Dit is ‘n nuwe week met nuwe dinge en na die paar heftige Nuuswekkers van verlede week wil ek hierdie week op ‘n ietwat ligter trant begin: Luidens ‘n berig by AbeBooks is dit bekend gemaak dat ‘n seldsame kopie van die sogenaamde “Wicked Bible” deur ‘n antikwariese handelaar in San Fransisco te koop aangebied word teen $60,000. Hierdie Bybel, wat in 1631 gedruk is, is uniek aangesien dit na alle waarskynlikheid die beroemste setfout in die geskiedenis van drukwerk bevat; dit nogal by ‘n kritieke gebod in die Groot Tien. In plaas van “Thou shallt not commit adultery”, staan daar naamlik: “Thou shallt commit adultery” Dié oplaag, waarvan daar 1,000 kopieë in opdrag van Koning James gedruk is, is summier onttrek en vernietig; met ‘n reusagtige boete van £300 (tans meer as 40,000 euro) wat die drukker opgelê is.
Volgens die itembeskrywing by AbeBooks, die volgende: “A rare and famous Bible, usually known as the ‘wicked’ Bible for the commandment in Exodus XX v. 14: ‘Thou shallt commit adultery.’ Sources indicate that 1000 copies were printed, and swiftly recalled when the error was noticed. Estimates of the number of surviving copies vary widely but a reasonable guess might be 40-50 copies, several of which are imperfect. Most of the obvious Institutions in the UK and the US have copies, but very few copies come to market: 5 copies have appeared at auction since 1975, the last in 1996, and all five were imperfect.”
‘n Mens kan jou omtrent die verleentheid voorstel in ‘n kerkvaste kultuur waar die sogenaamde King James Bible as ‘n Nasionale Skat geag word: ”The King James Bible is the most influential book in the English language. For almost 300 of its 400 years it was the core of English consciousness and the touchstone of the culture. For those years it became the great national text, a national shrine, the one umbrella under which the whole country could gather.” Aldus Adam Nicolson, skrywer en joernalis, wat onlangs ‘n tentoonstelling van historiese Bybels in Cambridge geopen het.
Nou ja, toe. Wat kan ‘n mens sê? By wyse van lering en stigting volg daar vir jou leesplesier ‘n vers deur ene dr. Amos R. Wells onder aan vanoggend se Nuuswekker.
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Dit is vir ons aangenaam om vanoggend twee nuwe toevoegings tot Buiteblik aan te kondig: Egonne Roth wat vanuit Isreal gaan deelneem en Louis Jansen van Vuuren vanuit Frankryk. Reeds kan jy Egonne se eerste bydrae, waarin sy oor Czeslaw Milosz en Abraham Sutzkever skryf. Dan is T.T. Cloete se nuutste bundel, Onversadig, verlede week by die boekwinkels afgelewer. Om dié geleentheid te vier plaas ons graag die onderhoud wat Joan Hambidge vroeë met die digter gevoer het. Ten slotte is daar in haar verskamer twee nuwe gedigte deur Christine Barkhuizen le Roux om te lees.
En so is dit dan nou uiteindelik Woordfees tyd; geniet alles wat daar is om geniet te word.
Mooi bly.
LE
INSPIRATION
When I am tired, the Bible is my bed;
Or in the dark, the Bible is my light;
When I am hungry, it is vital bread;
Or fearful, it is armour for the fight;
When I am sick, ’tis healing medicine;
Or lonely, thronging friends I find therein.
If I would work, the Bible is my tool;
Or play, it is a harp of happy sound.
If I am ignorant, it is my school;
If I am sinking, it is solid ground.
If I am cold, the Bible is my fire;
And wings, if boldly I aspire.
Should I be lost, the Bible is my guide;
Or naked, it is raiment, rich and warm.
Am I imprisoned, it is ranges wide;
Or tempest-tossed, a shelter from the storm.
Would I adventure, ’tis a gallant sea;
Or would I rest, it is a flowery lea.
© Dr. Amos R. Wells