THE FACE OF WATER

A dazzling reconsideration of the language and translation of the Bible, both Old andNew Testaments, from the acclaimed scholar and translator of classical literature.Making clear that she is not a Biblical scholar, cleric, theologian, orphilosopher, Sarah Ruden--a Quaker--speaks plainly and accessibly in thisinspiring book. She argues that while the Bible has always mattered profoundly, itsmodern translations often lack clarity and vitality. Singling out the most famouspassages, such as the Genesis creation story, the Ten Commandments, the Lord'sPrayer, and the Beatitudes, Ruden reexamines and retranslates from the Hebrewand Greek, illuminating what has been misunderstood and obscured in thestandard English translations. By showing how the original texts more clearlyreveal our cherished values, Ruden gives us an unprecedented understanding ofwhat this extraordinary document was for its earliest readers and what it can stillbe for us today.