Sometimes seeing the structure helps us understand the meaning of the text. Cantillation marks (trop<\/em>) are an ancient example of lines being broken up in a certain way to show inner rhythm and structure. They are used to read or chant the Torah aloud in the synagogue. Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig believed that the text should be read aloud even in their German translation and so divided it up into breath units or cola to make it easier to do so. I continue this tradition in my English translation, in the hope that printing the text in this way will make it easier to see\u2014and hear\u2014what hat is happening in the text.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n EXAMPLE (Genesis l:3-5):<\/strong><\/p>\n In this text, early in the Creation story, the name of God is repeated four times, followed by a verb. Thus God\u2019s first acts of creation are portrayed in a highly ordered fashion. Compare the two translations below.<\/p>\n New English Bible: <\/strong>God said,\u201d Let there be light,\u201d and there was light; and God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from darkness. He called the light day, and the darkness night.<\/p>\n Five Books of Moses<\/em><\/strong> <\/strong>:<\/p>\n God said: Let there be light! And there was light. The principle of order <\/em>is paramount in this chapter, and informs the structure of the entire text. We move from the \u201cConfusion and Chaos\u201d of the opening lines to the tight structure of the whole chapter, where each \u201cday\u201d of Creation ends with the phrase, \u201cThere was setting, there was dawning\u2026\u201d Adding to this structure are the chapter\u2019s other refrains: \u201cGod said,\u201d \u201cIt was so,\u201d and \u201cGod saw that it was good.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nGod saw the light; that it was good.
\nGod separated the light from the darkness.
\nGod called the light: Day! and the darkness he called: Night!<\/p>\n