18 Jun
2010

Posted in: Church History, Greek Translation
By Eddie    2 Comments

Translating Didache, i.2

Η μεν ουν οδος της ζωης εστιν αυτη· πρωτον, αγαπησεις τον θεον τον ποιησαντα σε· δευτερον, τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον· παντα δε οσα εαν θελησης μη γινεσθαι σοι, και συ αλλω μη ποιει.

Now, this is the path of life:
First, you will love God, your creator;
Second, you will love your neighbor just as you love yourself;
And, do not do to others whatever it is that you do not wish happening to you.

This short passage was a little tricky at first; I can tell I’m getting a little rusty in certain areas. That’s why it’s so important to keep your Greek up; a little bit everyday helps a lot.

τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον (trans. “your neighbor as yourself”) is a straight copy of either Mat. xxii.39, Mk. xii.31, or Lk. x.27. I would like to think Mark, but it’s more likely something recited so often by the time the Didache was written that the author(s) simply went from memory.

Share/Save