azdak

Someone is WRONG on the internet, damn it! Specifically Arnold Zwicky on language log, talking about the expression "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away." He says "You won't find this phrase in the Bible" but "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away" and adds "Of course, popular belief trumps textual accuracy in many circumstances, especially when the popular version can be seen as an "improvement" on the original. So giveth - taketh away it is.

Which is a not unreasonable attitude, except surely, surely, this is not an "improvement" being made by random speakers? It's been a long time since I was at a funeral, but I believe the phrase "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away" is part of the Book of Common Prayer?

Since Mr Zwicky has turned off comments, the bastard, I cannot write in to correct him, so I can only vent my dissatisfaction in my own journal and hope that those more versed in Anglican services than I am can back up my conviction that he is WRONG!!