Isaiah - Contours

For those who are new, I will restate how this "Isaiah - Visually Structured for Meaning" came into being.

I tried in the past to explain to people about Hebrew Poetry and how it is based upon parallelism and contrast.  I also loved the chiasmus of parallel ideas placed in pyramid structures.  I know many of you are familiar with the chiasmus found in the Book of Mormon.  I realized that the writings of this great prophet need to be SEEN as poetry in order to truly understand the meaning and feeling of Isaiah's writings.  So, I began the process of showing this in my visual interpretation.  Here is how I am doing it:

1.  I use the King James Version mostly, I know people still have a love for the words of Isaiah as translated by those English scholars.

2.  I use "The Apocalyptic Book of Isaiah" translation of Isaiah by Avraham Gileadi to check that all passages or words that might be difficult to translate are interpreted correctly. These translations are usually in smaller black type and in parenthesis.  Prof. Gileadi is a master and a true scholar. I took his Isaiah class in college at BYU and he would mutter under his breath information about his translation as we read.  I wrote down all those mutterings.  Some I have added for your benefit as well.  They are usually in blue as ideas/scriptures to consider. I also use a scholarly book called "Understanding Isaiah" by Parry, Parry and Peterson.  I love it.

3.  I created the structures you see in the visual interpretation so that the parallelism and contrasts of the poetry in Isaiah can be more easily seen.

4.  I have also added words to make sentences parallel and matching, so the messages are more clear and powerful.  This also helps with who or what is being referenced.

5.  I left to the side all the "Ands" and some other connecting words in the King James Version.  These “ands” were added by the translators because they were trying to write out Isaiah's words like sentences instead of poetry.  

6.  I added some of my own punctuation for continuity. 

I love Isaiah because his images are so powerful, beautiful and frightening.  Like C.S. Lewis said of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings:

"Here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron; here is a book that will break your heart...good beyond hope."

That is how I feel about Isaiah's writings as well.

I learned that when I study any ancient work of poetry I need 3 versions:

1.  The original writing in the original language.

(Like with Beowulf - The original Old English version)

Hwaet! We Gar-Dena,         in gear-dagum,

theod-cyninga,         thrym gefrunon,

hu dha aethelingas          ellen fremedon!

2.  An accurate translation - even if the poetry is not left in tact.

(I use Tolkien's accurate translation of Beowulf into Modern English)

Lo! the glory of the kings of the people of the Spear-Danes in

days of old we have heard tell, how these princes did deeds

of valour!

3.  But I also benefit and love a translation that tries to incorporate the poetry and feeling of the original poem.

(I use Francis Gummere's translation  - It uses many Old and Middle English words and keeps the alliteration of the poetry)

Lo! Praise the prowess of People-kings,

Of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped,

We have heard, and what honor the athelings won!

So, I kept the King James Version, and have added translations where necessary for meaning.  I hope you enjoy these chapters of Isaiah as much as I do writing them out as a visual interpretation. 

Susan Merle McDonald