Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Summed up

So I've finally condensed what I'm all about into two pithy words: Yaşamı seçin.

Okay, so that's Turkish, and not altogether helpful for my average reader (though I know one of you will get it). It translates to "Choose Life," and springs full-fledged from Duet. 30:19-20: "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days..."

This extends way beyond some Pro-Life ethic, or a response to brussel sprouts or lacrosse. It covers biological life and smart choices, or course, but adds to that a chasing after "further up and further in," a refusal to capitulate to death in any form (words, violence, images, sounds, attitudes, the Enemy), a desire for reality on the other side of the Veil, and, especially, a hunger and thirst for the One who named His very self Life.

Anyone else know how to say this in another language? Leave a comment.

5 comments:

Debbie said...

"So choose life....by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days..."

Three words say "choose life" for me...."walk in it...." Walk in loving Him, walk in obedience to Him, walk holding fast to Him.

It's still in English, but that's my "translation." :-)

Elisabeth said...

Yeah! I can contribute something unique to me! Ready for this?
Dutch: Kies het Leven.
And simply because I also speak Spanish: Elija la vida.
I can do it in Elivish and Dwarvish too but You can't write that on a computer. Too bad! This is fun!

Macaroo42 said...

That's awesome! You should try anyway. Thank you, my dear. I love it.

Emily said...

I can't say it in any other language, sometimes managing to say it, and remember it in my own is work enough. But I do and I will, choose life.

Anonymous said...

French: Choisir la vie.

Norwegian: Velg liv.

Me: Don't just talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk.