Genesis 4

Genesis 4 read aloud, in a fresh direct translation from the Hebrew — plain modern English, nothing added. Translator's notes: • Genesis 4:1 — קָנִיתִי אִישׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָה (qaniti ish et-Adonai): chose "I have gained a man with Adonai". Alternatives: "I have gained a man from Adonai", "I have created a man together with Adonai". Why: the little word et can mean "with" or mark what follows, and qana can be gain, acquire, or create; the rendering keeps Eve's claim beside Adonai without settling which of those she meant. • Genesis 4:7 — שְׂאֵת (se'et): chose "will you not be lifted up?". Alternatives: "will you not be accepted?", "will there not be forgiveness?". Why: se'et is literally a lifting up — of a face, which had just fallen in verse 6 — so the translation keeps the picture instead of choosing one of its possible meanings. • Genesis 4:8 — וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן (vayomer Qayin), "and Cain said": chose to translate the sentence as it stands, with none of Cain's words given. Alternatives: some ancient translations supply "Let us go out to the field". Why: the Hebrew text as received gives no speech after "said"; adding the supplied words would put into the text something this source does not contain. • Genesis 4:13 — עֲוֺנִי (avoni): chose "My punishment is too great to bear". Alternatives: "My guilt is too great to bear", "My sin is too great to be forgiven". Why: avon covers a wrong, its guilt, and its punishment in one word; Cain's next words are about being driven out and killed, which is punishment in view.