Click here for sample verses from the version by Matthias F. Wahba.
Title: The Agpeya ☦ The Coptic Book of Hours. / Edited by Fr. Matthias Farid Wahba
Date: (c. 1984; 2nd ed. 1999), Forth Edition, 2004
Editors: Hayward CA (U.S.A.): St Antonious Coptic Orthodox Church
Publisher: Encino CA (U.S.A.): Keemy Brothers
Contents: Coptic Prayer Book of Hours • 77 Psalms, numbered acc. to the LXX • some NT– texts.
Language: Arabic and English (English only also available)
References:
Images: Cover, Title
Location: Collection Bibelarchiv Birnbaum. Karlsruhe/ Baden, Germany. www.bibelpedia.com
Comments: Softcover octavo, sewn binding; XII & 368 pp.; Scripture texts in parallel column, left side English, right Arabic; numbering of Psalms follows the Coptic version.
Fr. Matthias Farid Wahba wrote a brief Preface, dated May 1, 2004. As to the translation of the Biblical texts, we read:
» (…) [this] is The Agpeya, The Book of Hours according to the Coptic version. It is known that the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, is the closest version of the Psalms to the Coptic, but the difference between the versions makes this book unique. It reflects the same understanding and meaning of the Psalms and prayes, as used by our Coptic fathers. Thus it bears the particular flavor of the Coptic language. It expresses successfully the unique spirituality of the Coptic Church. I am grateful to (…) Dr. Adeeb B. Makar, the Coptic scholar, for reviewing the English text.«
77 Psalms, numbered acc. to the LXX, are translated from the Coptic,
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 8 • 11 • 12 • 14 • 15 • 18 • 19 •
22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 28 • 29 • 33 •
40 • 42 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 50 • 53 • 56 •
60 • 62 • 66 • 69 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 •
90 • 92 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 100 • 109 •
110 • 111 • 112 • 114 • 115 • 116 • 117 • 118 • 119 •
120 to 129 • 130 • 131 • 132 • 133 • 136 • 137
140 • 141 • 142 • 145 • 146 • 147.
plus these NT– texts, Translation taken from The New King James Version of the Bible:
Mat. 5:1–16 • 6:9–13 • 25:1–13 • Luk 2:25–32 • 4:38–41 • 7:36–50 • 9:10–17 • 12:32–64 • John 6:15–23 • 14:26 – 16:4 • Eph 4:1–5.
The Bibliography on p. II refers to + The Agpeya, in Coptic and Arabic, Cairo 1975 + The Book of the Psalms of David the Prophet, in Coptic and Arabic, Cairo 1897, reprinted by Dr. Shaker B. Mikhael + (…) + The Septuagint Version of the Old Testament, ed. Charles L. Brenton, 1978.
In the Foreword (8 pp) the Agpeya is introduced,
»„This book uniquely uses the ancient Coptic version of the Psalms (which are an early translation from the Septuagint). The editor notes that the work “reflects the same understanding and meaning of the Psalms and prayers, as used by our Coptic fathers” and “bears the particular flavour of the Coptic language”.«
Whether the Biblical texts have been revised or not since the 1st ed. of c. 1984, is not known. The Preface doesn´t comment on that. This prayer book is also available in English only.
For another ´Agpeya`, with Scripture texts taken from the New International Version of the Bible (1984), see St. Mary & St. Antonius Coptic Orthodox Church
Biographical:
Matthias Farid Wahba: (* Qalandool Prov. Minya (Egypt) May 15, 1939)
www.antonius.org/about/parish-clergy-and-staff/fr-matthias-wahba/
