Minutes of a day's work on the Bible
Around 1608; a pleasant day in Cambridge;
eight men sit round a table. Originally there were nine:
Dr Lively who presided at their speedy start
is now departed their distinguished company;
gave his lively life to this great enterprise, some say.
Among them still, the greatest of divines and
Hebrew scholars of their day.
This, the seventh version of the Bible
through its history; ‘seven times purified’
as the Bible says itself,
through Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin,
and English versions over centuries…
Since 1604, they’ve worked upon their
allotted section of the Bible; one sixth;
now they’re on the 'Canticles'; today
it’s Psalm 46: God is our hope and strength,
a very present help in trouble…
They have arrived now at the final verses:
God has stilled the warring armies
of the outer world; and now to still the inner world…
‘Lette goe; and knowe thatte I am Godde’..
that, the learned Hebrew scholars say,
is how it actually translates…
‘Bee stille and knowe..’ they find in earlier translation;
which command should they pass down
to centuries to come? Which sound tells the soul
the most, of its true nature? Or which sound will aid the soul
the quickest to return to its true self?
The scholars and divines, (all 54 of them in sum)
work at phenomenal, at godly, speed;
this is the great work of their lives;
‘Let go’; ‘Be still’ – which has more
the ring of soul’s eternity?
All have done their homework; rolled the words
around their tongue, their mind; heard them
uttered from the pulpit of their inner house of God;
a brief discussion; summary arms then raised in silent vote;
one command, they have agreed,
is for our present help in trouble, for
the moment now; the other is for ever;
the soul’s instruction from its peaceful self;
as God speaks to the angels, who
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poem by Michael Shepherd
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