Reading in the Common English Bible the Beatitudes, I got struck that Blessed was replaced by the very secular “Happy”. The only way Blessed is equivalent to Happy is one who is blessed is happy but if you turn it around, in the famous Aristotelian syllogism: Happy is not always Blessed i.e. I am happy because you remembered my birthday.
A syllogism is a deduction of logic where a premise is made that supports the conclusion. Typically used is A horse is an animal. That is the premise. Aristotle felt that if you switch the statement around, much like the communicative properties of math, the same would hold so i.e A type of animal is or can be a horse.
I think that the CEB is quite wrong and using the English language incorrectly, and perhaps a bit misleadingly. With the CEB doing that with Happy they are taking away the God giveness of Blessed i.e. sacred, holy, divinely favoured and secularizing (giving it a worldly or profane meaning) it Below are two modern translations, CEB and the NLT. The KJV is here.
Matthew 5 (Common English Bible)
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain. He sat down and his disciples came to him. 2 He taught them, saying:
3 “Happy are people who are downcast, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
4 “Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad.
5 “Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.
6 “Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full.
7 “Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy.
8 “Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God.
9 “Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children.
10 “Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
11 “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. 12 Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. For, in the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you.
5 “Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.
6 “Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full.
7 “Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy.
8 “Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God.
9 “Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children.
10 “Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
11 “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. 12 Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. For, in the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you.
Matthew 5 (New Living Translation)
One day as the crowds were gathering, Jesus went up the mountainside with his disciples and sat down to teach them. 2 This is what he taught them:
4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them.
6 God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full.
7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. ”
11“God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.
12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.“
In my anguish... 