pulls away

August 23, 2018

Bad patching (Mk 2:21-2:21)

“No one sews

A piece of unshrunk cloth

On an old cloak.

Otherwise,

The patch pulls away

From it,

The new piece

From the old piece.

A worse tear

Is made.”

 

Οὐδεὶς ἐπίβλημα ῥάκους ἀγνάφου ἐπιράπτει ἐπὶ ἱμάτιον παλαιόν· εἰ δὲ μή, αἴρει τὸ πλήρωμα ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τὸ καινὸν τοῦ παλαιοῦ, καὶ χεῖρον σχίσμα γίνεται.

 

Luke, chapter 5:36, and Matthew, chapter 9:16, are similar to Mark, so that Mark might be the source of this mending of the cloth saying.  Luke called his saying a parable.  Mark remarked that Jesus said that no one would sow a new piece of unshrunk cloth (Οὐδεὶς ἐπίβλημα ῥάκους ἀγνάφου ἐπιράπτει) on an old cloak or coat (ἐπὶ ἱμάτιον παλαιόν).  This new patch would pull away or tear away (εἰ δὲ μή, αἴρει τὸ πλήρωμα ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τὸ καινὸν τοῦ παλαιοῦ).  Then there would be a worse tear there than before (καὶ χεῖρον σχίσμα γίνεται).  In other words, do not mend coats with new pieces of cloth.  The new with the old will not work and match correctly.  Let the old garment wear out, because there is nothing that you can do to it.

April 8, 2018

Mending cloth (Mt 9:16-9:16)

“No one sews

A piece

Of new unshrunk cloth

On an old cloak.

The patch pulls away

From the cloak.

A worse tear is made.”

 

οὐδεὶς δὲ ἐπιβάλλει ἐπίβλημα ῥάκους ἀγνάφου ἐπὶ ἱματίῳ παλαιῷ· αἴρει γὰρ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱματίου, καὶ χεῖρον σχίσμα γίνεται.

 

This mending of cloth saying is almost the same as in Mark, chapter 2:21, and Luke, chapter 5:36.  No one would sow a new piece of cloth (οὐδεὶς δὲ ἐπιβάλλει ἐπίβλημα ῥάκους ἀγνάφου) on an old cloak or coat (ἐπὶ ἱματίῳ παλαιῷ).  This new patch would pull away (αἴρει γὰρ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱματίου) and there would be a worse tear there than before (καὶ χεῖρον σχίσμα γίνεται.).  In other words, do not mend coats with new pieces of cloth.  The new with the old will not work.  Let the old garment wear out, because there is nothing that you can do to it.