2 questions/suggestions for “The oldest teachings”
Posted: 05 Nov 2023, 11:49
I was reading “the oldest teachings” again today, and as I was comparing the german and english translations I became curious about 2 important terms.
DROCHTNE and WANWYSA
DROCHTNE is translated into “Divinities” in english and similarly “Gottesabbilder” or “Falsche Götzen“ in the Harms translation.
However as I understand it, the litteral meaning of the frisian DROCHTNE is „Lords“ or „Sovereigns“.
The problem for a translation becomes obvious in the sentence.
„Finda's folk are a bad folk, for although their pseudo-wise men convince themselves that they are divine[DROCHTNE] they have created false divinities [DROCHTNE] for the uninitiated
— everywhere proclaiming that these divinities[DROCHTNE] have created the world [WRALDA]with all that is therein“
I believe this distorts the meaning of the sentence and is curious as to how DROCHTNE became „Divinities“ or „idols“.
By keeping the meaning of DROCHTNE as „Lords“ and leaving WRALDA untranslated a very interesting original meaning comes to the forefront
Finda's folk are a bad folk, for although their pseudo-wise men convince themselves that they are LORDS, they have created FALSE LORDS for the uninitiated
— everywhere proclaiming that these [FALSE] LORDS have created the WRALDA with all that is therein.
Does this make sense?
The pseudo-wise (priests) considered themselves as lords over the people, and invented false (unreal) lords which they then claim created WRALDA and all that is in WRALDA.
If it was somehow possible to keep the original meaning of DROCHTNE as „Lords“ it would be an important improvement. Especially since what is being explained here, for the first time in history is what a priestly „divinity“ really is.
It is therefore, i think, not ideal to use the term in the explanation itself.
Regarding „pseudo-wise“ or „vain-wise“ as translation of WANWYSA I think these terms lose the most important aspect of the term, namely WAN- in the sense of „insane“, „crazy“. „ Pseudo-„ is a bit weak and conveys an idea of a „pseudo-intellectual“. „Vain-wise“ is from latin „Vanus“ which means „empty“.
But in german and danish WAN is a well-known word which always signifies a kind of insanity or collapse of reason Wahn, Wahnsinnig etc and in danish „Vanvid“ „vantro“.
If some how the sense of „insanity“ could be retained in the sentence „Their pseudo-wise men…“ i believe that would be an improvement too.
The idea being that it actually is an „insane“ scheme to invent non-existing lords with superpowers, in order to become a ruler yourself.
DROCHTNE and WANWYSA
DROCHTNE is translated into “Divinities” in english and similarly “Gottesabbilder” or “Falsche Götzen“ in the Harms translation.
However as I understand it, the litteral meaning of the frisian DROCHTNE is „Lords“ or „Sovereigns“.
The problem for a translation becomes obvious in the sentence.
„Finda's folk are a bad folk, for although their pseudo-wise men convince themselves that they are divine[DROCHTNE] they have created false divinities [DROCHTNE] for the uninitiated
— everywhere proclaiming that these divinities[DROCHTNE] have created the world [WRALDA]with all that is therein“
I believe this distorts the meaning of the sentence and is curious as to how DROCHTNE became „Divinities“ or „idols“.
By keeping the meaning of DROCHTNE as „Lords“ and leaving WRALDA untranslated a very interesting original meaning comes to the forefront
Finda's folk are a bad folk, for although their pseudo-wise men convince themselves that they are LORDS, they have created FALSE LORDS for the uninitiated
— everywhere proclaiming that these [FALSE] LORDS have created the WRALDA with all that is therein.
Does this make sense?
The pseudo-wise (priests) considered themselves as lords over the people, and invented false (unreal) lords which they then claim created WRALDA and all that is in WRALDA.
If it was somehow possible to keep the original meaning of DROCHTNE as „Lords“ it would be an important improvement. Especially since what is being explained here, for the first time in history is what a priestly „divinity“ really is.
It is therefore, i think, not ideal to use the term in the explanation itself.
Regarding „pseudo-wise“ or „vain-wise“ as translation of WANWYSA I think these terms lose the most important aspect of the term, namely WAN- in the sense of „insane“, „crazy“. „ Pseudo-„ is a bit weak and conveys an idea of a „pseudo-intellectual“. „Vain-wise“ is from latin „Vanus“ which means „empty“.
But in german and danish WAN is a well-known word which always signifies a kind of insanity or collapse of reason Wahn, Wahnsinnig etc and in danish „Vanvid“ „vantro“.
If some how the sense of „insanity“ could be retained in the sentence „Their pseudo-wise men…“ i believe that would be an improvement too.
The idea being that it actually is an „insane“ scheme to invent non-existing lords with superpowers, in order to become a ruler yourself.
