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December 25, 2008

Texts, 2008
Posted by Teresa at 12:00 AM *

Luke 2:1-14, Anglo-Saxon (via):

Soþlice on þam dagum wæs geworden gebod fram þam casere Augusto, þæt eall ymbehwyrft wære tomearcod. Þeos tomearcodnes wæs æryst geworden fram þam deman Syrige Cirino. And ealle hig eodon, and syndrige ferdon on hyra ceastre. Ða ferde Iosep fram Galilea of þære ceastre Nazareth on Iudeisce ceastre Dauides, seo is genemned Beþleem, for þam þe he wæs of Dauides huse and hirede; þæt he ferde mid Marian þe him beweddod wæs, and wæs geeacnod. Soþlice wæs geworden þa hi þar wæron, hire dagas wæron gefyllede þæt heo cende. And heo cende hyre frumcennedan sunu, and hine mid cildclaþum bewand, and hine on binne alede, for þam þe hig næfdon rum on cumena huse. And hyrdas wæron on þam ylcan rice waciende, and nihtwæccan healdende ofer heora heorda. Þa stod Drihtnes engel wiþ hig, and Godes beorhtnes him ymbe scean; and hi him mycelum ege adredon. And se engel him to cwæð, Nelle ge eow adrædan; soþlice nu ic eow bodie mycelne gefean, se bið eallum folce; for þam to dæg eow ys Hælend acenned, se is Drihten Crist, on Dauides ceastre. And þis tacen eow byð: Ge gemetað an cild hræglum bewunden, and on binne aled. And þa wæs færinga geworden mid þam engle mycelnes heofenlices werydes, God heriendra and þus cweþendra, Gode sy wuldor on heahnesse, and on eorðan sybb mannum godes willan.

Luke 2:1-20, tr. John Wycliffe, 1382 (via)

And it was don in tho daies, a maundement wente out fro the emperour August, that al the world schulde be discryued. :: This firste discryuyng was maad of Cyryn, iustice of Sirie. :: And alle men wenten to make professioun, ech in to his owne citee. :: And Joseph wente vp fro Galilee, fro the citee Nazareth, in to Judee, in to a citee of Dauid, that is clepid Bethleem, for that he was of the hous and of the meyne of Dauid, :: that he schulde knouleche with Marie, his wijf, that was weddid to hym, and was greet with child. :: And it was don, while thei weren there, the daies weren fulfillid, that sche schulde bere child. :: And sche bare hir first borun sone, and wlappide hym in clothis, and leide hym in a cratche, for ther was no place to hym in no chaumbir. :: And scheepherdis weren in the same cuntre, wakynge and kepynge the watchis of the nyyt on her flok. :: And lo! the aungel of the Lord stood bisidis hem, and the cleernesse of God schinede aboute hem; and thei dredden with greet drede. :: And the aungel seide to hem, Nyle ye drede; for lo! Y preche to you a greet ioye, that schal be to al puple. :: For a sauyoure is borun to dai to you, that is Crist the Lord, in the citee of Dauid. :: And this is a tokene to you; ye schulen fynde a yong child wlappid in clothis, and leid in a cratche. :: And sudenli ther was maad with the aungel a multitude of heuenli knyythod, heriynge God, :: and seiynge, Glorie be in the hiyeste thingis to God, and in erthe pees be to men of good wille. :: And it was don, as the aungelis passiden awei fro hem in to heuene, the scheephirdis spaken togider, and seiden, Go we ouer to Bethleem, and se we this word that is maad, which the Lord hath maad, and schewide to vs. :: And thei hiyynge camen, and founden Marie and Joseph, and the yong child leid in a cratche. :: And thei seynge, knewen of the word that was seid to hem of this child. :: And alle men that herden wondriden, and of these thingis that weren seid to hem of the scheephirdis. :: But Marie kepte alle these wordis, berynge togider in hir herte. :: And the scheepherdis turneden ayen, glorifyinge and heriynge God in alle thingis that thei hadden herd and seyn, as it was seid to hem.

Luke 2:1-20, tr. William Tyndale, 1530

And it chaunced in thoose dayes: yt ther went oute a comaundment from Auguste the Emperour that all the woorlde shuld be taxed. :: And this taxynge was ye fyrst and executed when Syrenius was leftenaut in Syria. :: And every man went vnto his awne citie to be taxed. :: And Ioseph also ascended from Galile oute of a cite called Nazareth into Iurie: vnto ye cite of David which is called Bethleem because he was of the housse and linage of David :: to be taxed with Mary his spoused wyfe which was with chylde. :: And it fortuned whyll they were there her tyme was come that she shuld be delyvered. :: And she brought forth her fyrst begotten sonne and wrapped him in swadlynge cloothes and layed him in a manger because ther was no roume for them within in the ynne. :: And ther were in the same region shepherdes abydinge in the felde and watching their flocke by nyght. :: And loo: the angell of ye lorde stode harde by them and the brightnes of ye lorde shone rounde aboute them and they were soare afrayed. :: But the angell sayd vnto them: Be not afrayed. For beholde I bringe you tydinges of greate ioye yt shal come to all ye people: :: for vnto you is borne this daye in the cite of David a saveoure which is Christ ye lorde. :: And take this for a signe: ye hall fynde ye chylde swadled and layed in a mager. :: And streight waye ther was with the angell a multitude of hevenly sowdiers laudynge God and sayinge: :: Glory to God an hye and peace on the erth: and vnto men reioysynge. :: And it fortuned assone as the angels were gone awaye fro them in to heven the shepherdes sayd one to another: let vs goo eve vnto Bethleem and se this thynge that is hapened which the Lorde hath shewed vnto vs. :: And they cam with haste and founde Mary and Ioseph and the babe layde in a mager. :: And when they had sene it they publisshed a brode the sayinge which was tolde them of that chylde. :: And all that hearde it wondred at those thinges which were tolde the of the shepherdes. :: But Mary kept all thoose sayinges and pondered them in hyr hert. :: And the shepherdes retourned praysinge and laudinge God for all that they had herde and sene evyn as it was told vnto them.

Luke 2:1-20, tr. Miles Coverdale, 1535

It fortuned at the same tyme, that there wete out a comaundement fro Augustus the Emperoure, that the whole worlde shulde be taxed. And this taxynge was the first that was executed, whan Syrenius was leftenaunt in Siria. And they wente all, euery one to his owne cite to be taxed. Then Ioseph gat him vp also fro Galile, out of the cite of Nazareth, in to Iewry, to ye cite of Dauid, which is called Bethleem, (because he was of ye house and lynage of Dauid) that he might be taxed wt Mary his spoused wife, which was wt childe. And it fortuned whyle they were there, ye tyme was come, that she shulde be delyuered. And she brought forth hir first begotte sonne, & wrapped him in swadlinge clothes, and layed him in a maunger: for they had els no rowme in the ynne.

And there were in ye same region shepherdes in the felde by the foldes, and watchinge their flocke by night. And beholde, ye angell of the Lorde stode by the, and ye brightnes of the Lorde shone rounde aboute them, and they were sore afrayed. And the angell sayde vnto them: Be not afrayed. Beholde, I brynge you tydiges of greate ioye, which shall happen vnto all people: for vnto you this daye is borne ye Sauioure, eue Christ ye Lorde, in the cite of Dauid. And take this for a token: Ye shal fynde the babe swadled, and layed in a maunger. And straight waye there was by the angell a multitude of heauenly hoostes, which praysed God, and sayde: Glory be vnto God an hye, & peace vpon earth, and vnto men a good wyll.

And it fortuned wha the angels were gone from the in to heaue, the shepherdes sayde one to another: let vs go now euen vnto Bethleem, and se this thinge that is happened, which ye Lorde hath shewed vnto vs. And they came wt haist, & founde both Mary and Ioseph, & the babe layed in ye maunger. And whan they had sene it, they published abrode the sayenge, yt was tolde the of this childe. And all they that herde it, wondred at the wordes, which the shepherdes had tolde them. But Mary kepte all these sayenges, and pondred them in hir hert. And the shepherdes returned, praysinge and laudinge God, for all that they had herde and sene, euen as it was tolde them.

Luke 2:1-14, King James Version, 1611

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, she being great with child.

And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered; and she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes; and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: That ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And also:

Luke 2:1-14 - Δοξα εν υψιστοις θεω, και επι γης ειρηνη εν ανθρωποις ευδοκιας
εγενετο δε εν ταις ημεραις εκειναις εξηλθεν δογμα παρα καισαρος αυγουστου απογραφεσθαι πασαν την οικουμενην
    αυτη απογραφη πρωτη εγενετο ηγεμονευοντος της συριας κυρηνιου
    και επορευοντο παντες απογραφεσθαι εκαστος εις την εαυτου πολιν
    ανεβη δε και ιωσηφ απο της γαλιλαιας εκ πολεως ναζαρεθ εις την ιουδαιαν εις πολιν δαυιδ ητις καλειται βηθλεεμ δια το ειναι αυτον εξ οικου και πατριας δαυιδ
    απογραψασθαι συν μαριαμ τη εμνηστευμενη αυτω ουση εγκυω
    εγενετο δε εν τω ειναι αυτους εκει επλησθησαν αι ημεραι του τεκειν αυτην
    και ετεκεν τον υιον αυτης τον πρωτοτοκον και εσπαργανωσεν αυτον και ανεκλινεν αυτον εν φατνη διοτι ουκ ην αυτοις τοπος εν τω καταλυματι
    και ποιμενες ησαν εν τη χωρα τη αυτη αγραυλουντες και φυλασσοντες φυλακας της νυκτος επι την ποιμνην αυτων
    και αγγελος κυριου επεστη αυτοις και δοξα κυριου περιελαμψεν αυτους και εφοβηθησαν φοβον μεγαν
    και ειπεν αυτοις ο αγγελος μη φοβεισθε ιδου γαρ ευαγγελιζομαι υμιν χαραν μεγαλην ητις εσται παντι τω λαω
    οτι ετεχθη υμιν σημερον σωτηρ ος εστιν χριστος κυριος εν πολει δαυιδ
    και τουτο υμιν το σημειον ευρησετε βρεφος εσπαργανωμενον και κειμενον εν φατνη
    και εξαιφνης εγενετο συν τω αγγελω πληθος στρατιας ουρανιου αινουντων τον θεον και λεγοντων
    δοξα εν υψιστοις θεω και επι γης ειρηνη εν ανθρωποις ευδοκιας

(Thank you, Nick Whyte.)

Vulgate: Luke 2:1-14

Factum est autem in diebus illis, exiit edictum a Cæsare Augusto ut describeretur universus orbis. Hæc descriptio prima facta est a præside Syriæ Cyrino: et ibant omnes ut profiterentur singuli in suam civitatem. Ascendit autem et Joseph a Galilæa de civitate Nazareth in Judæam, in civitatem David, quæ vocatur Bethlehem: eo quod esset de domo et familia David, ut profiteretur cum Maria desponsata sibi uxore prægnante. Factum est autem, cum essent ibi, impleti sunt dies ut pareret. Et peperit filium suum primogenitum, et pannis eum involvit, et reclinavit eum in præsepio: quia non erat eis locus in diversorio. Et pastores erant in regione eadem vigilantes, et custodientes vigilias noctis super gregem suum. Et ecce angelus Domini stetit juxta illos, et claritas Dei circumfulsit illos, et timuerunt timore magno. Et dixit illis angelus: Nolite timere: ecce enim evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum, quod erit omni populo: quia natus est vobis hodie Salvator, qui est Christus Dominus, in civitate David. Et hoc vobis signum: invenietis infantem pannis involutum, et positum in præsepio. Et subito facta est cum angelo multitudo militiæ cælestis laudantium Deum, et dicentium: [Gloria in altissimis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis.]

(Thank you, Sisuile.)

Luke 2:14 in Gothic

Warth than in dagans jainans. urrann gagrefts fram kaisara Agustau gameljan allana midjungard. soh than gilstrameleins frumista warth at wisandin kindina Swriais raginondin Saurim Kwreinaiau. jah iddjedun allai ei melidai weseina. hwarjizuh in seinai baurg. urrann than jah Iosef us Galeilaia. us baurg Nazaraith in Iudaian. in baurg Daweidis sei haitada Bethlaihaim duthe ei was us garda fadreinais Daweidis. anameljan mith Mariin. sei in fragiftim was imma qeins. wisandein inkilthon. warth than miththanei. tho wesun jainar. usfullnodedun dagos du bairan izai jah gabar sunu seinana thana frumabaur. jah biwand ina jah galagida ina in uzetin. unte ni was im rumis in stada thamma.

jah hairdjos wesun in thamma samin landa, thairhwakandans jah witandans wahtwom nahts ufaro hairdai seinai. ith aggilus fraujins anaqam ins jah wulthus fraujins biskain ins, jah ohtedun agisa mikilamma. jah qath du im sa aggilus: ni ogeith, unte sai, spillo izwis faheid mikila, sei wairthith allai managein, thatei gabaurans ist izwis himma daga nasjands, saei ist Xristus frauja, in baurg Daweidis. jah thata izwis taikns: bigitid barn biwundan jah galagid in uzetin. jah anaks warth mith thamma aggilau managei harjis himinakundis hazjandane guth jah qithandane:

wulthus in hauhistjam guda
jah ana airthai gawairthi in mannam godis wiljins.

(Thank you, Lisa Spangenberg, a.k.a. the Digital Medievalist; who in turn gives credit to “Jim Marchand, medievalist extraordinaire.”) (see also)

Lowlands Scots

About this time the Emperor Augustus pat furth an edick ordeinin at aa the fowk i the haill warld suid be registrate. This wis whan Quirinius wis Governor o Syria, an it wis the first time at siccan a thing hed been dune. Sae aabodie gaed tae be registrate, ilkane til his ain toun, Joseph amang the lave.

He belanged til the stock an faimlie o Dauvit, an sae it was wis tae Dauvit’s Toun, Bethlehem in Judaea, at he gaed doun frae Nazareth in Galilee for tae gie in his name, takkin Mary, at wis haundfastit til him, wi him. She wis boukin gin this; an whan they war in Bethlehem, she cam til her time an brocht hame her first-born son. She swealed the bairn in a barrie an beddit him in a heck, sin there wis nae room for them intil the inn.

Nou, i that same pairt the war a wheen herds bidin thereout on the hill an keepin gaird owre their hrisel at nicht. Suddent an angel o the Lord cam an stuid afore them, an the glorie o the Lord shined about them, an they war uncolie frichtit. But the angel said tae them: Binna nane afeard, I bring ye guid news o gryte blytheness for the haill fowk—this day in Dauvit’s Town a saviour hes born til ye, Christ the Lord! This gate ye s’ken it is een as I say: ye will finnd a new-born bairn swealed in a barrie an liggin intil a heck.

Syne in a gliff an unco thrang o the airmies o hieven kythed aside the angel, glein laud tae God an liltin:

Glore tae God i the heicht o heiven, an peace on the yird tae men he delytes in!

(Thank you, Lee Sandlin.)

Swedish

(Translation anno 2000)

Vid den tiden utfärdade kejsar Augustus en förordning om att hela världen skulle skattskrivas. Det var den första skattskrivningen, och den hölls när Quirinius var ståthållare i Syrien. Alla gick då för att skattskriva sig, var och en till sin stad. Och Josef, som genom sin härkomst hörde till Davids hus, begav sig från Nasaret i Galileen upp till Judeen, till Davids stad Betlehem, för att skattskriva sig tillsammans med Maria, sin trolovade, som väntade sitt barn. Medan de befann sig där var tiden inne för henne att föda, och hon födde sin son, den förstfödde. Hon lindade honom och lade honom i en krubba, eftersom det inte fanns plats för dem inne i härbärget. I samma trakt låg några herdar ute och vaktade sin hjord om natten. Då stod Herrens ängel framför dem och Herrens härlighet lyste omkring dem, och de greps av stor förfäran. Men ängeln sade till dem: “Var inte rädda. Jag bär bud till er om en stor glädje, en glädje för hela folket. I dag har en frälsare fötts åt er i Davids stad, han är Messias, Herren. Och detta är tecknet för er: ni skall finna ett nyfött barn som är lindat och ligger i en krubba.” Och plötsligt var där tillsammans med ängeln en stor himmelsk här som prisade Gud:

“Ära i höjden åt Gud
och på jorden fred åt dem han har utvalt.”

(Translation anno 1917)

Och det hände sig vid den tiden att från kejsar Augustus utgick ett påbud att hela världen skulle skattskrivas. Detta var den första skattskrivningen, och den hölls, när Kvirinius var landshövding över Syrien. Då färdades alla var och en till sin stad, för att låta skattskriva sig. Så gjorde ock Josef; och eftersom han var av Davids hus och släkt, for han från staden Nasaret i Galileen upp till Davids stad, som heter Betlehem, i Judeen, för att låta skattskriva sig jämte Maria, sin trolovade, som var havande. Medan de voro där, hände sig att tiden var inne, då hon skulle föda. Och hon födde sin förstfödde son och lindade honom och lade honom i en krubba, ty det fanns icke rum för dem i härbärget. I samma nejd voro då några herdar ute på marken och höllo vakt om natten över sin hjord. Då stod en Herrens ängel framför dem, och Herrens härlighet kringstrålade dem; och de blevo mycket förskräckta. Men ängeln sade till dem: »Varen icke förskräckta. Se, jag bådar eder en stor glädje, som skall vederfaras allt folket. Ty i dag har en Frälsare blivit född åt eder i Davids stad, och han är Messias, Herren. Och detta skall för eder vara tecknet: I skolen finna ett nyfött barn, som ligger lindat i en krubba.» I detsamma sågs där jämte ängeln en stor hop av den himmelska härskaran, och de lovade Gud och sade:

»Ära vare Gud i höjden, och frid på jorden,
bland människor till vilka han har behag!»

(Translation anno 1541 - Gustavus Vasa’s bible, translated from Martin Luther’s bible)

Thet begaff sigh j then tijdhen, at aff Keysar Augusto vthgick itt bodh, at all werlden skulle beskattas. Och thenna beskatning war then första, och skeedde vnder then Höffdingen offuer Syrien, Kyrenio. Och the gingo alle hwar vthi sin stadh, til at läta beskatta sigh. Så foor ock Joseph vp aff Galilea, aff then stadhen Nazareth in vthi Judeska landet, til Dauidz stadh, som heter Bethlehem, Ty han war aff Dauidz hws och slecht, på thet han skulle låta beskatta sigh medh Maria sijn troloffuadha hustru, hwilken haffuandes war. Så begaff sigh medhan the woro ther, wordo daghanar fulbordadhe, at hon skulle födha. Och hon födde sin förstfödda Son, och swepte honom j lindaklädher, och ladhe honom nedher j een krubbo, Ty them war icke rwm j herberghena. Och j then samma egnden woro någhre Heerdar, the ther wakadhe och höllo wård om nattena offuer sin hiord. Och sij, Herrans Ängel stoodh när them, och Herrans klarheet kringskeen them, och the wordo stoorligha förfäradhe. Och sadhe Ängelen til them, Warer icke förfäradhe, Sij, iagh bodhar idher stoor glädhi, hwilken allo folckena widerfaras skal, Ty jdagh är idher födder Frelsaren, som är Christus Herren, j Dauidz stadh. Och thetta skal wara idher för tekn. J skole finna Barnet swept j lindaklädher, nedherlagdt j een krubbo. Och strax wardt medh Ängelen itt stoort taal aff then himmelska häärskaran, the ther loffuadhe Gudh, och sadhe, Ära ware Gudh j högden, Och på jordenne fridh, Och menniskiomen en godh wilie.

(Thank you, Mikael Johansson.)

Nederlandse Statenvertaling (1637), Lukas 2:1 - 20

1 En het geschiedde in diezelfde dagen, dat er een gebod uitging van den Keizer Augustus, dat de gehele wereld beschreven zou worden.
2 Deze eerste beschrijving geschiedde, als Cyrenius over Syrie stadhouder was.
3 En zij gingen allen om beschreven te worden, een iegelijk naar zijn eigen stad.
4 En Jozef ging ook op van Galilea, uit de stad Nazareth, naar Judea, tot de stad Davids, die Bethlehem genaamd wordt, (omdat hij uit het huis en geslacht van David was);
5 Om beschreven te worden met Maria, zijn ondertrouwde vrouw, welke bevrucht was.
6 En het geschiedde, als zij daar waren, dat de dagen vervuld werden, dat zij baren zoude.
7 En zij baarde haar eerstgeboren Zoon, en wond Hem in doeken, en legde Hem neder in de kribbe, omdat voor henlieden geen plaats was in de herberg.
8 En er waren herders in diezelfde landstreek, zich houdende in het veld, en hielden de nachtwacht over hun kudde.
9 En ziet, een engel des Heeren stond bij hen, en de heerlijkheid des Heeren omscheen hen, en zij vreesden met grote vreze.
10 En de engel zeide tot hen: Vreest niet, want, ziet, ik verkondig u grote blijdschap, die al den volke wezen zal;
11 Namelijk dat u heden geboren is de Zaligmaker, welke is Christus, de Heere, in de stad Davids.
12 En dit zal u het teken zijn: gij zult het Kindeken vinden in doeken gewonden, en liggende in de kribbe.
13 En van stonde aan was er met den engel een menigte des hemelsen heirlegers, prijzende God en zeggende:
14 Ere zij God in de hoogste hemelen, en vrede op aarde, in de mensen een welbehagen.
15 En het geschiedde, als de engelen van hen weggevaren waren naar de hemel, dat de herders tot elkander zeiden: Laat ons dan heengaan naar Bethlehem, en laat ons zien het woord, dat er geschied is, hetwelk de Heere ons heeft verkondigd.
16 En zij kwamen met haast, en vonden Maria en Jozef, en het Kindeken liggende in de kribbe.
17 En als zij Het gezien hadden, maakten zij alom bekend het woord, dat hun van dit Kindeken gezegd was.
18 En allen, die het hoorden, verwonderden zich over hetgeen hun gezegd werd van de herders.
19 Doch Maria bewaarde deze woorden alle te zamen, overleggende die in haar hart.
20 En de herders keerde wederom, verheerlijkende en prijzende God over alles, wat zij gehoord en gezien hadden, gelijk tot hen gesproken was.

- o0o -

Merry Christmas! Joy to the world! And thank you for being here.

Comments on Texts, 2008:
#1 ::: Teresa Nielsen Hayden ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 12:31 AM:

Merry Christmas, dear all of you.

I'm up and about, feebly. This year, for the first time, Christmas dinner will feature a store-bought pie, and whipped cream from a can. Patrick is playing DJ, via iTunes and the living room speakers. We may be able to coax his playlist out of him. Lydy Nickerson has come to spend Christmas with us, and is perched on the sofa with her laptop. Hiro Frumentius, grown elderly and very nearsighted, is rustling around -- contentedly, I assume; that's his usual state -- in his igloo.

Hoping this finds you all well and happy --

Teresa

#2 ::: Tom Whitmore ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 12:33 AM:

In my family we continued to verse 20, KJV.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

May the peace of the season be with you and yours, and may your beliefs be a comfort to you.

#3 ::: Linkmeister ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 12:44 AM:

Merry Christmas with 4.5 hours to go in this time zone.

Here's Linus explaining its meaning.

#4 ::: sisuile ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 01:03 AM:

Merry Christmas, Teresa - may illness fade from us all.

Just so you know, I came home from late service, turned on the computer, and checked to see if this post was up yet. It has become a standard of my Christmas season; this post, this place, and this community that you have built. Many thanks.

Parvulus enim natus est nobis filius datus est nobis et factus est principatus super umerum eius et vocabitur nomen eius Admirabilis consiliarius Deus fortis Pater futuri saeculi Princeps pacis.

#5 ::: Terry Karney ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 01:18 AM:

I'm in the cafe, where the traffic has been quiet. Today was some shopping, a bitof baking and some reading.

I will walk home in the starless cold and amue myself until Barry gets home from Midnight Mass (which I didn't have the emontional energy to leave the house at 8:15, when the service started at 10), an wish him a merry Christmas before I retire.

Mimosas and coffee and toast and Russian omellete in the morning.

A happy holiday to all, and a Merry Christmas to those who keep it.

#6 ::: Linkmeister ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 01:23 AM:

I had to look. A Russian omelette.

Pigs in blankets tomorrow morning for us.

#7 ::: Andrew Willett ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 01:29 AM:

All joy to you and all. And wishes of good health besides.

#8 ::: Madeleine Robins ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 01:39 AM:

Joy and love to you both from the far reaches of the Empire. Hope your day is delicious and happy, and that 2009 brings only the good surprises, and lots of good health.

#9 ::: David Goldfarb ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 02:38 AM:

Note the different translations of verse 14: "good will toward men", "toward men of good will" -- the word ευδοκιας in the Greek is ambiguous as between the nominative and genitive cases. To make matters worse, the verb is the same one as in Matthew 17:5 where the voice of the Holy Spirit says "This is my only begotten son, in whom I am well pleased". Thus some have translated it as "to men with whom he is pleased." (Cf. the Lowland Scots "tae men he delytes in.") Jerome when he did his Vulgate Latin translation plumped for the genitive case (the Latin doesn't have the same ambiguity), and this is reflected in the early English translations. Tyndale interpreted it in still another way....

Anyway, I wish a merry Christmas to all those here who would welcome such a wish; to everyone else, whatever seasonal greeting or blessing you would prefer. And to everyone, health and happiness in the coming year.

#10 ::: Paul Duncanson ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 03:26 AM:

David @ 9: Thus some have translated it as "to men with whom he is pleased." (Cf. the Lowland Scots "tae men he delytes in.")

The Lolcat edition also chooses that translation:

'Roun dis tiyem, Caesar Augustus wuz like, "I can has cenzus?" ('Coz while Quirinius was Teh Boz of Syria, is invisible census!) And all teh doodz went home for teh saying, "I is heer!" So Joseph went from Naz'reth to Judeeah to Bethlehemm whar David wuz borned, 'coz David wuz hiz graete-graete gran-daddie, An Mary went wif him, 'coz she was gonna be married wif him an she was preggerz. When wuz time for teh baybee, it wuz a boy, so he wuz wrapd in blanket like burrito an placd him in fud dish, cuz innkeeper wuz liek, no room here kthxbye!

Then there wuz sheep-doods in teh field, an they wuz watchin teh sheep in teh dark. Iz vry vry boring. srsly. An suddenly, visible angel! An glory! O noez!! But teh angel sed, "DONT AFRAID OF ENYTHING! it r ok, you can has gud news for all teh doodz! Todai in da city ov David, you can has sayvur! is Christ da Lord! w00t! Iz sign fer u, find da baybee wrapd like brrito in a big fud dish." An suddenly, moar angelz! They sez, "w00t to teh Ceiling Cat! An peace fer doodz he luffs! Kthxbai."

An when da angelz go invisible again, sheep-doodz sed, "sweet, nao we find teh brrito-baybee sayvur!" So dey left da sheeps (sheeps r vry borng) and found Joe an Mary and da baybee in da fud dish. An when dey saw it wuz baybee an not brrito, they told evrywun he wuz kewl, An all teh doodz who herd were lyke, "neat-o brrito!" An Mary wuz lyke, "o rly?" Teh sheep-doodz sed, "Yay fer Ceiling Cat! Was not invisible brrito!"

#11 ::: Andrew Woode ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 03:39 AM:

# 9 ; just to clarify - the ambiguity in the Greek is whether you think the original had the nominative ευδοκια/eudokia (as in the standard medieval Greek text, used by the Early Modern English translators from Tyndale on) or the genitive ευδοκιας/eudokia (as in several of the better manuscripts, and whatever manuscript was the basis for the Latin). Modern critical editions tend to go for the latter.

In addition, the preposition 'en' ('in, among') is missing in some traditions before 'anthropois' ('humans, people'); without it, 'anthropois' means
'to people'.

#12 ::: Andrew Woode ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 03:43 AM:

# 11 Sorry; the genitive version should read ευδοκιας/eudokias.
It's deeply worrying that I made the mistake in the _Roman_ alphabet not the Greek.

#13 ::: David Goldfarb ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 05:18 AM:

Andrew Woode: Thanks for that. My knowledge of Greek is intermediate at best, but I could see reading "en anthropois" as "to people"; though you're right that not having the preposition makes that reading more attractive.

#14 ::: abi ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 06:54 AM:

Merry Christmas (or at least a very happy 25th of December) from the Netherlands, where I sit in a field of wrapping paper and toys, listening to "Gaudete" once before the Barenaked Ladies take over again.

The better half is working on a dinner composed entirely of comfort foods. I am contemplating an attempt at eggnog. Both children are absorbed in new games. My mother, visiting, is reading one of her new books.

All the best sheep to the members of this community who are unwell, and my deepest affection to everyone, lurker, commenter and poster alike. Making Light has lived up to its name for me this past year, and that is due entirely to the people here.

I have to go play with my Jane Austen action figure now (key weapon: the Character Study, according to the package).

#15 ::: Bruce Arthurs ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 07:42 AM:

Having to work Christmas Day, I'm trying to prep some Christmas Dinner dishes for later before heading off.

This is sorta complicated by my having spaced the buying of several essential ingredients for the planned menu, and having to try and make last minute substitutions to the menu.

The pumpkin rice pudding may come out okay. But I'm not sure a "savory" cranberry sauce is going to be a successful experiment. (OTOH, if you can't experiment on friends and family, who can you experiment on?)

#16 ::: xeger ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 08:02 AM:

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night[0] :D

[0] I have -got- to remember that this delightfully bright, similar to daylight lamp is implausibly good at charming my brain into believing that it's daytime... in fact, so good that it practically guarantees forgetting to go to bed.

#17 ::: albatross ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 08:52 AM:

Linkmeister #3: When I read that verse from the KJV, I am incapable of hearing it in my head in any other voice but cartoon-Linus'. It's a nice example of how the tone and rhythm (and context) can make something written in unfamiliar words and phrasing understandable.

Paul #10: I loved the LOLcats version.

#18 ::: Rikibeth ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 10:17 AM:

Merry Christmas, all. We've had my housemate's traditional breakfast of cinnamon rolls, and have checked movie times for my ancestral tradition of Movie-and-Chinese-food. Hope your holidays are bright.

#19 ::: Ginger ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 10:35 AM:

We did my traditional Chinese food-anna-movie last night, then went to church where I play in the bell choir along with my partner, and our son was the acolyte. Today we have had the opening of presents, to be followed shortly by the ceremonial drive to one of her sisters for lunch/dinner.

Happy Season* to all!

*Garlic, cinnamon, thyme -- whichever you prefer.

#20 ::: Lila ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 11:58 AM:

I am full of cornmeal/banana pancakes fixed for us by my oldest daughter's boyfriend. The dogs have already killed their new squeaky toys and the kids are playing Wii games. It's all good.

#21 ::: Lizzy L ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 12:52 PM:

Glory to God in the highest, and peace among those of good will!

Last night I visited with a small group of friends for a Christmas Eve dinner (topped by an utterly scrumptious pecan and cranberry pie with whipped cream, O joy); I napped, and then went to Midnight Mass; today a friend is joining me for a Christmas midday meal, tomorrow I will go to a Boxing Day party.

It rained strongly last night in the Bay Area, and more rain is coming, for which we are grateful: we need the rain. The lights are bright on my tiny tree.The morning is still. Do not be afraid, the angels sing. Joy to the world, the Lord is come. May all sentient beings be blessed.

#22 ::: debcha ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 01:48 PM:

I hung out at my local bar/Chinese friends with a bunch of friends last night, and at my local coffee shop this morning. I'll be making a call shortly on whether I should risk Seattle roads to join my friend's family for Christmas luncheon.

As someone who doesn't really celebrate Christmas, I think that I especially appreciated Wayne Coyne's Twelve Reasons Why Christmas Matters.

Happy celebrations!

#23 ::: ADM ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 01:50 PM:

Happy Christmas to all who celebrate it, and happy spirit of Christmas (in my world, that's some generic peace and goodwill) to everybody.

Hope you feel better soon, TNH.

#24 ::: Suzanne ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 03:05 PM:

Merry Christmas! Joy to the world! And thank you for being here.

Thank *you* for being here, even if you do insist on periodically posting funny English that makes me feel woefully clueless.

Best wishes to you and yours on this day, and in the year ahead.

#25 ::: joann ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 04:19 PM:

Greek-readers: I notice that a couple of the earlier translations (Wycliffe, Coverdale) seem to imply that there was room for Mary and Joseph in the inn up until the time of childbirth, e.g. "there was no room for him in the inn". What does the Greek say?

(BTW, I've been reflecting a lot upon St Joseph recently. Quite aside from anything else, he committed at least one totally miraculous act all on his own, for which as far as I can tell he receives no credit: while all *sorts* of stuff was happening around him, including mysteriously pregnant girlfriends, divine messengers, inconvenient taxation pilgrimages, non-standard use of stables, massacres of children, and all, he just kept on getting on with the program. Very impressive.)

#26 ::: Jo Walton ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 04:54 PM:

Joann: I've thought about underappreciated Joseph too. You might like my Joseph story from Christmas 2004.

#27 ::: Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 05:04 PM:

Best wishes to all, and extra thanks for the reminder-pointer to the Lolcat version. Peace to all d00dz!

#28 ::: Fragano Ledgister ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 05:57 PM:

In Portuguese:

1. Naqueles tempos apareceu um decreto de César Augusto, ordenando o recenseamento de toda a terra.
2. Este recenseamento foi feito antes do governo de Quirino, na Síria.
3. Todos iam alistar-se, cada um na sua cidade.
4. Também José subiu da Galiléia, da cidade de Nazaré, à Judéia, à Cidade de Davi, chamada Belém, porque era da casa e família de Davi,
5. para se alistar com a sua esposa Maria, que estava grávida.
6. Estando eles ali, completaram-se os dias dela.
7. E deu à luz seu filho primogênito, e, envolvendo-o em faixas, reclinou-o num presépio; porque não havia lugar para eles na hospedaria.
8. Havia nos arredores uns pastores, que vigiavam e guardavam seu rebanho nos campos durante as vigílias da noite.
9. Um anjo do Senhor apareceu-lhes e a glória do Senhor refulgiu ao redor deles, e tiveram grande temor.
10. O anjo disse-lhes: Não temais, eis que vos anuncio uma boa nova que será alegria para todo o povo:
11. hoje vos nasceu na Cidade de Davi um Salvador, que é o Cristo Senhor.
12. Isto vos servirá de sinal: achareis um recém-nascido envolto em faixas e posto numa manjedoura.
13. E subitamente ao anjo se juntou uma multidão do exército celeste, que louvava a Deus e dizia:
14. Glória a Deus no mais alto dos céus e na terra paz aos homens, objetos da benevolência (divina).

#29 ::: J MacQueen ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 06:52 PM:

Ginger @ #19
May a good thyme be had by all, including yourself. 'Though garlic might also be good for the Northern Hemisphereans battling lurgis. (For those who can stand it, that is.)

Regards
Jo
(posting from Boxing Day)

#30 ::: Linkmeister ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 08:46 PM:

Jo Walton, I read it when you first wrote it, and it still makes me smile.

#31 ::: Melissa Mead ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 08:50 PM:

Joy and good health to all!

#32 ::: Marilee ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 09:15 PM:

I posted this on 117, but it really goes here: Jo Walton's Holy Birth Fanfic.

#33 ::: fidelio ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 09:52 PM:

Luther 1545:

1. Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit, daß ein Gebot vom Kaiser Augustus
ausging, daß alle Welt geschätzt würde.

2. Und diese Schätzung war die allererste und geschah zu der Zeit, da
Cyrenius Landpfleger in Syrien war

3. Und jedermann ging, daß er sich schätzen ließe, ein. jeglicher in
seine Stadt.

4. Da machte sich auch auf Joseph aus Galiläa, aus der Stadt Nazareth,
in das jüdische Land zur Stadt Davids die da heißt Bethlehem, darum daß
er von dem Hause und Geschlechte Davids war

5. auf daß er sich schätzen ließe mit Maria, seinem vertrauten Weibe,
die war schwanger.

6. Und als sie daselbst waren, kam die Zeit, daß sie gebären sollte.

7. Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn und wickelte ihn in Windeln und
legte ihn in eine Krippe; denn sie hatten sonst keinen Raum in der
Herberge.

8. Und es waren Hirten in derselbigen Gegend auf dem Felde bei den
Hürden, die hüteten des Nachts ihre Herde.

9. und siehe des Herrn Engel trat zu ihnen, und die Klarheit des Herrn
leuchtete um sie, und sie fürchteten sich sehr.

10. Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen: Fürchtet euch nicht! Siehe, ich
verkündige euch große Freude, die allem Volk widerfahren wird;

11. denn euch ist heute der Heiland geboren, welcher ist Christus, der
Herr, in der Stadt Davids.

12. Und das habt zum Zeichen: Ihr werdet finden das Kind in Windeln
gewickelt und in einer Krippe liegen.

13. Und alsbald war da bei dem Engel die Menge der himmlischen
Heerscharen, die lobten Gott und sprachen:

14. Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe und Friede auf Erden und den Menschen
ein Wohlgefallen!

15. Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren, sprachen die Hirten
untereinander: Laßt uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem und die Geschichte
sehen, die da geschehen ist, die uns der Herr kundgetan hat.

16. Und sie kamen eilend und fanden beide, Maria und Joseph, dazu das
Kind in der Krippe liegen.

17. Da sie es aber gesehen hatten breiteten sie das Wort aus, welches
zu ihnen von diesem Kind gesagt war.

18. Und alle, vor die es kam, wunderten sich der Rede, die ihnen die
Hirten gesagt hatten.

19. Maria aber behielt alle diese Worte und bewegete sie in ihrem
Herzen.

20. Und die Hirten kehreten wieder um, preiseten und lobten Gott um
alles, was sie gehöret und gesehen hatten, wie denn zu ihnen gesagt war.

I really wanted Zwingli's version, but I can't seem to find one on-line.

#34 ::: Kevin Riggle ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 11:37 PM:

Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, and so on and so forth. May your year be filled with light. :-)

#35 ::: Kayjayoh ::: (view all by) ::: December 25, 2008, 11:46 PM:

Jo Walton, the Joseph story is beautiful.

#36 ::: Zemmie ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 12:13 AM:

I'm coming out of the lurk-weeds to say Happy Return of the Light to all. (I always figured that the festival that was turned into Christmas was delayed a few days after the actual solstice so that the celebrants could be really certain that the days were getting longer.)
Joseph, incidentally, was a stock figure of fun in the Mediaeval passion plays. He's the classic cuckold.

#37 ::: pericat ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 12:49 AM:

From the irc bible, courtesy of the wayback machine:

* Augustus has joined #Galilee
<Augustus> lol i just got a PayPal acount
<Augustus> everyone must pay me monees or i ban them!
* Augustus changes topic to 'Pay me or b banned!'
<Augustus> and everyone should get back to their original channels
<Joseph> fs
<Joseph> Mary, we gotta get our ass to #Bethlehem
<Mary> wtf! i'm bursting here!
* Mary is very pregnant
<Joseph> get your ass over here
<Joseph> right, off we go
<Joseph> /join Bethlehem
<Mary> /join Bethlehem
* Joseph has left #Galilee
* Mary has left #Galilee

* Joseph has joined #Bethlehem
* Mary has joined #Bethlehem
<Mary> fine, we're here, but i really need to get to #Inn
<Mary> I'm in friggin labour!
<Mary> /join #Inn
* Unable to join channel (channel is full)
<Mary> wtf
<Joseph> Guess we'll have to stay here
* Jesus has joined #Bethlehem
<Mary> oh dear, he's early
<Joseph> put him in that manger
* Jesus is now known as Jesus|Manger
<Jesus|Manger> WHeeehheheheheeee

* Angel has joined #Field
<Angel> lo
<Shepherd1> ARGH
<Shepherd2> WTF!!1
<Angel> Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy
<Angel> For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
<Shepherd1> Why do you come here to tell us?
<Shepherd2> no one ever joins this channel, xcept sheep
<Sheep3b> baaaa
<Angel> He is your Saviour! you should go praise him
* Angel^Choir has joined #Field
<Angel^Choir> GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN!!!!11!~!@!
<Shepherd2> meh, this is too much, EVAC
<Shepherd1> let's join #Bethlehem
<Shepherd1> /join #Bethlehem
<Shepherd2 /join #Bethlehem
* Shepherd1 has left #Field
* Shepherd2 has left #Field

* Shepherd1 has joined #Bethlehem
* Shepherd2 has joined #Bethlehem
<Shepherd1> LMAO hes lying in a manger
<Shepherd2> lol, i told all my contacts to come visit too!
* Shepherd3 has joined #Bethlehem
* Shepherd4 has joined #Bethlehem
* Shepherd5 has joined #Bethlehem
<Mary> erm... Joseph
* Shepherd6 has joined #Bethlehem
* Shepherd7 has joined #Bethlehem
* Shepherd8 has joined #Bethlehem
<Joseph> yes?
* Shepherd9 has joined #Bethlehem
* Shepherd10 has joined #Bethlehem
<Mary> I think it's time to join #Jerusalem
* Shepherd11 has joined #Bethlehem
<Mary> to present our son to God
* Shepherd12 has joined #Bethlehem
* Shepherd13 has joined #Bethlehem
<Joseph> right you are
<Joseph> /Join #Jerusalem
* Shepherd14 has joined #Bethlehem
<Mary> /Join #Jerusalem
* Jesus|Manger is now known as Jesus
<Jesus> /join #Jerusalem
* Shepherd15 has joined #Bethlehem
* Shepherd16 has joined #Bethlehem
* Joseph has left #Bethlehem
* Mary has left #Bethlehem
* Jesus has left #Bethlehem

A joyous and merry holiday to all here!

#38 ::: Wirelizard ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 01:43 AM:

The IRClog version is excellent.

We had a fairly quiet Christmas - the absent and the dead were very much present.

Christmas brunch, then a few presents, then Scrabble. In family games of Scrabble, my job is to come dead last, which I did, twice.

I attempted home-made eggnog, and it was good. Cut the amount of sugar by 1/3, and found it wasn't missed; home-made 'nog tastes SO much better than the storebought stuff, I'm not sure I'll ever buy it again. I should work on a non-alcoholic version, for those occasions when a drink composed of 1/4 booze is not, in fact, appropriate.

Another quiet day tomorrow; I need to find my copy of the Chieftain's "Saint Stephen's Day Murders", one of my favourite holiday/post-holiday songs...

#39 ::: Andrew Woode ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 04:02 AM:

#25 The Greek is 'dioti ouk e^n autois topos en to katalymati', "because not was to-them space in the ..." and then we face a translation problem. 'Katalyma' (to use the basic form) could mean 'inn', but also 'guest room' in a house; in Mark 14:14 Jesus asks the master of a house (in a message to be conveyed by the disciples) "where is my _katalyma_ where I can eat the Passover with my disciples". So it's entirely possible that we're talking about a room in a private house belonging to Joseph's relatives - after all, if he comes from the area originally he must have some there* - where they are in principle assured of a welcome but there is literally not a square inch to spare owing to all the other relations.
I'm afraid that spoils the plot of many children's Nativity plays with the unhelpful innkeeper, but it seems a little more plausible overall.

* Quite how far back the 'house and lineage' is being calculated is not clear, but one suspects most bureaucracies would not be going back that many generations.

#40 ::: Teresa Nielsen Hayden ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 07:09 AM:

WireLizard: it's Elvis Costello's song, contributed to the Chieftains-and-friends Christmas album. I love it. I don't think there's another song in the world that rhymes "laughter and tears" with "Tia Marias." I always wind up translating that plus the following line, "Mixed up with that drink made from girders," for Americans who are hearing it for the first time.

#41 ::: Sica ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 09:40 AM:

For fun, here's the Icelandic version:

Lúkasar guðspjall 2:1-20

En það bar til um þessar mundir, að boð kom frá Ágústus keisara, að skrásetja skyldi alla heimsbyggðina. Þetta var fyrsta srkásetningin og var gjörð þá er Kýreníus var landstjóri á Sýrlandi. Fóru þá allir til að láta skrásetjasig, hver til sinnar borgar. Þá fór og Jósef úr Galíleu frá borginni Nasaret upp til Júdeu, til borgar Davíðs, að láta skrásetja sig ásamt Maríu heitkonu sinni, sem var þunguð. En meðan þau voru þar, kom sá tími, er hún skyldi verða léttari. Fæddi jún þá son sinn frumgetinn, vafði hann reifum og lagði hann í jötu, af því að eigi var rúm handa þeim í gistihúsi.


En í sömu byggð voru hirðar úti í haga og gættu um nóttina hjarðar sinnar. Og engill Drottins stóð hjá þeim, og dýrð Drottins ljómaði kringum þá. Þeir urðu mjög hræddir, en engillinn sagði við þá: "Verið óhræddir, því sjá, ég boða yður mikinn fögnuð, semm veitast mun öllum lýðnum: Yður er í dag frelsari fæddur, sem er Kristur Drottinn, í borg Davíðs. Og hafði þetta til marks: Þið munuð finna ungbarn reifað og lagt í jötu."


Og í sömu svipan var með englinum fjöldi himneskra hersveita, sem lofuðu Guð og sögðu: Dýrð sé Guði í upphæðum og friður á jörðu með m0nnum, sem hann hefur velþóknun á. Þegar englarnir voru farnir frá þeim til himins, sögðu hirðarnir sín á milli: "Förum beint til Betlahem að sjá það, sem gjörst hefur og Drottinn hefur kunngjört oss" Og þeir fóru með skyndi og fundu Maríu og Jósef og ungbarnið, sem lá í jötu. Þegar þeir sáu það, skýrðu þeir frá því, er þeim hafði verið sagt um barn þetta. Og allir, sem heyrðu, undruðust það, er hirðarnir sögðu þeim. En María geymdi allt þetta í hjarta sér og hugleiddi það. Og hirðarnir sneru aftur og vegsömuðu Guð og lofuðu hann fyrir það, sem þeir höfðu heyrt og séð, en allt var það eins og þeim hafði verið sagt.

#42 ::: Sica ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 09:44 AM:

Ack a number of typos in my earlier post. This version should have fewer typos:

Lúkasar guðspjall 2:1-20

En það bar til um þessar mundir, að boð kom frá Ágústus keisara, að skrásetja skyldi alla heimsbyggðina. Þetta var fyrsta skrásetningin og var gjörð þá er Kýreníus var landstjóri á Sýrlandi. Fóru þá allir til að láta skrásetja sig, hver til sinnar borgar. Þá fór og Jósef úr Galíleu frá borginni Nasaret upp til Júdeu, til borgar Davíðs, að láta skrásetja sig ásamt Maríu heitkonu sinni, sem var þunguð. En meðan þau voru þar, kom sá tími, er hún skyldi verða léttari. Fæddi jún þá son sinn frumgetinn, vafði hann reifum og lagði hann í jötu, af því að eigi var rúm handa þeim í gistihúsi.


En í sömu byggð voru hirðar úti í haga og gættu um nóttina hjarðar sinnar. Og engill Drottins stóð hjá þeim, og dýrð Drottins ljómaði kringum þá. Þeir urðu mjög hræddir, en engillinn sagði við þá: "Verið óhræddir, því sjá, ég boða yður mikinn fögnuð, sem veitast mun öllum lýðnum: Yður er í dag frelsari fæddur, sem er Kristur Drottinn, í borg Davíðs. Og hafði þetta til marks: Þið munuð finna ungbarn reifað og lagt í jötu."


Og í sömu svipan var með englinum fjöldi himneskra hersveita, sem lofuðu Guð og sögðu: Dýrð sé Guði í upphæðum og friður á jörðu með mönnum, sem hann hefur velþóknun á. Þegar englarnir voru farnir frá þeim til himins, sögðu hirðarnir sín á milli: "Förum beint til Betlahem að sjá það, sem gjörst hefur og Drottinn hefur kunngjört oss" Og þeir fóru með skyndi og fundu Maríu og Jósef og ungbarnið, sem lá í jötu. Þegar þeir sáu það, skýrðu þeir frá því, er þeim hafði verið sagt um barn þetta. Og allir, sem heyrðu, undruðust það, er hirðarnir sögðu þeim. En María geymdi allt þetta í hjarta sér og hugleiddi það. Og hirðarnir sneru aftur og vegsömuðu Guð og lofuðu hann fyrir það, sem þeir höfðu heyrt og séð, en allt var það eins og þeim hafði verið sagt.

#43 ::: nerdycellist ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 10:22 AM:

Well, that's done with! Sang the alto parts of the quartet in the Haydn St. Nicholas mass for both the Christmas Eve midnight mass, and the Christmas morning 10:30. Held my own against the other three (professional) singers and I'm exhausted but quite proud of myself. If (choir director) thinks I'm going to do the same thing in the whatever Mozart mass we're doing for Easter Vigil + Easter Morning x2, he is deluded.

Came home to open presents, and thought I'd finally received what I asked for - "nothing! the apartment's filled to the gills! I have everything I want and there's a recession on!" - when I opened the lone box containing just the "stocking" portion of Christmas. Various odds and ends and the all-important mom-made fudge are pretty much all I need for holiday cheer. Called the 'rents to thank them and they wondered where my second box had gone off to, since they sent them at the same time.

Maybe next year Los Angeles will extend their tree recycling program past 12th Night, and we can get a tree.

#44 ::: beth meacham ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 11:01 AM:

Happy Boxing Day, dear friends. We had a quiet and at-home Christmas. Today, it's raining, which is a blessing in the desert.

#45 ::: Bruce Arthurs ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 11:33 AM:

update to my #15 above:

The pumpkin rice pudding (which substituted for the butternut squash casserole I usually make) was decent enough, but I should have added a quarter-cup brown sugar to kick up the taste and sweetness a bit. (But the idea's worth keeping in mind the next time I have leftover rice around.)

The "savory" cranberry sauce... ended up not getting served, after Hilde tried a sample taste. (Chicken stock just doesn't cut it in cranberry sauce.)

Otherwise, a pretty good Christmas dinner.

#46 ::: joann ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 12:24 PM:

Jo #26:

Thanks. That's from a few months before I started reading your LJ, so I'd missed it.

Lovely, and just what I'd hope for from you.

#47 ::: joann ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 12:39 PM:

Andrew #39:

Thanks. That's even a different interpretation than had occurred to me ("Well, Joseph, we've been able to give you and your wife a pallet on the floor in the common room, but as to babies--no way to swing a cradle in here, not to mention all that howling. Stable's warm, and a lot quieter.")

#48 ::: Linkmeister ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 01:11 PM:

wirelizard, from The Chieftains website, here's the album Teresa mentions in #40. I bought it last year and enjoy the heck out of it, in part because it's so different from the standard Christmas musical fare.

#49 ::: James D. Macdonald ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 01:27 PM:

#25 joann: while all *sorts* of stuff was happening around him...he just kept on getting on with the program

Not to mention getting robbed of the Gifts of the Magi while on the Flight into Egypt, by that self-same Dismas who (some thirty-odd years later) would wind up getting crucified too on a Friday afternoon.

#50 ::: Terry Karney ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 01:41 PM:

Teresa, Patrick (and all the rest of the merry crew with the keys to the dis-emvoweller), you are more than welcome. I am happy to say it has been my pleasure and if some small part of what I've enjoyed has been my fortune to return than I am well pleased; and may call it time well spent.

Happy Holidays to all, and "May God Bless Us!, Every One!"

#51 ::: Terry Karney ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 05:40 PM:

linkmeister: That's not a "russian omelette. That's just an omelette with tomatoes and parsely.

Take a dutch oven.

Line the bottom and sides with bacon. You can double the bottom layer, if there are a lot of people. You want to get meatier cuts of bacon. The lining of the side won't stay very well past about one slice, but that's enough.

Slice some onions, Grate some hard cheese. Chop some tomatoes. Pile this on top of the bacon.

Beat a dozen eggs (you may add a dash of liquid if you like. Water will make it fluffier, cream richer).

Put the oven on a moderate heat. Pour the eggs into it, cover and cook for 45 minutes. Serve with sour cream and pepper.

Teresa: I'd always heard that as, "tea and the beers" "The Bells of Dublin is one of my favorite albums. Burgess Meredith's reading, the bells, the sopranos, the riotous good times, and the mystery of it all.

#52 ::: Lee ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 09:11 PM:

Bruce, #45: If you're looking for something a little different in the cranberry-sauce line, try this:

Cranberry Orange Ginger Sauce
aka Not Your Grandmother's Cranberry-Orange Sauce:

2 bags cranberries, fresh or frozen, picked over
1½ cups water
1½ cups sugar
Zest from 3 medium oranges (about 1 T)
1½ T powdered ginger

Combine all ingredients in a pot on the stove and simmer slowly until the berries have popped. This is amazing stuff. The ginger adds an entirely new dimension; it hovers right on the edge between sweet and savory, and and it's neither too orangey nor too sweet (the commonest problems with cranberry-orange anything). We tested it and determined it to be very good (1) by itself, (2) as a dipping sauce for oven-roasted chicken, and (3) as a topping on vanilla ice cream. I suspect it will also work well on toast, but that test can wait until morning.

#53 ::: Paul Duncanson ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 09:41 PM:

Lee @ 52: 2 bags cranberries, fresh or frozen, picked over

You have some fairly precise measurements for all the other ingredients but not the cranberries. Is there a standard weight bag where you get them? I figure it would be important to know to get that balance of sweet and savoury.

#54 ::: Linkmeister ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 09:44 PM:

Terry @ #51, Google obviously let me down. Yours sounds much more interesting, but 45 minutes for eggs?

Sounds like Nero Wolfe's version of scrambled eggs. I think he and Archie were hiding at Lucy Valdon's apartment and he offered to make scrambled eggs, telling Lucy to advise him twenty-five minutes ahead of the time she wanted to eat them. Her response was like mine -- "twenty-five minutes?" To which Wolfe replied, "No American housewife knows how to cook scrambled eggs."

After she ate them, she agreed. Wolfe then admitted that the average housewife didn't have that kind of time to devote solely to cooking eggs.

#55 ::: Terry Karney ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 10:05 PM:

Linkmeister: It's sort of like a custard. Think about how much volume a dozen eggs, an onion, a couple of tomatoes and maybe a bit of dill (that would be good, and in keeping with the cuisine) and about a cup, cup-and-a-half of cheese take up.

You've got about a gallon of stuff in the pot, and the heat is coming through an insulating layer of bacon.

Happily, the time is all spent in the prep work. Sitting about discussing the latest things of interest and swilling/sipping champagne (or mimosas) is all the real work one has to do once the fire is under the pot.

#56 ::: CHip ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 11:07 PM:

Andrew@11: interesting explanation -- sounds like a small case of the issues with which-one-is-a-typo in various renditions of the Torah (as I've heard -- I've never read it, let alone studied).

TNH: were the italicized passages omitted originally or later? In either case, do we have any idea why? I've read that James's team was going for rhetorical flare, but didn't know they'd actually cut/pasted.

A friend who's gone into culinary exploration did Polish for 18 this year. We spent over 3 hours working our way through the abundance at our seats, not to mention hours more of conversation over hors d'oeuvres; a wonderful evening with mild clear weather.

#57 ::: Lee ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 11:19 PM:

Paul, #53: Oops, cultural assumptions, sorry! Yes, everywhere I've ever lived fresh cranberries come in a standard 1-pound bag; if you want them in the off-season, you buy extra bags and freeze them. And most recipes that call for whole cranberries appear to be calibrated that way, so that you buy as many bags as you need and don't have extra berries left over.

#58 ::: Terry Karney ::: (view all by) ::: December 26, 2008, 11:26 PM:

Lee: In these parts the bags have been re-sized to 12 oz. packets. A real pain since all my recipes are based on those extra four onces being there.

#59 ::: Paul Duncanson ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 12:26 AM:

Lee: Thanks! At my end of the world (Melbourne, Australia), cranberries are a bit uncommon, especially fresh. I've always liked berry-based sauces with poultry but the few cranberry sauces I've tried were all too sweet, as if the makers were overcompensating for the berries' tartness. This one looks like it should suit my tastes a bit better (love me some ginger, too).

There are days when it seems my whole cooking life is a battle against the assumptions that everyone seems to make about their local packaging being universal. Even I am guilty of sometimes forgetting to remind non-Australians that our tablespoons are 4 teaspoons rather than the much more common 3 teaspoons (our teaspoons are the same size). I have yet to find any decent source of translations between assumed values for these kinds of things and so keep banging my head against recipes that deal in bags, cans, boxes, packets, jars and sticks without any reference to weight or volume. I know that the US standard "stick" of butter is half the weight of the Australian standard package (which isn't even vaguely stick-like in shape and weighs 250 grams) but most of the others are a mystery. Does anyone know of any catalogue of such local cooking assumptions that international cooks could consult?

#60 ::: xeger ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 03:22 AM:

Paul Duncanson @ 59 ...
Ahhh, that reminds me of a recipe starting with "take a hogshead". IIRC (it's been a while), the volume variation was in the range of several orders of magnitude -- and I didn't have the experience to guess correctly.

#61 ::: David Goldfarb ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 03:42 AM:

joann@25: The Greek αυτοις is definitely a plural. I suspect pronoun trouble: in Old English, the third person plural declined "hi, hi, hire, him" (with of course variations in spelling) -- I've just been reading about this quite recently. It's possible that Wycliffe's second "hym" is meant to be a plural. According to my text, "they" and "them" were borrowed from Old Norse precisely because of these kinds of singular-plural confusions.

#62 ::: P J Evans ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 09:26 AM:

#59
I suppose recipes could be written with everything given by weight. (I've seen it done, mostly in European cookbooks.)

FWIW, a US tablespoon is pretty close to 15 ml, and a teaspoon 5 ml. That makes a US cup about 240 ml, and a US quart about 960. (Cooking by volume, yes.)

#63 ::: Paul Duncanson ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 10:41 AM:

PJ Evans: Ideally, yes. Recipes should be written entirely in weights and volumes with units that are a part of an established standard. Metric, preferably, to keep the math simpler but American* will do since they're easily converted. The tablespoon issue probably means that we shouldn't be using spoons and cups (the 5ml teaspoon seems to be the same everywhere but the US and UK use a 15ml tablespoon while Australia uses a 20ml Tbs (I have heard it used to be 25) and some parts of Asia use a 10ml Tbs. Don't get me started on cups

Alas, the average poster on nearly every recipe site on the intertubes just write down the units they're used to using when they actually cook: cans, or packets or sticks or bags. Worse, they sometimes don't actually name the ingredient, just its brand, leaving those of us in countries where those brands don't exist wondering not only how much we're supposed to use, but just what the heck it is we're supposed to be shopping for.

I've ranted about this elsewhere on a number of occasions. There's no need to go on about it here. We're all grown up enough to give helpful answers to questions, unlike the person on another site (which I won't name here) who told me I was crazy for asking how much a stick of butter weighed and refused to answer the question.


* Does anyone outside of the USA use the "Imperial" measures as a standard any more?

#64 ::: pericat ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 12:59 PM:

I've been cooking the last few years increasingly by guess and by golly, rather than to exact measure, mostly in frustration at trying to mentally deal with both metric and imperial at the same time. So I've just been using the tea- and tablespoons in my silverware drawer, and even though I do have cup measures, I'm more likely to eyeball using emptied cans. So that a recipe calling for a cup of tomato sauce and half cup of water will get a can of tomato sauce and half can of water. If that looks like too much liquid, other stuff gets bumped up some.

I don't make candy, though, and rarely dishes where precision is crucial.

A US stick of butter is roughly a quarter of a pound. A a can or jar of sauce is likely to be 8 or 12 ounces, preserves to be 12 or 20, exotics or pastes to be 4 to 6. IOW, whatever amount the recipe will call for, the can or jar in your cupboard will be a different size, but if you have an idea of how much food you're supposed to end up with, that should let you make a stab at container size.

Though I've recently realized that in making vindaloo, I've actually been using about twice as much tomato sauce and water as the recipe calls for. It tastes quite nice, so I'm not changing.

#65 ::: Debbie ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 01:31 PM:

Strangely (to me), although Germans are known for their precision in measurement, in recipes they tend to be lax. When they say 'teaspoon' and 'tablespoon' and 'cup' they mean whatever you have in your cupboard or silverware drawer. My husband thought my measuring implements were odd. OTOH, they do have scales over here, and I adore my German kitchen scale in lieu of measuring cups, especially for things like shortening.

I'm teaching my son to cook. Sometimes what I happen to be making involves an actual recipe, but often not. He wants to know exact measurements, and it has caused me to really stop and think. Usually showing him what I mean helps (how much margarine to fry X, how much salt for the salad dressing), but he is still uneasy. I realized that I was the same way at about his age, very recipe- and cookbook-bound.

Bruce Arthurs @45, I sympathize with the savory cranberry sauce, having once tried a recipe for cranberry-sage salsa. Not a success!

#66 ::: Epacris ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 06:39 PM:

As well as local & international differences, companies have been fiddling around with their formerly-standard sizes in the last few years. I don't take any such for granted any more. So, e.g. 1 can (440 g) artichoke hearts, or 1 can (375 ml) tonic water, or 1 200g bar of chocolate.

Can't find the comments, but this year(?) Xopher(?) mentioned a recipe (fudge? brownies? cake? pie?) with '1 bag X's chocolate pieces' where he'd assumed N oz was the standard bag, but there were several sizes. Strange results followed.

Anything for internet has to define cups (250 ml in Oz), tsp, &c. A note at the bottom, or a linked page if you've a blog of recipes.

Brand names … grrr. Stephen King really irritated me by throwing them in without context or explanation. Publishers should have put a glossary into overseas editions. In recipes they really need some gloss, even if you're saying 'only use X'. Surely even USA has regional variations.

#67 ::: P J Evans ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 07:57 PM:

#63
Well, some of us specify the can size by net weight. (Can sizes are a whole 'nother bag of squirmy objects.)

#68 ::: P J Evans ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 08:02 PM:

Epacris, the classic regional name difference in the US is mayonnaise: 'Best Foods' west of the Rockies, and 'Hellman's' east of it. The contents are the same, though.

Oh yes, got reminded yesterday: I saw some bottles of electric-blue Moxie in a deli in the Bay Area in October.

#69 ::: joann ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 08:06 PM:

Pj Evans #68:

Hence the old commercial jingle: "So bring out the Hellman's, and bring out the Best!"

#70 ::: P J Evans ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 08:35 PM:

joann, only east of the Rockies! (I've never heard that version around here. Srsly. We get 'bring out the Best Foods, and bring out the best'.)

#71 ::: Brooks Moses ::: (view all by) ::: December 27, 2008, 10:34 PM:

Speaking of interesting and different cranberry sauces....

Not that long ago, we tried making a pumpkin risotto with cranberry sauce from this recipe. The cranberry sauce -- a sauce of the "thick liquid that gets poured over something" variety, not the eat-on-its-own relish that "cranberry sauce" usually denotes -- definitely qualified as interesting....

For those who don't want to follow the link, it involved putting a bit of cranberry juice, a lot of fresh cranberries, a pretty good bit of sugar, a touch of Dijon mustard, and a raw shallot in a blender, blending it into a nice puree, and adding a melted-and-browned stick of butter. What may not be immediately obvious from the recipe is that it is not further cooked.

Two of us thought it was really quite delicious indeed, and went back for seconds to more thoroughly sauce our risotto. The other two were vastly more skeptical, and made comments about regretting that the recipe-authors ancestors had not discovered fire for cooking shallots with. (The remaining person at dinner doesn't like cranberries much, and abstained from considering it.)

The sauce did seem improved by staying in the fridge for a day as leftovers; the flavors mellowed and mingled a bit, and the raw shallot was slightly less sharp. The bit in the recipe about it becoming quite firm and needing exceptionally careful reheating did not appear to apply at all; it was a little firm, and quite fine when microwaved on top of the leftover risotto.

#72 ::: Neil Willcox ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2008, 03:36 PM:

Debbie @65 - typing up recipes has made me realise how much I just glance at things I'm cooking and throw in the right amount/cook for a certain time etc. Also, it made me notice that I unconciously decide how much to stick to a recipe (or not).

Cakes I try and stick to recipes for - I used an old-fashioned (50s I think) chocolate swiss roll recipe to make a Yule Log this Christmas. That had an interesting recipe - for the standard swiss roll it said 3 oz (3 heaped tablespoons) of self raising flour, but for a chocolate version to replace 2 level tablespoons of flour with cocoa. So I dutifully weighed out the flour, then put two tablespoons (mostly) back into the bag and added cocoa before going on to sieve twice...
[skip to then end]

Once I covered it in chocolate icing, broken bits of chocolate and sifted icing sugar over the top you couldn't tell the cake had cracked when I rolled it up. Great!

#73 ::: Debbie ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2008, 05:59 PM:

Brooks Moses @71 -- The other two ... made comments about regretting that the recipe-authors ancestors had not discovered fire for cooking shallots with.

I have no problems with raw onions, but I find raw leeks to be unpleasantly sharp, to the point of causing indigestion. I've taken to steaming sliced leeks briefly before adding them to salads. It solves the problem. Maybe that would help with shallots?

Neil Willcox @72 -- old recipes, now that's a tie-in to the "Texts" theme. Substituting so much of the flour for the cocoa in the recipe you have seems a bit daring. I have no idea if the consistency/density of packaged cocoa has changed over the years.

One of my prized possessions is a small cookbook put out by Baker's Chocolate. I'm guessing it dates from the '20's or '30's, but it's falling apart pretty badly, and the cover is missing. Although there are plenty of recipes calling for cocoa, all the cake recipes call for squares of unsweetened chocolate. The chocolate roll recipe doesn't call for any flour whatsoever; it's basically a chocolate meringue.

In the introduction to the book, it says, "If cocoa is substituted for chocolate, 1/3 cup Baker's Breakfast Cocoa should be used for every square of Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate[1]. In cake or cooky mixtures, add 1/2 tablespoon additional butter for every 1/3 cup cocoa." Modern cookbooks describe a 3Tb cocoa : 1Tb fat substitution[2]. For those not familiar, 4 Tb = 1/4 cup.


[1]which is definitively 1 oz.
[2] don't even get me started on trying to estimate the size of eggs in old recipes.

#74 ::: JennR ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2008, 12:42 PM:

Debbie @73 Baker's Breakfast Cocoa is not the same stuff as baking cocoa. At least according to my gramma's Boston Cooking School cookbook, dated 1935. Which I cannot find at the moment, of course, but I remember that part (and there's a note in my mother's writing on one of Gramma's handwritten recipes that says to use a lesser amount of baking cocoa).

#75 ::: Debbie ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2008, 03:31 PM:

JennR @74, I wonder exactly how it differs, though? It sounds like pretty strong, unsweetened stuff (see below). I've never thought about whether there would be an advantage to having various strengths for beverages vs. cakes, since it's easy to adjust amounts. Maybe just an early marketing plot to grab shelf space.

From a promotional booklet, dated 1886:

Baker's Breakfast Cocoa: "In 1-2 lb. packages (tin), Is made from selected cocoa, with the excess of butter of cacao removed, and guaranteed to be absolutely pure. It is more than three times the strength of other cocoas, making an economical, excellent, and delicious beverage for breakfast or supper, Costing less than One Cent a Cup." [1]

And a corresponding recipe:
"Into a breakfast-cup put a teaspoonful of the powder, add a tablespoonful of boiling water and mix thoroughly ; then add equal parts of boiling water and boiled milk, and sugar to the taste. Boiling two or three minutes will improve it."

[1]the flowery and generous use of adjectives is one of the things that makes old advertising kind of fun.

#76 ::: P J Evans ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2008, 04:04 PM:

It sounds like Baker's cocoa was something close to 100 percent cocoa solids. Or like the chocolate bars that are labelled that way. I can't imagine using them for anything other than cooking, having tried one of the high-content (over 70%) bars and found it to be almost too much chocolate for eating.

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