I Love Chiasmus, But
One of the original appeals of looking for chiasmus is that it is a form of poetry that would survive translation, even arguably if the translator didn’t know there was a poetic structure there.
And obviously that is true or we wouldn’t know about it.
That said, we sh0uldn’t overrate our ability to always discern a chiasmus. A lot of the poetic art is going to lie in taking an established form where people *expect* what’s going to be coming next, but then replacing it with something unexpected. In other words, the chiastic form allows for metaphors (equating two dissimilar things) without explicitly saying so.
There would likely also be a repertoire of established metaphors, things we don’t consider to be in the same category but that the ancient writer would have, which we know nothing about.
Some of this we might be able to figure out, using judgment and intuition (both alas fallible). Some not.
Zen
July 6, 2024
There are rules, that you can use to test the quality of a chiasmus. Technically, Hickory Dickory Dock has chiastic structure, but that is only accidental. And there is no shortage of people who come up with their own pet arraignment of chiasmi and other structures in Isaiah and elsewhere.
In practice, I have a similar rule to the General Authority who said, he knows he is talking by inspiration when he learns something.
This is a list of chiasmi in the Book of Psalms. Notice the verse that is the pivot point of the chiasmus – that verse is the emphasis of the chapter. And once you see that emphasis, the rest is clearer.
And truthfully, it makes Psalms more readable than it was before and certainly more enlightening.
Also, in practice, pay attention to words that are the same, especially the same in Hebrew, not just English.
I doubt I can convince you with careful argument – I am just not that good as a writer. But if I can help you get more out of your scripture study, then once you see it, I probably will not be able to get you to shut up about it.
I recently picked up a book listing chiasmi and other structures in the Book of Mormon at a used bookstore. Let’s see if I can illuminate our current reading in Come Follow Me.
G.
July 8, 2024
Zen, I don’t doubt the existence of chiasmus and that sometimes we can recognize them.
I am saying as someone who is interested in writing and metaphor and stuff like that that the old idea that chiasmus is going to survive translation because it is form based is not true in all cases. As your comment “especially the same in Hebrew, not just English” indicates.