genesis. We will be looking at robert alters reading of the book, which is based on an imaginative, accessible and very creative analysis of its poetic style and content.
Robert alter has taught at berkeley since 1967, has twice been a guggenheim scholar, has written widely on the european novel and modern hebrew. Robert alter books list of books by author robert alter. The astounding poetry in the book of job is restored to its. The account of creation in its voice from the whirlwind is a soaring and unforgettable challenge to the place of man in the universe. When the languages are widely separated in time and space, the difficulty is all the. The book of job, in the old testament, opens with words both majestic and onceuponatimeish. As alter mentions in his introduction, what makes these books unique amongst the canon is their universal. We know that translation, even between closely related languages, throws up difficulties that only a skilled practitioner can resolve.
The modern translators, english and american, have done a wretched job, he tells prospect. A complete, oneman translation of the old testament, twenty years in the making. This fresh translation of the hebrew bible books of job, proverbs, and ecclesiastes is a welcome addition to the available renditions of these marvelous works. There was a man in the land of uz, whose name was job. This month, robert alter publishes a new translation of three biblical books in the wisdom books. The creation account in its voice from the whirlwind is beautiful and. Sep 25, 1987 the book of job stands somewhat apart from the other books in the old testament. Applying the principles of robert alter, journal for the study of the old testament 27 1983. Here, in robert alters bold new translation, are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. The listed critical essays and books will be invaluable for writing essays and papers on bible. Adam kirsch, new republic here in robert alter s bold new translation are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. Nevertheless, he insists that it is not bullying, either. We will be looking at robert alter s reading of the book, which is based on an imaginative, accessible and very creative analysis of its poetic style and content. A masterpiece of deep learning and fine sensibility, robert alters translation of the hebrew bible, now complete, reanimates one of the formative works of our culture.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the wisdom books. Since he began, alter s translation has been published in segments. Job is one of the most powerful and enigmatic books of the hebrew bible. Here in robert alters bold new translation are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. Sensitive to both literary form and theological content, derek kidner introduces proverbs, job and ecclesiastes, explaining their basic character and internal structure. The prose prologue is a puppet theater in which figurines of god, job and the accusing angel enact the story of the testing of job already an ancient legend at. Robert alter the five books of moses and the psalms, robert alter now gives us job, proverbs and ecclesiastes. Professor alter is a specialist in hebrew and comparative literature at the university of california, berkeley and has distinguished himself with his translations of the hebrew bible. This issue features a microinterview with robert alter, conducted by rich cohen. In this bold new translation, the astounding poetry in the book of job is restored to its powerful ancient meanings and rhythms. I had been interested in the literary aspects of the bible for quite a few years and had written books on biblical narratives and. Robert alter s most popular book is the art of biblical narrative.
Mitchell himself asks us to visualize a movement in the book from formal foreground to cosmic background. Books by robert alter author of the art of biblical narrative. Robert alters most popular book is the art of biblical narrative. He earned a doctorate in english literature from harvard in 1962, but hebrew language study was central to his jewish identity, and he was fluent in hebrew by the age of 20. With the book of psalms, the five books of moses, the david story and now the wisdom books, robert alter is building piece by piece a stunning body of bold hebrew bible translations. Job, proverbs, and ecclesiastes a translation with commentary 2011, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. In his introduction to the translation, alter admits that the key passage of the book, gods answer to jobs lament out of the whirlwind, is not quite the appropriate response to the problem of undeserved suffering. Robert alter on why modern bible translations should stay in. Robert alter s translation of the hebrew bible, the magnificent capstone to a lifetime of distinguished scholarly work, has won the pen center literary award for translation. Pdf introduction to robert alterthe book of psalms, a. The astounding poetry in the book of job is restored to its powerful ancient meaning. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the us or from the uk, depending on stock availability. That is the message of the most disturbing book in the hebrew bible, the book of job, which has now received a bold new english translation by the israelbased bible scholar edward greenstein.
By contrast, a serene fatalism suffuses ecclesiastes with a quiet beauty, and the pithy maxims of proverbs impart a worldly wisdom that is satirically shrewd. Alter s discussion of psalm 23 and of the book of job shows the strengths and weaknesses of the king james bible. He speaks to prospect about why he decided to do a new edition, the act of translation, and what the bible has to say about character. The wisdom books, particularly ecclesiastes, which alter refers to by its original hebrew name qohelet, and job have always presented a challenge to the christian idea of eternal life and of a just and loving god. Here, in robert alters bold new translation, are some of the most. Robert alter has 56 books on goodreads with 25516 ratings. He is the author of the 1981 the art of biblical narrative and in 1987 with frank kermode the edited the literary guide to the bible, key early works in the study of religious texts as imaginative works. The wisdom books here in robert alters bold new translation are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. A magnificent new volume in robert alter s awardwinning, landmark translation of and commentary on the hebrew bible.
He acknowledges their commitment to the original meaning of the text and how their translation has affected the imagination of the readers. One of the most ambitious literary projects of this or any age. Robert alter, 83, began the project about 20 years ago partly out of frustration. Looking at all three books together, kidner shows how their many voices compare, contrast and ultimately give a unified view of life. Robert alter completes his monumental translation of the hebrew bible by david a. Robert alter tells robert siegel that those are concepts superimposed on the ancient poems in more recent times. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. A magnificent new volume in robert alter s awardwinning, landmark translation of and commentary on.
We thank him for his translations the immense amount of time, work, labour and just sweat it all involved is known to him alone. A translation with commentary, for which he received the national jewish book award for lifetime achievement. Robert bernard alter born 1935 is an american professor of hebrew and comparative. Translator robert alter gives us a new, more literary hebrew. He is the author of more than two dozen books, including the hebrew bible. Capturing its brilliantly compact poetry and finely wrought, purposeful prose, alter renews the old testament as a source of literary power and spiritual inspiration. Here in robert alter s bold new translation are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. The creation account in its voice from the whirlwind is beautiful and incendiary. Robert alter a magnificent new volume in robert alter s awardwinning, landmark translation of and commentary on the hebrew bible. In his introduction to the translation, alter admits that the key passage of the book, gods answer to job s lament out of the whirlwind, is not quite the appropriate response to the problem of undeserved suffering. After more than two decades of work, a new hebrew bible to. Alter, a professor of hebrew and comparative literature at berkeley, is the greatest translator of biblical literature in modern times. May 21, 2019 robert alter, professor of hebrew and comparative literature at the university of california, has finished his masterpiece, the hebrew bible. Robert alter is class of 1937 professor of hebrew and comparative literature at the university of california at berkeley.
Sep 17, 2019 its hard to think of another biblical scholar on the planet quite like robert alter. Robert alter has accomplished the monumental feat, 22 years in the making, of singlehandedly translating the hebrew bible into english. Reading the book of job with robert alter job is one of the most powerful and enigmatic books of the hebrew bible. But robert alters aim is much more ambitious than educating the reading. He published his translation of the hebrew bible in 2018. His english versions of the psalms, the five books of moses, and.
This latest volume encompasses the book of job, the book of proverbs, and ecclesiastes, three works that challenge simplistic notions that the righteous will thrive. Now he gives us new renderings of the books of job, proverbs, and. However, in the end alter praises the work of the translators of the king james bible. Alter has already produced versions of the pentateuch the first five books of the old testament. Dec 18, 2018 a masterpiece of deep learning and fine sensibility, robert alter s translation of the hebrew bible, now complete, reanimates one of the formative works of our culture. A translation with commentary kindle edition by alter, robert. Wisdom in the book of job, currents in theology and mission 10 1963. Robert alter, well known for his translations of the david story i and ii samuel, the psalms, and the five books of moses genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers, and deuteronomy, takes on another section of the hebrew bible. The preeminent scholar robert alter has finally finished his own translation.
It is wonderful to have translations by such competent men. A translation with commentary reprint by robert alter isbn. The old testament sparknotes is here for you weve got everything you need to ace or teach. Robert alter, who was born in new york city in 1935, has had a distinguished career as a translator and literary critic. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Robert alter is professor of the graduate school and emeritus professor of hebrew and comparative literature at the university of california, berkeley. Dec 20, 2018 the preeminent scholar robert alter has finally finished his own translation. Robert alters ongoing translation of the hebrew bible into a new, more. Alter admits that the key passage of the book, gods answer to jobs lament out of.
The wisdom books here, in robert alter s bold new translation, are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. The art of bible translation princeton university press. After more than two decades of work, a new hebrew bible to rival the. Robert alter s ongoing translation of the hebrew bible into a new, more accurate and forceful english version is one of the most ambitious literary projects of. Robert alter completes his monumental translation of the. Here, in robert alter s bold new translation, are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. After more than two decades of work, a new hebrew bible to rival the king james.
His translation of the hebrew bible has won the pen center literary award for translation, and he is translator and author of numerous other books, including the art of biblical poetry. Books by robert alter author of the art of biblical. The microinterview consists of five exchanges distributed throughout the print magazine. The tone rings true, and i am prepared to believe robert alter when he contends in a quote on the jacket that. Robert bernard alter born 1935 is an american professor of hebrew and comparative literature at the university of california, berkeley, where he has taught since 1967. The astounding poetry in the book of job is restored to its powerful ancient meanings and rhythms. Oct 20, 2010 robert alters ongoing translation of the hebrew bible into a new, more accurate and forceful english version is one of the most ambitious literary projects of this or any age. I will proceed from there to a selective critique of alter s translation of psalm one, which together with. A translation with commentary, for which he received the national jewish book award for lifetime. In this new volume of robert alter s awardwinning translation of and commentary on the hebrew bible are some of the most magnificent works in world literature. He also summarizes and evaluates the wealth of modern criticism focused on each book. Nov 21, 2018 robert alter completes his monumental translation of the hebrew bible by david a. The hebrew bible a translation with commentary vol.
As alter mentions in his introduction, what makes these books unique amongst the canon is their. In robert alter s translation of the wisdom books we have an excellent example. The most recent of his commentaries is on the book of psalms. To date, alter has translated roughly half of the hebrew bible, most recently the wisdom books of job, proverbs and ecclesiastes or qohelet, in hebrew, which was released in. The account of creation in its voice from the whirlwind is beautiful and incendiaryan unforgettable challenge to the place of man in the universe. In this paper then i will summarize often in the authors own words and briefly comment on this informative introduction 2007. The wisdom books by robert alter, 9780393340532, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook.
131 1410 980 253 1130 1343 1430 347 350 1197 1059 211 452 169 161 1125 641 951 339 961 797 919 542 385 1440 1138 112 59 798 755 552 369 1291 1321 559