Magyar Egyház, 1995 (74. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1995 / 4. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11. oldal PSALM CXIV. (114TH) On hearing the name of John Milton (1608-1674), we are reminded of the English Puritan poet’s two great works, namely Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. These two pieces of literature are the culmination of Milton’s literary activity. In lieu of the peak, we are now placing the emphasis on the beginning: what was the way in which the fifteenyear-old Milton wrote, whose entire life was characterized by Biblicity, holding fast to the Scriptures in addition to the fact that classical, Greco-Roman education was his own? How did one of the most exquisite figures of 17th century Puritanism as well as of universal Protestantism set himself on his literary journey? Milton who confessed the priority of Biblical revelation does have something to tell us, Hungarian Reformed Christians in America since both sides are nourished by the same spirit of Reformation. Thus, from a universal Protestant perspective, Milton gets near to us, Hungarians. Let us feel this nearness as we read the paraphrase of the 114th Psalm. John Milton: A PARAPHRASE ON PSALM CXIV (114TH) When the blest seed of Terah’s faithful son, After long toil their liberty had won, And passed from Pharian fields to Canaan land, Led by the strength of the Almighty’s hand, Jehovah’s wonders were in Israel shown, His praise and glory was in Israel known. That saw the troubled sea, and shivering fled, And sought to hide his froth-becurled head Low in the earth; Jordan’s clear streams recoil, As a faint host that hath received the foil. The high, huge-bellied mountains skip like rams Amongst their ewes, the little hills like lambs. Why fled the ocean? And why skipped the mountains? Why turned Jordan toward his crystal fountains? Shake earth, and at the presence be aghast Of Him that ever was, and ay shall last, That glassy floods from rugged rocks can crush, And make soft rills from fiery flint-stones gush. John Milton a XVII. századi angol puritanizmus kiemelkedő alakja volt. Versét Karla Tamás, Trenton, New Jersey-i lelkipásztor fordította angolból magyar nyelvre. John Milton was an outstanding figure of the 17th century English Puritanism. This poem of his was translated from English into Hungarian by The Reverend Thomas Karla of Trenton, New Jersey. John Milton: 114. ZSOLTÁR Midőn Terah hű fiának áldott magja Hosszú fáradozás után szabadságát kivívta, S átvonult fáraók országából Kánaán földjére A Mindenható Isten kezének erejétől vezetve, Az Úr csodái Izraelben megmutatkoztak, Dicsérete és dicsősége pedig ismertek voltak. Látta ezt a gondterhelt tenger, menekült reszketve S hullámoktól tajtékzó fejét elrejtette Messze a föld mélyébe; a Jordán tiszta áradata visszafelé ment, Mint a gyenge sereg, melyet legyőztek. A magas terebélyes hegyek úgy ugráltak, mint a kosok, A kis dombok pedig, mint a bárányok. Miért menekült el a tenger? Miért ugrándoztak a hegyek? Miért tért vissza a Jordán forrásához, a kristályos helyre? Rengj, te föld, s Tőle rettegj, Ki mindöröktől fogva volt, s lesz, A sziklából előbuzgó vízfolyamot megtöri, S a tüzes kovakőből víznek lágy áradását hozza ki.
