Reconstruction of the hymn "Rashi Ne"
Current translations of the hymn ‘Rashi Ne - Ραϣι ⲛⲉ’ are quite awkward whether it be in English or Arabic. This post is a brief summary how the hymn was constructed and aims to provide proper Arabic and English translations for the hymn that are more accurate than the common ones used today.
The hymn is constructed according to a Sahidic practice called “the great hermeneutic” where a collection of biblical passages from the Psalms that share a certain keyword are put together 12.
In ‘Rashi Ne’ the six verses echo six verses from the Psalms which have the common keyword ‘Thelil - θⲉλⲏλ’ (rejoice).
It is worth mentioning that the verses are not directly about Mary (for example, “your name” in the hymn refers to God’s name not Mary’s). But of course what contextualises the hymn is the refrain which brings to mind the rejoicing that she had and that we in turn have in her becoming the Theotokos, the bearer of God.
Below is the common translations for the hymn, a proper Arabic translation 2 and an English translation that I am suggesting based on the Arabic one:
| Common English text | Suggested correction | Reference 3 | Coptic | التصحيح المقترح | النص العربي المعتاد |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rejoice in God our helper, praise the God of Jacob | Rejoice in God our helper, praise the God of Jacob | Psalm 81:1 | Ⲑⲉⲗⲏⲗ ⲙⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲡⲉⲛⲃⲟⲏⲑⲟⲥ ϯⲓⲗⲁⲗⲟⲓ ⲙⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃ | تهللوا بالله معيننا هللوا لاله يعقوب | إبتهجوا بالله معيننا هللوا لإله يعقوب |
| Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad | Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad | Psalm 14:7 | Ϥⲛⲁⲑⲉⲗⲏⲗ ̀ⲛϫⲉ Ⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃ ̀ϥⲛⲁⲟⲩⲛⲟϥ ̀ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲥⲣⲁⲏⲗ | يتهلل يعقوب ويفرح إسرائيل | فيتهلل يعقوب ويفرح إسرائيل |
| We rejoice forever, indeed, and we also implore | They rejoice forever and take refuge in hope | Psalm 5:11 | Ⲥⲉⲛⲁ ⲑⲉⲗⲏⲗ ϣⲁ ⲛⲓⲉⲛⲉϩ ̀ⲛⲥⲉⲟⲩⲟⲛϩ ̀ⲛⲟⲩϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ | يتهللون الي الابد ويسكنون برجاء | نتهلل الى الابد نعم ونترجى |
| Rejoice you vine that is ripe and blossoming | O my rejoicing save me from those surrounding me | Psalm 32:7 | Ⲡⲁⲑⲉⲗⲏⲗ ⲥⲟⲧⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲉⲛ ⲛⲉⲧϩⲙⲡⲁⲕⲱⲧⲉ | يا تهليلي خلصني من المحيطين بي | تهللى ايتها الكرمة الدسمة المثمرة |
| My heart rejoices, my tounge also praises | Therefore my heart is glad and my toungue rejoices | Psalm 16:9 | Ⲁⲡⲁϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲩⲫⲣⲁⲛⲉ ⲁⲡⲁⲗⲁⲥ ⲑⲉⲗⲏⲗ | من أجل هذا فرح قلبي وتهلل لساني | قلبى يفرح من اجل لسانى بتهليل |
| The dew and the rain and the rejoicing are due to your name | Tabor and Hermon will rejoice in your name | Psalm 89:12 | Ⲑⲁⲃⲱⲣ ⲛⲉⲙ ϩⲉⲣⲙⲱⲛⲉⲓⲙ ⲛⲁ ⲑⲉⲗⲏⲗ ϩ̀ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲣⲁⲛ | تابور وحرمون سيتهللون باسمك | الندى والمطر مدلاة على اسمك |