1 Nephi 1 in Ancient Greek

Composition and Communication Composition Board
1

Hey all- here’s what I have of 1 Nephi 1:1-4 so far (ending right before “in that same year”) in Greek, without the accents at the moment:

εγω, ο νεφις, ατε γενομενος εκ αγαθων γονεων το ολιγον ην πασης επιστημην του πατρος εδιδασκομην, και ιδων τα πολλα κακα τας ημερας εμου, ομως εγω μακαριοτερος υπο του κυριου τας πασας ημερας εμου ην, σχων δη πολλην επιστημην του αγαθου και του κρυπτου του θεου, βιβλον ουν περι των ενεργειων εμου της ημερας εμου ποιεω βιβλον δη τῳ λογῳ του πατρος εμου ποιεω, ος εκ της σοφιας των Ιουδαιων και του λογου του Αιγυπτου, οιδα δε την βιβλον ποιηθεισαν υπο εμου ουσας αληθη, και αυτον τῃ εμῃ, χειρι αυτῃ ποιεω, και κατα την επιστημην εμου.

τυγχανει ουν τῃ αρχῃ του πρωτου ετους της αρχης του ζεδεκιας, ος ο βασιλευς της Ιουδαιας ην, του πατρος εμου, ο Ληως, οικησαντος τας Ιεροσολυμα τας πασας ημερας αυτου.

Looking for comments and/or corrections. The dialect is Attic. Not aiming for any particular author’s style.

2

I think you have somehow—under angelic guidance?—recovered what must be the original text, which Mr. Smith (blessed be his name) took to be reformed Egyptian when he translated it into English. It’s a miracle!

3

ὦ χαῖρε, φίλε Καβᾶνε!

I think what you are doing is very cool. Keep it up.

I only see minor, inconsequential mistakes, and my corrections are likely to include further mistakes, but, since you asked:

οιδα δε την βιβλον ποιηθεισαν υπο εμου ουσας αληθη, και αυτον τῃ εμῃ, χειρι αυτῃ ποιεω, και κατα την επιστημην εμου.

οἶδα δὲ τὴν βίβλον ποιηθεῖσαν ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ οὖσαν ἀληθῆ καὶ αὐτὴν τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ ποιῶ, καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἐπιστήμην ἐμοῦ

Here’s my attempt to render verse 4 into (Semitic) Koine:

καὶ γιγνώσκω ὄτι ἡ διήγησις ἥν ποιοῦμαι ἀληθής ἐστιν. καὶ ἐν χειρί μου γράφω. καὶ κατὰ γνῶσίν μου διηγοῦμαι.

Again, I encourage you to continue with this project. This text is important to many people, and I think you will find that composition improves your reading fluency.

ἔρρωσο ἐν Κυρίῳ!

4

Hey all, I have the rest of it- this time with accents. English:

nd in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.

5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.

6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.

7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision..

Greek:

καί ἐκείνου τοῦ ἔτους, πολλοὶ προφῆται ἦλθον λέγοντες τῳ δημῷ ὅτι ἢ δεῖ αὐτούς μετανοεῖν, ἢ
ἡ μεγάλη πόλις ,ἥ τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐστὶ, διαφθαρήσεται.

ἔτυχεν οὖν: τὸν Λειν ἐρχόμενον καὶ εὐχόμενον τῳ Κυρίῳ, δὴ καὶ τῇ πάσᾳ καρδίᾳ ὑπέρ τοῦ δήμου αὐτοῦ.

ἔτυχεν δὲ, τοῦ Λέως εὐχόμενου, κίονα πυρὸς ἐρχόμενον καί οἰκοῦντα λίθον πρὸ αὐτοῦ. εἶδε καὶ ἤκουσε τὰ πολλά. ἔτρεμε καὶ ἐσείσθη μάλα, ἅτε δὲ ἰδών καὶ ἀκούσας ταῦτα.

ἔτυχεν δὲ ἐπανερχόμενον εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν κοίτην ἐπέσετο, νικηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος καὶ τοῖς χρήμασι οἷς ἑωράκει.

νικώμενος οὖν ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος, κατελήφθη τῷ ὁράματι.

5

Interesting. I didn’t know about the middle or passive of πίπτω. I am mildly curious whether it is only found in Byzantine Greek, and whether and when ἐπίπτετο or ἐπέσατο or ἐπτώθη might also occur.

Interesting construction, a seeming blend of Attic and Semitic Greek.

Some other ways to express this in (Semitic) Greek:

  1. καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην ἐπέσετο, νικηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος καὶ τοῖς χρήμασι οἷς ἑωράκει.

  2. ἔτυχεν δὲ ἐπανερχόμενος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις. ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν κοίτην ἐπέσετο, νικηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος καὶ τοῖς χρήμασι οἷς ἑωράκει.