Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl01354)

In message, Sat, 27 Apr 1996 14:58:41 -0400 , Alan
<TI@nellie2.demon.co.uk> writes about a quote from one of G. De
Purucker's books as sent by Nick Porreco:

>Actually, it is a transliteration, not a translation.  The Greek
>has "sabachthani" (as rendered into English) as Greek has no
>equivalent of the Hebrew/Aramaic "Shin" - so is the
>transliteration a Shin or a Samech?  The Aramaic Peshitta text has
>"Eil, Eil; lmana Shwaqthan" - "My God, My God, for this I was
>kept."  [Mar Aprem, ~Teach Yourself Aramaic~; Mar Narsai Press,
>Trichur, Kerala, India, 1981].

I had thought, when first reading the text Nick sent, that  G. De
P. had taken the transliteration from the same place in HPB's works
where I had found it ("Facts Underlying Adept Biographies" in
Collected Writings, volume XIV, p. 137).  But, after reading Alan's
note above, I checked and found the transliteration for the verb in
question as "sabachthani" in HPB's article.  To recall my first
message, this transliteration, as well as the Greek and Hebrew
words, are all in a quote of J. R. Skinner's, "...Source of
Measures" as given by HPB (pgs. 146-7).  So, I have no idea where
G. De P. got his transliterated verb, "shavahhtani".

If it holds true that the Aramaic text was not translated back from
the Greek (as Skinner did from Greek to Hebrew) then I, personally,
will accept this Aramaic verb, "shwaqthan".   Although I may never
decide if a "?" was or was not intended at the end of "My God, My
God, for this I was kept (.) or (?), I can still say with certainty
- this would make great comic script.

Virginia Behrens TI, TSA