Текст от переводчика / Interpreter's text: Текст от Переводчика

And what is most important, ambiguous.

vrepkin 18.09.13 в 21:23

Rather strange phrase - ambiguos translation.

vrepkin 18.09.13 в 21:24

Mutually exclusive. But first let's talk about unfamiliarity.

vrepkin 18.09.13 в 21:26

It is different because in addition to a normal human language it also uses the language of photography.

vrepkin 18.09.13 в 23:53

It is very difficult to translate "Ecclesiastes" using verbal definitions.

vrepkin 18.09.13 в 23:56

Not just from Hebrew to other languages.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 19:43

Paradoxically, it is tricky to just translate it to modern Hebrew. After thousands of years since it's been written, some images, connections and words have blurred, chaged their colors and sometimes just changed altogether.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 19:47

It is quite a feat to attempt to comprehend it in it's native language, if you will.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 19:49

So when it comes to other languages, it's near impossible.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 19:56

Any translation automatically interprets a text within the values and morals of the translator, which don't always coincide with the values or morals of the reader.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 19:58

That phenomenon is not translator's mistake or fault.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 19:59

They just don't have a choice.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 20:00

Figurative images are impossible to describe in words.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 20:09

Images, just like their system of morals, each person should grasp and build for themselves.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 20:11

Or to be more precise, doesn't have to, but has a right.

vrepkin 20.09.13 в 23:50

Now, lets talk about the ambiguity of translation.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 20:20

Every picture, used in this translation, is connected to the text, in one way or antoher.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 20:21

Sometimes, it's a direct and easily recognizable quote from the text, and sometimes.... not even a likeness,

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 20:23

but more like a feeling.

yanarepkin 19.09.13 в 20:31

It would have been logical to use a photo that directly correspond to each Ecclesiastes' phrase, if I was to follow traditional translating rules.

yanarepkin 20.09.13 в 00:41

But I'm not going to do that. That way I would be doing exactly what's described above: interpretation of The Book in the moral structure of a particular person.

yanarepkin 20.09.13 в 00:44

By no means, even indirectly, would I want to ifluence your own realization and perception of the Book and rob you of a chance to create your own interpretration free from the limitations inevitably imposed on the process by using words.

vrepkin 21.09.13 в 00:20

The interpretation is broken up in chapters.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 19:47

There are 12 of them according to the Book of Ecclesiastes.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 19:48

You will hear text and see photos flowing from one to the next, as you open each chapter.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 19:51

Sometimes they will match the images from previous chapter, and sometimes from other chapters.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 20:15

That is absolutely not important, since the connections are based on my own perception and associations and, I hope, you will have your own.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 20:34

The text I'm using is the classic synodical bible translation,

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 20:38

and tot because it's the best.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 20:39

There are better ones, in my opinion.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 22:18

The reason is, actually, in something else.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 23:05

There is this great russian phrase: "namolennoe mesto" which loosely translates as "prayed out place"

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 23:08

To me this translations seems to be the most prayed or blessed one.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 23:09

However, I'll let myself make one correction: the famous "vanity of vanities"

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 23:10

In hebrew it reads "evel".

vrepkin 23.09.13 в 23:41

There is no unambiguous translation of this image.

vrepkin 23.09.13 в 23:42

An "exhalation", or maybe a "breath vapor"... Probably the closest translation would be "unimportant", "empty", "nothing".

vrepkin 23.09.13 в 23:49

And the last point.

vrepkin 23.09.13 в 23:50

Every chapter begins with a photo, or to be more precise an image of a man.

vrepkin 23.09.13 в 23:50

Let's call him an "Author". We don't know what he looked like.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 23:57

Actually, we don't even know who he was.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 23:58

According to the Bible, the Author is King Solomon,

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 23:58

but it's probably not true.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 23:59

We really know nothing about him.

yanarepkin 23.09.13 в 23:59

The Book talks about it too: " For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!"

yanarepkin 24.09.13 в 00:00

Sometimes I think the Preacher was a mature man, and sometimes - a profoundly old man.

yanarepkin 24.09.13 в 00:02

Sometimes, I think he was happy, and sometimes - glum.

yanarepkin 24.09.13 в 00:03

Sometimes - rich, and sometimes - poor.

vrepkin 24.09.13 в 00:21

These images for each chapter are the only ones that I allowed myself to give a definition.

vrepkin 24.09.13 в 00:22

The rest is up to you. And now let's begin interpreting.

vrepkin 24.09.13 в 00:23