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SweetFreedom Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Counting gain but loss?
Does "Christian, up and smite them, Counting gain but loss" mean "Christian (troops), raise and attack them (the troops of Midian?), expecting to win without any loss"?
Background info:
Christian, dost thou see them
On the holy ground?
How the troops of Midian
Prowl and prowl around?
Christian, up and smite them,
Counting gain but loss;
Smite them by the merit
Of the holy cross.
Background info:
Christian, dost thou see them
On the holy ground?
How the troops of Midian
Prowl and prowl around?
Christian, up and smite them,
Counting gain but loss;
Smite them by the merit
Of the holy cross.
Top answer
Your interpretation of the first line is correct (though grammatically it addresses one Christian soldier, not plural "troops"). The second line is very hard to understand. I found a note somewhere relating it to a passage in the Bible, Philippians 3:7-8, in which "everything" is said to be considered a loss in comparison to "the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things".
- Your interpretation of the first line is correct (though grammatically it addresses one Christian soldier, not plural "troops").
- The second line is very hard to understand.
- I found a note somewhere relating it to a passage in the Bible, Philippians 3:7-8, in which "everything" is said to be considered a loss in comparison to "the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things".
- I'm guessing, therefore, that "gain but loss" may have something to do with this peculiar notion of gains actually being losses.
- However, it's only a guess and could be totally incorrect.
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2 Answers
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Your interpretation of the first line is correct (though grammatically it addresses one Christian soldier, not plural "troops").
The second line is very hard to understand. I found a note somewhere relating it to a passage in the Bible, Philippians 3:7-8, in which "everything" is said to be considered a loss in comparison to "the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for w
The second line is very hard to understand. I found a note somewhere relating it to a passage in the Bible, Philippians 3:7-8, in which "everything" is said to be considered a loss in comparison to "the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for w
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SweetFreedomChristian (troops), raise and attack themThat's sort of right. I take Christian to have the referent "anyone who is a Christian", not troops specifically.
SweetFreedomthem (the troops of Midian?)Correct. Also possibly metaphoric.
SweetFreedomexpecting to win without any loss
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