Genesis 1:4
Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:32 am
Salvete!
A few months ago I had begun a translation of the first chapter of Genesis from the Vulgate. I saw something strange and never really understood why it was the way it was. Chapter 1, verse 4:
The part I'm interested is in bold. It is, I believe, a relative clause of characteristic. "And God saw the light which was good..." would be my translation. I must be unclear on what exactly relative clauses of characteristic are used for, as it would seem to me that "Viditque Deus lucem quod bona erat" would be perfectly fine. Is my knowledge of this subjunctive use faulty, or is there something more sinister going on here...?
Valete,
A few months ago I had begun a translation of the first chapter of Genesis from the Vulgate. I saw something strange and never really understood why it was the way it was. Chapter 1, verse 4:
4. Viditque Deus lucem quod bona esset, et divisit Deus lucem a tenebris.
The part I'm interested is in bold. It is, I believe, a relative clause of characteristic. "And God saw the light which was good..." would be my translation. I must be unclear on what exactly relative clauses of characteristic are used for, as it would seem to me that "Viditque Deus lucem quod bona erat" would be perfectly fine. Is my knowledge of this subjunctive use faulty, or is there something more sinister going on here...?
Valete,