What does the title of this post mean? Or, what does it mean to say, "I am happy for you?" Take a second to think about it. What contexts can you imagine saying it in?
OK, now what does it mean to say, "I am angry for you?"
Funny isn't it, I don't think you can say that. But maybe you think someone could say it. If so, what do you think it would mean?
Now read the following quote from the ESV.
Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.
When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?”
And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.”
What do you think? Is this an acceptable English translation? (You already know what my vote is!)
Did you (earlier) imagine saying "I'm happy for you" or "I'm sad for you" to any inanimate objects?
5 comments:
Despite my previous posts which were relatively ESV positive, :-) I do enjoy reading your little rants about a particular turn of phrase found there.
Seems to me that the problem with this phrase is that it isn't turned. (If you'll excuse my odd phrasing).
To be angry "for" if we assume that it is parallel to being "happy for" is that it is saying that Jonah is angry on behalf of the plant, because it didn't want to die...
I noticed the phrase "do you do well..." Seems to me that "you'd do well" is a standard phrase that can't be changed into a question anymore.
Did I do well to write these thoughts? (Maybe reading the ESV has changed my language)... :-)
Did you do well? Ah yes! I thought I would be going too far to criticise two things in such a short space. But thankyou for picking up the slack :-)
What about "I'm crazy for you"? If this was directed at an inanimate object there really would be some cause for concern.
Surely 'angry about/concerning' is the natural English?! But the ESV mangles English in the OT again and again I find...
That's my find too... I barely ever open the ESV, but whenever I do (admittedly OT usually) there's something there to cringe over. Which is sad and not a little disturbing, given how many people advocate it, and given how it's meant to be the precious word of God and all! Does God really mangle my language so badly?
On the positive side, it keeps my blog alive!
You've set the challenge... I might have to try to find some NT examples next.
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