Send Close Add comments: (status displays here)
Got it!  This site "creationpie.com" uses cookies. You consent to this by clicking on "Got it!" or by continuing to use this website.  Note: This appears on each machine/browser from which this site is accessed.
Some witty remarks on laughing and humor
by RS  admin@creationpie.com : 1024 x 640


1. Some witty remarks on laughing and humor

2. Some witty remarks on laughing and humor
Verse routeEphesians 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. [kjv]
Verse routeκαι αισχροτης και μωρολογια η ευτραπελια α ουκ ανηκεν αλλα μαλλον ευχαριστια [gnt]

This content is about laughing and humor in general and witty humor in particular.
Paul makes an interesting remark on "witty humor" in Ephesians 5:4. In context, the intended meaning is not clear as it depends on the (ambiguous) way in which the sentence is parsed.

3. Ephesians 5:4
 All 
KJV: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Greek: και αισχροτης και μωρολογια η ευτραπελια τα α ουκ ανηκοντα ανηκεν αλλα μαλλον ευχαριστια

4. Laugh-in
A network TV comedy show from 1968 until 1973 was Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in. It featured Dan Rowan and Dick Martin.
The one-time 1967 show was so popular, it was brought back and replaced "The man from U.N.C.L.E." on Monday night at 8 PM.

In suffix "-in" was a play on the hippie and counter culture movements at the time with terms such as "sit-in", "be-in", "love-in", etc.

5. Laughing all the way
The Christmas song "Jingle bells", written for Thanksgiving, has a line about "laughing".
Dashing through the snow,
in a one-horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go,
laughing all the way


Information sign More: Song: Jingle Bells

6. Rudolph and laughing

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer had to deal with laughing. The popular animated feature (55 minutes) is from 1964.
 
What was the name of the other reindeer that laughed and called Rudolph names?
Hermey (who wants to be a dentist): "This won't hurt a bit".

Information sign More: Hosting strange and hostile guests and ghosts
Information sign More: The doctrine of Santa Claus

7. Reflexive laughing
Laugh at yourself

An example of a reflexive rule is the following. Have you heard that being able to laugh at yourself may help lengthen your life?

Here, the "laugh at" relation is applied reflexively to itself. That is, relating "laugh at" from "you" to "you".

8. Not reflexive laughing
Laugh at spouse

Have you heard that laughing at your spouse may help shorten your life?

Here, the "laugh at" relation is not applied reflexively.

Information sign More: Reflexive property

9. Belly laugh
A "belly laugh" can make one's entire body shake.

January 24 is "Belly laugh day".


Information sign More: Expanding on the belly and the womb

10. Laughing to tears
The ancient Greek word "κλαυσίγελως""laughing to tears" as in "smiles mingled with tears". The word comes from two Greek words.
Interestingly, this word is defined on the Greek Wiktionary but not in the English Wiktionary. The word is used in the some ancient Greek texts.

The combined word is not in the GNT (Greek New Testament) nor LXX (Septuagint) but the separate word are used in both.

11. Xenophon
Here is a line from Xenophon, Hell. 7.2,9, which has an allusion to the Iliad (vi., 484). The time period is 369 B.C.

English: Then one might have beheld the men congratulating one another with handclasps on their preservation, and the women bringing them drink and at the same time crying for joy. Indeed, “laughter mingled with tears” did on that occasion really possess all who were present.

Greek: ἔνθα δὴ θεάσασθαι παρῆν ἐπὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τοὺς μὲν ἄνδρας δεξιουμένους ἀλλήλους, τὰς δὲ γυναῖκας πιεῖν τε φερούσας καὶ ἅμα χαρᾷ δακρυούσας· πάντας δὲ τοὺς παρόντας τότε γε τῷ ὄντι κλαυσίγελως εἶχεν.

https://anastrophe.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/perseus/citequery3.pl?dbname=GreekNov21&query=Xen.%20Hell.%207.2.9 (as of 2023-02-21)

Information sign More: Philippians: Epaphroditus

12. Biblical laughing
The Bible has numerous references about laughing.

13. Scornful laughing
When the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue became dead, Jesus brings here to life. She is referred to as "Talitha" meaning "Damsel". The people there laugh at what he claims to have done. The story is recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke. That is, the Synoptic Gospels.

Verse routeMatthew 9:24 … for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. [kjv]
Verse routeελεγεν αναχωρειτε ου γαρ απεθανεν το κορασιον αλλα καθευδει και κατεγελων αυτου [gnt]
Verse routeMark 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. … [kjv]
Verse routeκαι κατεγελων αυτου αυτος δε εκβαλων παραλαμβανει τον πατερα του παιδιου και την μητερα και τους μετ αυτου και εισπορευεται οπου ην το παιδιον [gnt]
Verse routeLuke 8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. [kjv]
Verse routeκαι κατεγελων αυτου ειδοτες οτι απεθανεν [gnt]

The modern Greek word "κοιμητήρια" (kee-mee-TEE-ree-a) ≈ "cemetery" but the ancient Greek word meant "sleep".

14. Sleeping dead
Note that Jesus refers to dead Lazarus as "sleeping". A place where the dead sleep is called a "cemetery"
Verse routeJohn 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. [kjv]
Verse routeταυτα ειπεν και μετα τουτο λεγει αυτοις λαζαρος ο φιλος ημων κεκοιμηται αλλα πορευομαι ινα εξυπνισω αυτον [gnt]
Verse routesomno exsuscitem … [v]

Jesus uses the "euphemism" (or code word) of "sleep" meaning "dead". The KJV (King James Version) adds "out of sleep" which is implied in the Greek but not actually there. The Latin word "somno""sleep".

The ancient Greek word "κοιμητήριον ""sleeping place" and the source, through Latin, of "cemetery".

Information sign More: Speaking evil in a famous way

15. John 11:11

   John 11:11 
 All 
KJV: These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Greek: ταυτα ειπεν και μετα τουτο λεγει αυτοις λαζαρος ο φιλος ημων κεκοιμηται αλλα πορευομαι ινα εξυπνισω αυτον
Latin: haec ait et post hoc dicit eis Lazarus amicus noster dormit sed vado ut a somno exsuscitem eum

16. Matthew 9:24
   Matthew 9:24 
 All 
KJV: He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
Greek: λεγει αυτοις ελεγεν αναχωρειτε ου γαρ απεθανεν το κορασιον αλλα καθευδει και κατεγελων αυτου

17. Mark 5:40
   Mark 5:40 
 All 
KJV: And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
Greek: και κατεγελων αυτου ο αυτος δε εκβαλων απαντας παντας παραλαμβανει τον πατερα του παιδιου και την μητερα και τους μετ αυτου και εισπορευεται οπου ην το παιδιον ανακειμενον

18. Luke 8:53
   Luke 8:53 
 All 
KJV: And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
Greek: και κατεγελων αυτου ειδοτες οτι απεθανεν

19. Strongs - laugh

20. Usage - laugh
Word usage per chapter Words: κατεγελων=3


21. Weeping and laughing
Verse routeMatthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. [kjv]
Verse routeμακαριοι οι ελεημονες οτι αυτοι ελεηθησονται [gnt]

The fifth Beatitude in Matthew about "mercy" has a Greek word that relates to making sounds which could be "weeping" or "laughing" or some other sound. The following Beatitude in Luke is not in Matthew.

Verse routeLuke 6:21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. [kjv]
Verse routeμακαριοι οι πεινωντες νυν οτι χορτασθησεσθε μακαριοι οι κλαιοντες νυν οτι γελασετε [gnt]


22. Ecclesiastes 3:4 Time to weep and laugh
Verse routeEcclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; [kjv]
Verse routeκαιρος του κλαυσαι και καιρος του γελασαι καιρος του κοψασθαι και καιρος του ορχησασθαι [lxx]

The ancient Greek word "γέλως""laugh". The modern Greek word "γέλως" (Y-los) ≈ "laughing".

The Greek word used here for "dance" is the source of the English word "orchestra".

23. Laughter in heaven
Verse routePsalms 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. [kjv]
Verse routeο κατοικων εν ουρανοις εκγελασεται αυτους και ο κυριος εκμυκτηριει αυτους [lxx]

RebellionDo those in heaven (angels, etc.) laugh at human attempts to take over the world?

Who else might be talking? How would we view robots attempting to take over?


Information sign More: Psalms 2: Self-reference of robots and humans rebelling

24. Psalms 2:4

   Psalms 2:4 
 All 
KJV: He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Hebrew: יושב בשמים ישחק אדני ילעג למו׃
Greek: ο κατοικων εν ουρανοις εκγελασεται αυτους και ο κυριος εκμυκτηριει αυτους

25. Laugh
Verse routeProverbs 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; [kjv]
Verse routeτοιγαρουν καγω τη υμετερα απωλεια επιγελασομαι καταχαρουμαι δε ηνικα αν ερχηται υμιν ολεθρος [lxx]
Verse routetherefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against you when ruin comes upon you: [bs3]

Information sign More: Proverbs 1:1-33 knowledge and understanding

26. Proverbs 1:26

 All 
KJV: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
Hebrew: גם אני באידכם אשחק אלעג בבא פחדכם׃
Greek: τοιγαρουν καγω τη υμετερα απωλεια επιγελασομαι καταχαρουμαι δε ηνικα αν ερχηται υμιν ολεθρος
Brenton: therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against you when ruin comes upon you:

27. Witty humor
Verse routeEphesians 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. [kjv]
Verse routeκαι αισχροτης και μωρολογια η ευτραπελια α ουκ ανηκεν αλλα μαλλον ευχαριστια [gnt]

What type of "jesting" does Paul frown on? One could guess. What does the Greek mean in general? What might the Greek mean in this context?

The ancient Greek word "εὐτραπελία""witty humor" as in being jovial and lively. A rare meaning is that of using profanity. Does the context of Paul's statements support this meaning?

28. Witty humor
The ancient Greek word "εὐτράπελος""witty humor" and comes from two Greek words. Somehow these words were combined to get "witty humor". The word in modern Greek has narrowed to this less negative meaning. There are other words for "crude humor" (below).

Somehow, the KJV translates the word as "jesting" and Strongs defines it as "crude joking".

29. Strongs - jesting
This word is used 1 time in the GNT, by Paul in Philippians 5:4.

30. Usage - jesting
Word usage per chapter Words: ευτραπελια


31. End of page

by RS  admin@creationpie.com : 1024 x 640