[91349] in tlhIngan-Hol
Re: [Tlhingan-hol] The Dhammapada: A Klingon Translation, verses 1-2
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Steven Boozer)
Wed Dec 21 09:30:21 2011
From: Steven Boozer <sboozer@uchicago.edu>
To: "tlhingan-hol@kli.org" <tlhingan-hol@kli.org>
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:29:14 -0600
In-Reply-To: <SNT106-W572A0CBEA2E4342A69B373A1A50@phx.gbl>
Errors-To: tlhingan-hol-bounces@stodi.digitalkingdom.org
Josh Badgley:
>You read my mind! I was definitely thinking that ghob would be an appropri=
ate term for >Dhamma/Dharma.=A0There's the Dhamma, "the Buddha's teaching" =
(paQDI'norgh?), then there's >dhamma in the sense of phenomena.=A0 =
> [...]
>Then we have dhamma as the sense of what's morally righteous, what conform=
s with the super->mundane, world-transcending "law" or dhamma.=A0And I thin=
k ghob works great, mainly because >of the way <<batlh ghob yIpab>> is expl=
ained in TKD.
FYI all known examples of {ghob} "ethics, virtue" in canon:
qorDu' SaHlu'chugh 'ej matlhlu'chugh vaj wa' tlhIngan ghob potlhqu' =
devotion and loyalty to family is one of the most important Klingon virtu=
es. S13
tlhIngan ghobmey paq =
The Klingon Book of Virtues
[i.e. original title of TKW acc. to MARC-CIP]
pop 'oH ghob'e' =
Virtue is the reward. =
TKW 47: This proverb does not mean "Virtue is honor". The use of the word =
{pop} suggests that virtue is the honor bestowed as a result of acting in a=
manner respectful of society's values, not simply advocating them.
ghob tIvnISbe'lu' =
One need not enjoy virtue. TKW =
TKW 48: The Klingon construction {tIvnISbe'} means "does not need to enjoy=
"; {tIvbe'nIS} would mean "needs to not enjoy", an utterly different concep=
t.
batlh ghob yIpab =
Adhere to virtue honorably. =
TKW 47: The Klingon verb in the expression, {pab}, is here translated "adh=
ere", but it is also used to mean "follow", in the sense of following rules=
, suggesting perhaps that, though not officially laws, virtues should be fo=
llowed as if they were.
Okrand on virtue/ethics:
TKW 189: ... those who violate the rules of their own cultures and do not =
observe their own virtues are acting dishonorably and are not to be trusted.
TKW vii: A virtue is a particularly valued quality or a form of behavior t=
hat exemplifies moral correctness, as defined by a society... Indeed, the K=
lingon word {ghob} may be translated as "ethics" or "virtue", linguistic ev=
idence that the concept is not unknown or never discussed among the Klingon=
s themselves. It is probably significant that the Klingon word for "do batt=
le", or "wage war" is likewise {ghob}. Though some, perhaps many, of a soci=
ety's virtues are represented in its legal codes, a virtue is not a law. A =
violation of a virtue need not carry with it any legal sanction. A virtue d=
oes not even have to be followed all the time to still be considered a virt=
ue. What is important is that members of the society agree that the virtue =
represents what *should* be done, even if it is not done. When a virtue is =
ignored, all recognize the transgression, even if there are no immediate co=
nsequences.
TKW 122 (ill.): Kor admires the virtues in one Organian, unaware that he i=
s a Starfleet officer." (TOS "Errand of Mercy")
See also _The Ethics of Star Trek_ by Judith Barad & Ed Robinson (NY: Harpe=
rCollins, 2000).
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
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