The Town of Odyssey

While I was reading through Iron and Light's reintroduction thread, I found this statement:

Jelly wrote:From my experience, the language you use to read Scripture doesn't necessarily make a difference unless you're actually learning to read it in different light.

I hope you don't mind if I use your statement to spark a new discussion, Jelly, but I saw a goldmine in what you wrote. Because I'm a language student (I'm currently studying Spanish and French), I recently purchased a bilingual, Spanish Bible to read, and already I have found a wealth of new treasures. Many of the words have slightly different meanings which provide interesting variations on the mental images that I have always had. I'll give you a few examples to try to illustrate what I mean.

One of my favorite chapters is Psalm 91; here's verse one in English:

Here it is in Spanish: "El que habita al abrigo del Altísimo se acoge a la sombra del Todopoderoso." (This is the Nueva Versión Internacional if anybody cares to know. )

Translated back to English: "He that lives in/inhabits the shelter ("abrigo" can also be translated as "coat, overcoat" which is a wonderful picture of God putting his coat around us) of the Highest takes refuge in ("se acoge" also means "has recourse to" in regard to a law) the shadow of the All-Powerful."

Verse 3:

In Spanish: "Sólo él puede librarte de las trampas del cazador y de mortíferas plagas..."

Back to English: "Only He can free you from the traps ("trampas" figuratively means "tricks") of the hunter and from deadly plagues..."

Here's 1 Peter 5: 6-7:

In Spanish: "Humíllense, pues, bajo la poderosa mano de Dios, para que él los exalte a su debido tiempo. Depositen en él toda ansiedad, porque él cuida de ustedes."

Back to English: "Humble yourselves, then, under the powerful hand of God, so that he will promote/raise/exalt you at His own time. Place in Him all anxiety, because He takes care of'/looks after you."

My point is, I think reading the Bible in a different language can make a difference even if you're not deliberately looking for that to happen, simply due to the nuances of language. Have any of you read the Bible in a foreign language? If so, did you find anything like I did?

I highly approve of this topic.
I have nothing to add at this point, but I wanted to say that. =p
*keeps an eye on it*

I have had a similar experience when reading the Greek and Hebrew translations of the Old Testament texts. This article shows some very interesting differences. http://theorthodoxlife.wordpress.com/20 ... etic-text/