19 The course of the year, the ordinances of the stars, 20 the nature and kinds of beasts; the furiousness of beasts, the power of the winds, the imaginations of men, the diversities of young plants, the virtues of roots, and all such things as are secret and not looked for, have I learnt; for the workmaster of all things hath taught me wisdom... 27 And for so much as she is one, she may do all things, and being stedfast herself she reneweth all, and among the people conveyeth she herself into the holy souls. She maketh God's of the year, the situation of the stars, the nature of living things, and the furiousness of beasts, the power of the winds, and the imaginations of men, the diversities of plants, and the vir FRENCH BIBLE (Lyons), 1556. diuisions des temps, les décours des années, les dispositions des estoilles, les natures des animaux, et les courroux des bestes, la force des vents, et les cogitations des hommes, les différences des plantes et les vertus des ratues of roots; and cines, et ay apprins all things both secret toutes choses secretand known do I tes et manifestes. Car know, for wisdom l'ouurier de toutes the worker of all choses m'ha enseigné things hath taught par sapience.... me it... And being one she Et combien qu'elle [wisdom] can do all soit seule, elle peult things and remain- toutes choses, et esing in herself renew- tant en soy permaeth all, and according nente, elle renouuelle to the ages, she en- toutes choses, et par tereth into the holy les nations descendant souls and maketh es saintes ames, elle them the friends of ordonne les amis de God and prophets. Dieu et les pro phètes. 1 The revision of 1588 has as a 'qui est l'ouvrier de toutes choses marginal rendering 'car la Sapience 'm'a enseigné.' Chap. iii. Chap. iii. The English Version influenced the later French one of 1588. Wisd. viii. GREAT BIBLE, 1550. 28 for God loveth no man but him in whom wisdom dwell eth. 29 For she is more beautiful than the sun, and giveth more light than the stars, and the day is not to be compared unto her, 30 For upon the day cometh night, but wickedness cannot overcome wisdom; and foolishness may not be with her. GENEVA, 1560. For God loveth none, if he dwell not with wisdom. For she is more beautiful than the sun, and is above all the order of the stars, and the light is not to be compared unto her; For night cometh upon it, but wickedness cannot overcome wisdom. FRENCH BIBLE (Lyons), 1556. Car Dieu n'ayme personne fors que celui qui habite auec sapience. Car icelle est plus belle que le soleil et par dessus toute la disposition des estoilles, elle comparee à la lumière est trouuée la première: car à ceste succède la nuict, mais malice ne vaincra point sapience. Conversely the same books shew that the English version influenced the later French revision: LYONS, 1556. continent si Dieu ne le donnoit, et que celà mesmes estoit souueraine sapience de sauoir de qui estoit ce don: ie m'en allay au seigneur et le priay et lui dis de tout mon cœur... GENEVA, 1560. except God gave her (and that was a point of wisdom also to know whose gift it was) I went unto the Lord, and besought him and with my whole heart I said... GENEVA, 1588. Dieu ne me la donnoi, et que cela mesme estoit prudence de sauoir de qui estoit ce don, ie m' en allai supplier le Seigneur et le priai disant de tout mon cœur... Chap. iii. Internal History. of the characteristics of the revi sion of the Old Testa ment. The examples which have been given exhibit very Summary fairly the method of revision which was adopted by the Genevan translators in the Old Testament. In all parts they took the Great Bible as their basis and corrected its text, without ever substituting for it a new translation. Even where the changes are greatest the original foundation can still be traced, and the new work fairly harmonizes with the old. One chief aim of the revisers seems to have been to make the translation as nearly verbal as possible, and consequently in a great number of passages they replace the renderings of the Zurich scholars (Coverdale) or Münster by those of Pagninus. At the same time there is abundant evidence to shew that they were perfectly competent to deal independently with points of Hebrew scholarship; and minute changes in expression shew that they were not indifferent to style. The history of the Genevan New Testament is simpler than that of the Old. It is little more than the record of the application of Beza's translation and commentary to Tyndale's Testament in three successive stages, first in the separate New Testament of 1557 (Gt)', next in the Bible of 1560 (G), and lastly in the New 1 See p. 232, n. 4. The revi sion of the New Testa ment based mainly on Beza. Chap. iii. The changes in John. Testament of L. Tomson in 15761 (T). The revisers undoubtedly exercised an independent judgment in following his renderings. They did not adopt all the alterations which he suggested; and at times they introduced original phrases; but by far the greater part of the changes which were made in the text of Tyndale were simply due to Beza2. An analysis of the changes in one short Epistle will render this plain. Thus, according to as accurate a calculation as I can make, more than two-thirds of the new renderings in I John introduced into the revision of 1560 are derived from Beza, and two-thirds of these then for the first time. The rest are due mainly to the revisers themselves, and of these only two are found in the revision of 1557. Tomson adds barely five or six closer approximations to Beza, of which one is important (v. 4 hath overcome'); and once he definitely goes against him (iv. 9 Herein was that love of God. 'made manifest amongst us'). The general conclusion thus indicated will be made still clearer by an examination of two short continuous passages. The differences between the first New Testament and the New Testament in the Bible (1560) will thus appear, and it will be seen that the revision in the latter extended to points of language as well as to points of interpretation*: 2 The basis of the Genevan Testament was certainly Tyndale's (the last text, i.e. Matthew) and not the Great Bible. See for instance Gal. i. 10, 14, 15, 19, 21: ii. 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, &c. The corresponding coincidences of the Genevan Testament with the Great Bible against Tyndale are very few: Gal. i. 9, 12: ii. 4. 3 The most striking are: ii. 18, 19, 20, 29: iv. 5: v. 6. It is very greatly to be regretted Chap. iii. History. (TYNDALE, 1534) 12 Remember, I say, that ye were at that time without Christ, and were reputed aliens. from the commonwealth of Israel, and were stran- Eph. ii. gers' from the testaments of promise, and had no hope and were without God in this world. 13 But now in Christ Jesu ye which a while ago were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 114 For he is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken down the wall that was a stop be tween us, 15 and hath also put away through his flesh the cause of hatred, that is to say the law of commandments 16 and to reconcile both unto God in one body through 17 and came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh; 18 for through him we both have an open way in, in one spirit unto the Father. 12 Remember...at Gt: that ye were I say G. T. (vos inquam...fuisse B.) (1) that the New Testament of 1557 and not the New Testament of the Bible has been reprinted in Bagster's Hexapla as the Genevan version. The confusion which has resulted from this error of judgment has led to endless mistakes in discussions on the authorised version. The Testament of 1557 has had no independent influence on the A.V. as far as I can see. Compare Mr F. Fry on The English New Testament of the Genevan Version in the Journal of Sacred Literature, July 1864. 1 The Great Bible reads: being 3 Even the law (G.B.) 4 The Testament of 1557 is marked by Gt and quoted from Bagster's Hexapla: G represents the first edition of the Bible 1560: T, Tomson's Testament quoted from the Bible of 1576. The rendering of Beza is marked B. G gives the following words in italics: Eph. ii. I say, were 4; 15 that is, which standeth, so; 16 his. Rev. ii. 9 I know, are 2o. |