Saturday, April 9, 2011

mammon

mammon [ˈmæmən] n.

1.) The Aramaic word for ‘riches’, occurring in the Greek text of Matt. vi. 24 and Luke xvi. 9–13, and retained in the Vulgate. Owing to the quasi-personification in these passages, the word was taken by mediæval writers as the proper name of the devil of covetousness. This use appears in English in the 14–16th c., and was revived by Milton (P.L. i. 678, ii. 228). The word does not occur in the N.T. translations of Wyclif and Purvey (who substitute richessis), but it was used by Tindale (1526–34) and subsequent translators, with the exception of those of the Geneva version. From the 16th c. onwards it has been current in English, usually with more or less of personification, as a term of opprobrium for wealth regarded as an idol or as an evil influence.
2.) Sometimes jocularly for ‘money’ (Oxford English Dictionary 2nd Edition).

Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin mammon, from Greek mamonas, from Aramaic mamona, riches, probably from Mishnaic Hebrew mamôn.

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Gospel of Matthew, Unknown, ~75).

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mammon in spanish means "sucker" :P

Anonymous said...

You can not reach happiness with mammon. :D

Fix PC Games Admin said...

@Necro lol thanks
so mammon well sounds great

SOMS said...

Always nice to know these facts.

consuela bananahammoc said...

Sounds like mamma which is latin for boobs :D

Oscar said...

Mammon is the root of all evil?

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