Mitchell (author of The Gospel According to Jesus) has translated 50 psalms into a language that is simple and easily understood by all. He feels the poet's essential role is to stand at the center of creation and say 'Behold it is very good.' It is capturing the gratitude that often wells up in the heart of men. Some of his versions are fairly close translations, but he has also paraphrased, expanded, contracted, deleted, and freely improvised on the themes of the originals. His rendering of Psalm 1 begins 'Blessed are the man and the woman / who have grown beyond their greed / and have put an end to their hatred / and no longer nourish illusions.' This is clearly a new look at the Psalms. |
