>For those who noticed that I posted the same question to the main Lojban
>list, sorry about that. I was a bit confused about my subscriptions.
>
>Anyway, I just looked up my dictionary, which gives 7 meanings:
>
>1. to consecrate or sanctify by a religious rite; make or pronounce holy.
>2. to request of God the bestowal of divine favor on: Bless this house.
>3. to bestow good of any kind upon: a nation blessed with peace.
>4. to extol as holy; glorify: Bless the name of the Lord.
>5. to protect or guard from evil (usually used interjectionally): Bless
>you! Bless your innocent little heart!
>6. to condemn or curse: I'll be blessed if I can see your reasoning.
>Bless me if it isn't my old friend!
>7. to make the sign of the cross over or upon: The Pope blessed the
>multitude.
>
>My thoughts: *cesygau* should work for No. 1. No. 2 should probably involve
>*cpedu*, although the given example is faulty; it's a command directed to
>God: *ko *[bless3]* le vi zdani*. No. 3 is the one I meant in my question.
>The place structure should probably parallel that of *dapma*. As per Mark's
>suggestion in the main Lojban list, I vote that *dapma* should be
>"neutralized" in similar fashion as *cnemu* and *dimna*, allowing the use of
>*zandapma* for this concept. No. 4 is the usage you mentioned (which,
>incidentally, is also used by Christians as well). I am also rather curious
>as to how this should be translated. Perhaps it should involve *zabna*, the
>same way that *mabla* has been used as a swear word (*le cmene be le nolcei
>cu zabna*); however the official definition does not match that usage of *
>mabla*. (in fact the official definition is rather unclear there)