I've used this before as an example of what happens when poorly preserved artifacts are enlisted for modern political battles. The Khirbet Qeiyafa ostracon is five lines of text written in a proto-Phoenician script (according to noted epigrapher, Christopher Rollston).
Here are two translations of the text. Compare them line by line and enjoy.
Anything in brackets [ ] is not actually legible and represents a guess by the translator.
Quite possibly what we are seeing here is an attempt to read the words in a language chosen by the translator.
Here are two translations of the text. Compare them line by line and enjoy.
Quote:A. Translation on John Hobbins’ website:
1 Do not do [anything bad?], and serve [personal name?]
2 ruler of [geographical name?] . . . ruler . . .
3 [geographical names?] . . .
4 [unclear] and wreak judgment on YSD king of Gath . . .
5 seren of G[aza? . . .] [unclear] . . .
B. Translation “provided by the University of Haifa”:
1 you shall not do [it], but worship the [Lord].
2 Judge the sla[ve] and the wid[ow] / Judge the orph[an]
3 [and] the stranger. [Pl]ead for the infant / plead for the po[or and]
4 the widow. Rehabilitate [the poor] at the hands of the king.
5 Protect the po[or and] the slave / [supp]ort the stranger
Anything in brackets [ ] is not actually legible and represents a guess by the translator.
Quite possibly what we are seeing here is an attempt to read the words in a language chosen by the translator.
