NOTE:
This post has been withdrawn. The post has been published in my book, Rereading the Biblical Text: Searching for Meaning and Understanding. The approach taken in the book is to compare how different translations have approached difficult texts in the Old Testament. The goal of the book is to invite readers to reread the biblical text in light of the new understanding of the intent of the original writer of the text. You can order the book from Amazon.
Rereading the Biblical Text
Visit my Amazon author’s page to purchase the book (click here).
Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
A Note About This Post:
Before “Black and Beautiful” or “Black but Beautiful”? was withdrawn for publication, “Black and Beautiful” or “Black but Beautiful”? was read by 4988 readers. “Black and Beautiful” or “Black but Beautiful”? was also shared 3 times by readers who enjoyed reading the post. You can read “Black and Beautiful” or “Black but Beautiful”? and other articles on problems in Bible translation by reading my book Rereading the Biblical Text: Searching for Meaning and Understanding. Below is the content of the book:
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments – Page xi
Abbreviations – Page xii
Introduction – Page xv
SECTION 1 — THE PENTATEUCH
Chapter 1. The Creation of Animals in Genesis 2:19 – Page 3
Chapter 2. The Serpent Was Right (Genesis 3) – Page 7
Chapter 3. The Seed of the Woman (Genesis 3:15) – Page 11
Chapter 4. Were They Really Giants? (Genesis 6:4) – Page 17
Chapter 5. “As Far as Dan” (Gen 14:14) – Page 20
Chapter 6. Abraham and the Promises of God – Page (Genesis 12:7) – Page 23
Chapter 7. The Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:8) – Page 26
Chapter 8. The Rape of Bilhah (Genesis 35:22) – Page 29
Chapter 9. Miriam, a Leader in Israel (Exodus 15:20) – Page 32
Chapter 10. Azazel (Leviticus 16:8-10) – Page 35
Chapter 11. Understanding Numbers 24:24 – Page 38
SECTION 2 — THE HISTORICAL BOOKS
Chapter 12. The Levite and His Concubine (Judges 19:1–30) – Page 43
Chapter 13. The Sacrifice of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 10:6–12:7) – Page 47
Chapter 14. The Fate of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 10:6–12:7) – Page 4750
Chapter 15. The Virginity of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 10:6–12:7) – Page 54
Chapter 16. Who Went Back to the City? (Ruth 3:15) – Page 59
Chapter 17. Was Ruth Barren? (Ruth 4:13) – Page 59
Chapter 18. King Saul: Little in His Own Eyes (1 Samuel 15:17) – Page 63
Chapter 19. How Old Was Saul? (1 Samuel 13:1) – Page 64
Chapter 20. David and Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4) – Page 67
Chapter 21. David’s Sons Were Priests ((2 Samuel 8:18) – Page 70
Chapter 22. “Him that Pisseth against the Wall” (1 Samuel 25:22) – Page 72
Chapter 23. Whose Cloak Did Ahijah Tear? (1Kinga 11:4–7) – Page 78
Chapter 24. The Challenges of Parenthood (2 Kinga 21:25–26) – Page 82
SECTION 3 — THE WISDOM AND POETICAL BOOKS
Chapter 25. Psalm 8:5: In Search of a Better Translation – Page 87
Chapter 26. Understanding Psalm 17:14 – Page 90
Chapter 27. Jezebel’s Wedding Song (Psalm 45:1–17) – Page 93
Chapter 28. Psalm 100:3: In Search of a Better Translation – Page 99
Chapter 29. Sons or Children? (Psalm 127:3-5) – Page 103
Chapter 30. Proverbs 29:18 – Page 106
Chapter 31. “Black and Beautiful” or “Black but Beautiful”? (Song of Songs 1:5) – Page 108
SECTION 4 — THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS
Chapter 32. The Use of Gender Inclusive Language (Isaiah 9:1) – Page 115
Chapter 33. “You Have Increased Their Joy” (Isaiah 9:3) – Page 118
Chapter 34. Who Will the Messiah Strike? (Isaiah 11:4) – Page 120
Chapter 35. The Way of the Lord (Isaiah 40:3) – Page 122
Chapter 36. “All Their Goodliness” (Isa 40:6) – Page 126
Chapter 37. The Proclaimer of Good News (Isaiah 40:9) – Page 129
Chapter 38. The Problem of Divorce in the Old Testament (Isaiah 50:1) – Page 132
Chapter 39. Beulah Land (Isaiah 62:4) – Page 135
Chapter 40. The Balm of Gilead (Jeremiah 8:22) – Page 138
Chapter 41. The Mother of Seven (Jeremiah 15:9) – Page 142
Chapter 42. The Coming of the Messiah (Daniel 9:25–27) – Page 144
Chapter 43. The Seventy Weeks of Daniel (Daniel 9:25–27) – Page 148
Chapter 44. The Knowledge of God (Hosea 4:1) – Page 152
Chapter 45. The Word “Hesed” in the Book of Hosea (Hosea 4:1) – Page 154
Chapter 46. The Word “Justice” in Amos (Amos 5:24) – Page 157
Chapter 47. “What the Lord Requires” (Micah 6:8) – Page 160
Bibliography – Page 165
Index of Subjects – Page 169
Index of Authors – Page 171
Index of Scriptures and Other Ancient Documents – Page 173
Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
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Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament 
>Dr. Claude Mariottini,This is a good synopsis in the book of Songs. What is the Spiritual implication you get from a Christian perspective of this portion of Scripture?
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>Jeffrey,Most Christians take two approaches to the book. One, they spiritualize the book and see it as a reference to Christ and the church or as a reference to Christ and the believer. Two, they see the book as a love poem reflecting the love between a man and a woman. I believe the love poem is the better interpretation.Thank you for your comment.Claude Mariottini
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>I think the reference to "Keder" is a word play. The word also means "dark." We see this pretty clearly in Micah 3:6, where "therefore it shall be night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without revelation. The sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be kadar." (NRSV).And I'm less sure about kiriot shlomo ("curtains of Solomon"), but I wonder if the reference isn't to Psalm 104:2, where God is clothed in light "as a garment," spreading out the sky like "a curtain." The word for "curtain" there is the same as in Songs, and the word for "garment" is spelled the same as "Solomon."Regarding the title, in And God Said I point out the alliteration in the Hebrew shir hashirim asher lishlomo and suggest "Solomon's Song of Songs" as the title.Finally, Marcia Falk has a wonderfully poetic edition of Song of Songs (called The Song of Songs: A New Translation). Her rendition of 1:5-6 is:Yes, I am black! and radiant—O city women watching me—As black as Kedar's goathair tentsOr Solomon's fine tapestries.Will you disrobe me with your stares?The eyes of many morning sunsHave pierced my skin, and now I shineBlack as the light before the dawn.And I have faced the angry glareOf others, even my mother's sonsWho sent me out to watch their vinesWhile I neglected all my own.
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>I personally think it should be translated to what it is regardless of whether it causes a racial uproar or not.Too many authorities/scholars have changed the bible, quran and torah to suit their needs or the majority of the followers. Even other spiritualists; thake the buddha for instance, the original buddha has coils on top of her head a big nose and thick lips (seems like an african woman) now she has wavy hair and looks chinese with a bindi on her head it has been changed to suit the majority of asian followers, chinese and indian. Keeping it the way it was originally written preserves the personality and character of the person. If it is supposed to say i am black but beautiful then so be it. It says something about her and/or the people that surrounded her. It should not be changed so that the bible/torah doesnt seem prejudiced, it is what it is.Too much has been changed in these scriptures, you dont even know what to believe anymore. Instead of dwelling on whether you should translate it to suit a dark skinned persons need, why not challenge the vatican and get them to change their image of jesus, it clearly says he had hair like lambs wool and feet like burnt brass; lambs wool is afro like in texture and look and everyone knows that anything burnt is dark in colour……i think thats more important, not trying to suit the needs of black people. If it is racist then its racist……..maybe its not meant for you. Thats like telling a hindu to change some of his gods to white, blonde haired gods…ITS NOT FOR YOU!!(from a woma of African descent)
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>To Naturally Us,All of us who read and study the Bible want to make sure that any translation is faithful to the original. I agree with you that no one should change the Bible to please a group of people. We must be faithful to the intent of the original writer.Thank you for visiting my blog.Claude Mariottini
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