Chap. iii. Difficulties purposely left unsolved. The value of the trans 'reader staying at the difficulty of them should take 'occasion to look in the table following' or otherwise to 'ask the full meaning of them, than by putting some 'usual English words that express them not so to 'deceive the reader...The advent of the Lord, and im'posing of hands...come out of the very Latin text of 'the Scripture. So did penance, doing penance, chalice, 'priest, deacon, tradition, altar, host and the like...' From these principles it followed consistently that the translators did not scruple to leave the version unintelligible or ambiguous where the Latin text itself was so. This they distinctly profess: 'Moreover we presume not to mollify the speeches 'or phrases, but religiously keep them word for word, 'and point for point, for fear of missing or restraining 'the sense of the Holy Ghost to our fancy as Eph. vi. 12, 'against the spirituals of wickedness in the celestials... 'James iv. 6, and giveth the greater grace, leaving it 'indifferent to the Scripture or to the Holy Ghost both 'going before...' In itself then the Version has no independent merit lation lies in as a version of the original texts. It is said indeed to have been compared with the Hebrew and Greek, but the collation must have been limited in scope or in its vocabu lary. ffectual, for the Psalter (to take one signal example) is ranslated, not from Jerome's version of the Hebrew, but rom his revision of the very faulty translation from the Septuagint, which commonly displaced it in Latin Bibles. As it stands, the Doway Bible is simply the ordinary, ind not the pure, Latin text of Jerome in an English dress. Its merits, and they are considerable, lie in its vocabulary. The style, so far as it has a style, is unnatural, the phrasing is most unrhythmical, but the language is enriched by the bold reduction of innumerable Latin words to English service1. Chap. iii. One or two examples will be sufficient to indicate its Examples merits and defects: DOWAY. 18 Incline my God thine ear 19 Hear O Lord, be pacified, VULGATE. from the Old Testament. Inclina Deus meus aurem Dan. ix. tuam et audi; aperi oculos tuos et vide desolationem nostram et civitatem super quam invocatum est nomen tuum; neque enim in justificationibus nostris prosternimus preces ante faciem tuam, sed in miserationibus tuis multis. Exaudi, Domine, placare, Domine, attende et fac: ne moreris propter temetipsum, Deus meus: quia nomen tuum invocatum est super civitatem et super populum tuum................ Septuaginta hebdomades abbreviatæ sunt super populum tuum, et super urbem sanctam tuam, ut consummetur 1 I am not aware that English subject, but it would repay examinalexicographers have examined this tion Chap. iii. x. and iniquity be abolished 26 And after sixty-two weeks shall not be his people that VULGATE. prævaricatio et finem accipiat peccatum et deleatur iniquitas, et adducatur justitia sempiterna et impleatur visio et prophetia et ungatur sanctus sanctorum. Scito ergo et animadverte: ab exitu sermonis ut iterum ædificetur Jerusalem usque ad Christum ducem, hebdomades septem et hebdomades sexaginta duo erunt; et rursum ædificabitur platea et muri in angustia temporum. Et post hebdomadas sexaginta duas occidetur Christus et non erit ejus populus qui eum negaturus est. Et civitatem et sanctuarium dissipabit populus cum duce venturo, et finis ejus vastitas et post finem belli statuta desolatio. The correspondence with the Latin text is thus absolutely verbal, and it is only through the Latin that the English in some places becomes intelligible. But on the other hand Jerome's own greatness as a translator is generally seen through the second version. A very familiar passage will shew how closely the rendering can approach our own even in the Prophets: 6 For a little child is born to us and a son is given to us, and principality is made upon his shoulder, and his 7 His empire shall be multiplied and there shall be no Chap. iii. History. extremely tory. The Psalter is the most unsatisfactory part of the The Psalter whole book. Even where the sense is sufficiently clear unsatisfac to remain distinct through three translations, from Hebrew to Greek, from Greek to Latin, from Latin to English, the stiff, foreign style sounds strangely unsuited to words of devotion; and where the Latin itself has already lost the sense, the English baffles understanding. One specimen of each kind may be added: 8 The Law of our Lord is immaculate converting souls: Ps. xix. the testimony of our Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones. 9 The justices of our Lord be right, making hearts joyful: the precept of our Lord lightsome, illuminating the eyes. 10 The fear of our Lord is holy, permanent for ever and ever; the judgments of our Lord be true, justified in themselves. II To be desired above gold and much precious stone: and more sweet above honey and the honey comb. 12 For thy servant keepeth them, in keeping them is much reward. 13 Sins who understandeth? From my secret sins cleanse me: and from other men's spare thy servant. Chap. iii. lvii. The version of the New Testament obscure, especially in the Epistles. This is not what a translation of the Psalms should be, but the following passage is positively painful from the ostentatious disregard of meaning in the words1: 9 As wax that melteth shall they be taken away; fire hath fallen on them, and they have not seen the sun. 10 Before your thorns did understand the old briar: as living so in wrath he swalloweth them. II The just shall rejoice when he shall see revenge: he shall wash his hands in the blood of a sinner. 12 And man shall say: If certes there be fruit to the just: there is a God certes judging them on the earth. The translation of the New Testament is exactly similar to that of the Old; and next to the Psalter the Epistles are most inadequately rendered. Neither the Psalter, indeed, as translated by the Rhemists, nor the Epistles had the benefit of Jerome's independent labour. He revised the Latin texts of both hastily and imperfectly, but in both he left much which he would not himself have written. A few isolated quotations will be enough to shew the character of the Rhemish Version: Rom. v. 18 Therefore as by the offence of one, unto all men to. condemnation: so also by the justice of one unto all men to justification of life. vi. 13 Exhibit yourselves as of dead men alive. vii. 23 I see another law in my members, repugning to the law of my mind and captiving me in the law of sin that is in my members. viii. 18 I think that the passions of this time are not condigne to the glory to come. 1 The translation follows the Gallican Psalter verbally. Jerome's own translation is wholly different. |