NRSV translation
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools; for they do not know how to keep from doing evil. Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.
Hang this on St Paul’s cathedral or any big ecclesiastical building you are familiar with. Here I have pushed to an extreme, word patterns that sound similar to the text to illustrate how generating vivid images helps memorise the passage particularly filler words. The movement through clearly defined locations and use of scenes also helps consolidate the text long term. It may feel pedantic to work out or work through such a story line, but the goal is to create a mental image that can be recalled years later with ease.
VERSE
LOCATION
STORY LINE/scenes
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God;
STEPS of St Paul’s London-huge DOOR
Walk up the steps , a guard acknowledges you . On the Door are the Letters HOG
to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools;
INSIDE the cathedral in the nave
look first RIGHT
then LEFT
Go to the right and DRAW a sketch of a statue of Roman emperor NERO ( NEAR TO ) listening
Go to the left and a court Jester ( FOOL) is putting a SACK on a side altar as an OFFERING
- Nero = NEAR TO
- Sack = SACRIFICE
- jester = FOOLS
for they do not know how to keep from doing evil.
SIDE DOOR on LEFT leading out of the cathedral
Head out the cathedral. Jump over 4 hay bales ( FOR THEY ) outside is a housekeeper with a doughnut shaped nose called Doreen Weevil.
- Four Hay (Bales)= For they
- Doughnut = Do not
- Nose= Know
- Housekeeper = how keep
- Doreen Weevil= Doing Evil
Never be rash with your mouth,
PATERNOSTER Square garden outside the Cathedral
You get stung by a dutch bee on your mouth :
- Netherland bee= Never be
nor let your heart be quick
BOOTs the chemist
Walk over to Boots the chemist to get some ointment. A Norwegian sales assistant makes your heart be quickened!
- Nowergian= Nor
to utter a word before God,
STREET near by with Banner between two office blocks
Stand between two classy office blocks – each has a gutter. An A is painted on the building on the left and a B on the building on the right. A banner is hung between them with WORD written on it.
- Two gutters= TO UTTER
- A = a
- WORD = is on the banner
- B = be
for God is in heaven, and you upon earth;
DOME of St Paul’s
PARK Yew trees
Look up to the Dome of St Paul’s ( HEAVEN)
Look down and see yourself sitting in a garden park on an earthy patch under a Yew tree
- Yew = you
- Earth = earth
therefore let your words be few.
GARDENS near St Paul’s
You are reading a letter of few words while a few bees buzz around you .
- Letter = LET
- Bee = BE
