Provides the SEDRA 3 source files and the Python based tools to generate Aramaic bible software modules in common formats... for example SWORD, MySWORD, E-SWORD modules. Rather than just providing the generated modules (which I'm hoping will be available from the normal module sites), I'd like to share the scripts used to generate them. That way if someone finds, as I have, that their preferred bible software doesn't have a module available... then you can use these scripts as a starting point to generate one.
None of this would be possible without the source documents generously provided free to use for all. These scripts are therefore also provided under the same Apache 2.0 licence, as I've done very little work on top of the many years of time and effort various people have spent compiling the original information.
"freely ye have received, freely give." (Mat 10:8)
You will need a version of Python 3 installed to run these scripts. At the moment I've not got access to pypi due to an issue with 2FA and a misshap with my phone a few months back. However the plan is to release a package on pypi to make it easier to install. For the moment however installing from source is the only option.
First clone the repository from github.
git clone git@github.com:machshev/bible-modules.git
cd bible-modulesInstall pdm, the "modern python packaging
and dependency manager", this allows us to install the versions pinned in the
lockfile for consistent result. We use pdm to manage dependencies as well as
create a virtual environment to run the scripts from with all the required
dependencies.
pip install pipx
pipx install pdm
pdm installNote: Not available right now.
With pip:
pip install abm-toolsWith pipx:
python3.8 -m pip install --user pipx
pipx install abm-toolsTo generate the bible modules individually use the bm_tools gen bible
command. There is help available via --help flag to see what formats are
currently available.
For example, this command will generate the html format using the hebrew unicode characters rather than the default syriac unicode characters.
abm-tools gen bible --alphabet hebrew --format html abm_hebrew ./outputThis project is still early stages. However it's possible to generate some "modules"... right now that is just a Markdown or HTML export of the whole of the Peshitta. It's possible to select the alphabet used for this, SEDRA3 uses latin characters in place of the Syriac characters. These Latin characters are transformed to Unicode, and optionally either Syriac or Hebrew. The mappings seem to be correct as manually verified for the first few verses of Matthew, however I wouldn't be supprised if there were pointing marks that are not correct and those will be corrected over time with more manual checking.
There is a Makefile that will auto generate the full set of available modules,
and alphabet combinations. The output is generated in the output directory.
make modulesThis is the reason that I personally want free access to good quality Peshitta texts linked to a good quality Aramaic lexicon. It will allow me to study the NT in Aramaic in the same way I can the OT Hebrew and NT Greek texts.
It's clear that Jesus spoke Aramaic, and that the whole eastern region at the time used one form of Aramaic or another. Josephus describes Greek and a foreign and an unknown tongue, showing that Greek was not widely known or understood by the Jews in the land of Israel at the time of Jesus. Hellenistic forces were actively and passionately fought against.
Examples of Aramaic used at the time are Talmudic Aramaic, and Galilean Aramaic. There are verses in the NT Greek texts that preserve Aramaic speech, for example "Talitha cum" (Mark 5:41) and "Eli Eli Lema Sabachthani" (Matt 27:46) amongst others. Suggesting that Jesus taught using Aramaic.
We also know that while Jesus' disciples were centred in the Galilee throughout his ministry, and then in Jerusalem immediately after his death and resurrection. The Syrian capital Antioch was the first place the disciples were called Christians.
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Antioch was a Greek city founded by Seleucus one of the four generals of Alexander the Great. It contained a large Jewish population and one of the centres of Hellenistic Judaism in the region. As such it was the perfect location for both the Greek and Aramaic texts of the NT to originate... Greek for the West and Aramaic for the East.
This is not the place to try and persuade people that Aramaic or Greek texts are the "original". I suspect the truth is a little more complicated, and both were divinely arranged to come about (inspired). Both to make the gospel available in the main language of the East and the West.
From my experience so far, when it comes to English translations of both texts there is little difference and certainly no major doctrinal differences. However translation is never perfect, it's simply not possible to translate the richness of some languages into others... capturing all the cultural subtleties and plays on words. For those who can, I'd recommend learning to read the original languages.
So what's the value of the Peshitta? It may not be the same dialect as the original Aramaic spoken by Jesus and his disciples, however it's still Aramaic and more capable of capturing the subtleties of the Hebrew/Aramaic thought we know Jesus taught in. There are several examples of two variant readings in the Greek texts being perfectly valid translations of the one Aramaic word found in the Peshitta.
There are also a number of occasions where I've found allusions back to Hebrew OT passages via Aramaic words which share the same root as Hebrew words. Too many to be coincidence in my opinion. This is one of the unique features of the bible, especially the Hebrew; the sheer number of internal references and word link allusions is in my opinion beyond Human capability. The Peshitta seems to follow that pattern within itself and also beyond itself into the Hebrew as one united whole. The Greek NT reflects this within itself, as it would be expected to do being either directly inspired or divinely arranged translation of an inspired Aramaic text (I'm not absolutely certain which one). However it doesn't have the same capacity for the same kind of links between OT and NT, as Greek and Hebrew are very different languages and very different ways of thinking.
Individuals will ultimately have to make their own mind up. The aim of this project is to make these texts more available than they currently are.
The Peshitta NT text provided is the BFBS version that comes with the SEDRA 3 project distribution, a crowd sourced Syriac Lexicon project. These files are made freely available from Beth Mardutho. Further details of the SEDRA project can be found on this website, as well as the following publication.
G. Kiraz, `Automatic Concordance Generation of Syriac Texts'. In VI Symposium Syriacum 1992, ed. R. Lavenant, Orientalia Christiana Analecta 247, Rome, 1994.
SEDRA 3 was the last release in downloadable file format. SEDRA 4 is available as a living online DB that is accessible under Apache 2.0 licence (hence the reason this project is also using that licence) via a JSON API OpenAPI.
This project aims to provide both NT text modules and also a lexicon module. For the texts, it is intended that at least two versions be produced. The first using Unicode Hebrew consonants and pointing for those who are already familiar with Hebrew but not yet the Aramaic script, as a means of making the text more accessible to bible students. The second using Unicode Aramaic consonants and vowel pointing for those familiar with the Aramaic script.
The lexicon module should be shared by any bible modules provided and use the SEDRA numbers as references (of the form SXXXX paralleling the HXXXX and GXXXX Hebrew and Greek strongs numbers normally used as references). This may also require updates to bible software projects so they can use SEDRA numbers as they currently do Strongs numbers.
