AtD translation: the title

[Joseph Tracy]

I studied the Bible a fair amount and know some of these archaic King James expressions. The core biblical use is preparing for a dark day or even preparing for a final battle or judgement. But I think you want something slightly more open ended and ambiguous.  Would something like" Expecting the Day?” or "Preparing for the Day” or "Ready for the Unknown Day" have a Chinese equivalent that leaves the possibilities open so it might be a day of war and horrror or a day of light hitting mountain ranges and open skies. What Pynchon has done is change the phrase from “against that day”  that day meaning the day of return and judgement, to against the day, which could be ominous or could be a new dawn.. 

You are putting a lot of work into this. All the best.
> On Jan 5, 2019, at 9:12 AM, Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com <mailto:gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>> wrote:
> 
> Thanks for the reply, Laura. I assume you are talking about Contre-jour?
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contre-jour <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contre-jour>
> 
> As I mentioned in my reply to protomen, this is actually what the Japanese
> translator went for. I'm a bit hesitant to adopt it, probably due to my own
> bias. But it will certain be taken into consideration.
> 
> On Sat, Jan 5, 2019 at 8:22 AM Laura Kelber <laurakelber at gmail.com <mailto:laurakelber at gmail.com>> wrote:
> 
>> When I think of the title I picture someone walking towards the light
>> (front lit, and therefore dark from behind). When Pynchon talks of light in
>> the book (admittedly, it's been a while) he's talking less about biblical
>> or moral struggles and more about photography. Though photography -
>> codified, edited remembrance - can get very metaphorical.
>> 
>> So maybe sift through some photographic uses/meanings of light in your
>> search for a meaningful title.
>> 
>> Laura
>> 
>> On Sat, Jan 5, 2019, 2:59 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com <mailto:gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Thanks for the suggestion, Giorgos. That's certainly true. But again, I
>>> have to be aware of the main levels before I can make a choice, and that's
>>> what I'm trying to do here. I don't think I understand it all that well
>>> yet, and I would like to hear more ideas.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Sat, Jan 5, 2019 at 2:44 AM GK <greekplister at gmail.com <mailto:greekplister at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> The original title works in many levels -- at least 4. There is probably
>>>> no way you can incorporate all of them in a single phrase in another
>>>> language. I would suggest you pick one level as "primary" and translate
>>>> it in a way that makes sense in your language. That's what I did for the
>>>> Greek translation. It's not a perfect solution, but there is no perfect
>>>> solution anyway.
>>>> 
>>>> Giorgos
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Sat 05/01/19 6 : 03, Mike Jing wrote:
>>>>> Thanks, David. That helps a lot.
>>>>> 
>>>>> It's various versions of "until that day" or "be ready for that day".
>>>>> Although it cannot be directly adopted word for word, the important
>>> idea
>>>> is
>>>>> there, and that's something I can work with.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Fri, Jan 4, 2019 at 10:51 PM David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com <mailto:fqmorris at gmail.com>>
>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> See how your Bible scholars have translated these KJV verses.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> David Morris
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Fri, Jan 4, 2019 at 9:48 PM David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com <mailto:fqmorris at gmail.com>>
>>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> [image: Unchecked Copy Box] 2Ti 1:12
>>>>>>> <https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/2ti/1/12/s_1126012 <https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/2ti/1/12/s_1126012>>
>>>>>>> For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am
>>> not
>>>>>>> ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he
>>> is
>>>>>>> able to keep thatwhich I have committed unto him against that day.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> [image: Unchecked Copy Box] Est 3:14
>>>>>>>>>> <https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/est/3/14/s_429014 <https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/est/3/14/s_429014>>
>>>>>>>>>> The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every
>>>>>>>>>> province was published unto all people, that they should be ready
>>>> against
>>>>>>>>>> that day.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>> --
>>>>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l <https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l>
>>>> 
>>> --
>>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l <https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l>
>>> 
>> 
> --
> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l <https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l>