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Luke 21:15 “for I will give you speech and wisdom”
This is unnatural English: there is a collocational clash because the English lexicon does not sanction us putting the verb “give” with an object “speech” where there is also a recipient. In English we can draft a speech for someone. We can help them deliver a speech. We can also, of course, “give a speech” ourselves. But we cannot give someone speech.
Suggested revisions (pending exegetical support): “give you the ability to speak” or “enable you to speak”
Matt. 21:5 “the daughter of Zion”
Most fluent English (unless they are taught otherwise by Bible teachers) would understand this wording to refer to a female who is the daughter of someone named Zion. But this is not the biblical meaning of this Hebraic idiom, which is that this refers to inhabitants of the place called Zion. This is a case where a “transparent” translation communicates inaccurately to translation users, unless they are taught that the intended meaning is different from what the plain meaning of the translation seems to be.
The ISV words what its translators consider original biblical language poetry as English poetry. Here is a good example from Phil. 2:
6 In God’s own form existed he,
And shared with God equality,
Deemed nothing needed grasping.
7 Instead, poured out in emptiness,
A servant’s form did he possess,
A mortal man becoming.
In human form he chose to be,
8 And lived in all humility,
Death on a cross obeying.
9 Now lifted up by God to heaven,
A name above all others given,
This matchless name possessing.
10 And so, when Jesus’ name is called,
The knees of everyone should falld
Where’er they are residing.
11 Then every tongue in one accord,
Will say that Jesus Christ is Lord,
While God the Father praising.
The ISV words what its translators consider original biblical language poetry as English poetry. Here is a good example from Phil. 2:
6 In God’s own form existed he,
And shared with God equality,
Deemed nothing needed grasping.
7 Instead, poured out in emptiness,
A servant’s form did he possess,
A mortal man becoming.
In human form he chose to be,
8 And lived in all humility,
Death on a cross obeying.
9 Now lifted up by God to heaven,
A name above all others given,
This matchless name possessing.
10 And so, when Jesus’ name is called,
The knees of everyone should fall
Where’er they are residing.
11 Then every tongue in one accord,
Will say that Jesus Christ is Lord,
While God the Father praising.
That’s not poetry, that’s doggerel. It’s awful. It’s unreadable and demeans the original and the subject matter!
This is one of those things that John Hobbins and I, among others, harp upon. If translators are going to attempt elevated language in the target language reflecting elevated language in the original, they need to be very well skilled in both languages.
Do you know of any comprehensive review of ISV 2.0?
Jonathan asked:
Do you know of any comprehensive review of ISV 2.0?
I don’t, Jonathan. I suspect there won’t be any until ISV 2.0 is published.