HOWCANYOUCHOOSEAGOODBIBLETRANSLATION? THE Bible was originally written in
ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. So most people who desire to read it must
rely on a translation.Today, the Bible is the world's most widely translated
book-parts of it being available in over 2,400 languages. From One Extreme to the Other
Bible translations caver a broad
spectrum of styles. But they fall
into three basic categories- Interlinear translations are at one end of the spectrum-
These translations contain the original-language text along with a word-for-word
rendering into the target language.
Paraphrase translations fall at the
other end of the spectrum. Translators of these versions freely restate the
message of the Bible as they understand it in a wav that they feel will appeal
to their audience.'
A third category embraces translations
that endeavor to strike a balance between these two extremes. These versions of
the Bible strive to convey the meaning and flavor of the original-language expressions while also
making the text easy to read.
Are Word-for-Word Translations
Best? A strictly word-for-word translation is often not the best possible way
to capture the meaning of each Bible verse. Why not? There are a number of
reasons. Here are two: 1. No two languages are exactly alike in grammar,
vocabulary, and sentence structure. Professor of Hebrew S. R. Driver says that
languages "differ not only in grammar and roots, but also ... in the
manner in which ideas are built up into a sentence." People who speak
different languages think differently. "Consequently," continues Professor
Driver, "the forms taken by the sentence in different languages are not
the same."
Since no language
exactly mirrors the vocabulary and grammar of Biblical Hebrew and Greek, a
word-for-word translation of the Bible would be unclear or might even convey
the wrong meaning. Consider the following examples.
In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul used an expression that
is literally transated "in the (dice) cube of the men
"(Ephesians
When writing to the
Romans, Paul used a Greek expression that literally means "to the spirit
boiling." (Romans 12:11, Kingdom Interlinear) Does this wording make sense in your language? The
expression actually means to be "aglow with the spirit."
During one of his most famous
speeches, Jesus used an expression that is often translated: "Blessed are
the poor in spirit." (Matthew 5:3) But a literal rendering of this expression
is obscure in many languages.
In some cases, a strictly literal translation even
implies that "the poor in spirit" are mentally unbalanced or lacking
in vitality and determination. However, Jesus was here teaching people that
their happiness depended, not on satisfying their physical needs, but on
recognizing their need for God's guidance. (Luke 6:20) So such renderings as
"those conscious of their spiritual need" or "those who know
their need for God" convey more accurately the meaning of this expression.
-Matthew 5:3; The New Testament in Modern
English.
2. The meaning of a word or an expression may change depending on the
context in which it is used. For instance, the Hebrew expression that normally
refers to the human hand may have a wide variety of meanings. Depending on the
context, this word may, for example, be rendered "control,"
"openhandedness," or "power." (2 Samuel 8:3; 1 Kings 10:13;
Proverbs 18:21)
20 THE WATCHTOWER •
In fact, this particular word is
translated in over 40 different ways in the English edition of the
Because
the context can affect the way a word is translated, the New World Translation uses nearly 16,000 English expressions
to translate some 5,500 Biblical Greek terms, and it uses over 27,000 English
expressions to translate about 8,500 Hebrew terms.* Why this variety in the way
words are translated? The translation committee judged that to render the best
sense of these words according to the context was more important than to
produce a strictly literal translation. Even so, the New World Translation is as consistent as possible in
rendering Hebrew and Greek words into the target language.
Clearly,
Bible translation involves more than simply rendering an original-language word
the same way each time it occurs. Translators must use good judgment in order
to select words that present the ideas of the original-language text accurately
and understandably. In addition, they need to assemble the words and sentences
in their translation in a way that conforms to the rules of grammar of the
target language.
What About Free Translations? Translators who produce what are
frequently referred to as paraphrase Bibles, or free translations, take
liberties with the text as presented in the original languages. How so? They
either insert their opinion of what the original text could mean or omit some
of the information contained in the original text. Paraphrase translations may be
appealing because they are easy to read. However, their very freeness at times
obscures or changes the meaning of the original text.
* It is noteworthy that some English
Bible translations use a greater variety of equivalents than the New World Translation and thus are less consistent.
Consider
the way that one paraphrase Bible translates Jesus'
famous model prayer: "Our Father in heaven, reveal who you are."
(Matthew 6:9, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language) A more accurate translation of
Jesus' words renders this passage: "Our Father in the heavens,
let your name be sanctified." Note, too, the way that John
Why the Need for Caution?
Some
free translations obscure the moral standards conveyed in the original text.
For example, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language says at 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10:
"Don't you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who
don't care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and
abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in
it, don't qualify as citizens in God's kingdom."
Compare that version
with the more accurate rendering found in the
Paraphrase
translations may be appealing because they are easy to read. However, their
very freeness at times obscures or changes the meaning of the original text
Translation: "What! Do you not know that
unrighteous persons will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural
purposes, nor men who lie with men, nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit God's kingdom."
The New World Translation of the Holy
Scriptures has been printed in whole or in part in more than
60 languages, with a total printing of more than 145,000,000 copies!
Notice that the details outlined by the apostle Paul on
exactly what kind of conduct we should avoid are not even mentioned in the free
translation.
Doctrinal bias can also color a translator's work. For
example, Today's English
Version, commonly called
the Good News Bible, has Jesus saying to his followers:
"Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the
road that leads to it is easy and there are many who travel it." (Matthew
7: 13) The translators inserted the term "hell" even though Matthew's
account clearly says "destruction." Why did they do so? Likely, it is
because they want to promote the idea that the wicked will be eternally
tormented, not destroyed.*
Finding the Best Translation
The Bible was written using the
common, everyday languages of average people, such
} The Bible teaches that at death we return to dust, that
the soul dies, and that we no longer have thoughts or feelings. (Genesis 3:19;
Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6; Ezekiel 18:4) Nowhere does it teach that the souls of the
wicked suffer eternal torment in a fiery hell.
as farmers, shepherds, and fishermen.
(Nehemiah 8:8, 12; Acts 4:13) Therefore, a good translation of the Bible makes
the message it contains accessible to sincere people, regardless of their
background. A desirable translation will also do the following:
)Accurately convey the original message that was
inspired by God.-2 Timothy 3:16.
1 Translate the meaning of words
literally when the wording and structure of the original text allows for such
a rendering in the target language.
1 Communicate the correct sense of a
word or a phrase when a literal rendering of the original-language expression
would distort or obscure the meaning.
1 Use natural, easy-to-understand
language that encourages reading.
Is such a translation available?
Millions of readers of this journal favor using the
The New World Translation has been printed in whole or in part in more than 60 languages,
with a total printing of more than 145,000,000 copies! If it is available in
your language, why not ask Jehovah's Witnesses for a copy and see for yourself
the benefits of this accurate translation?
Sincere Bible students want to grasp
and act upon the message that God inspired. If you are such a person, you need
an accurate Bible translation. Really, you deserve nothing less.
22 TH
some cases, a strictly literal
translation even implies that "the poor in spirit" are mentally
unbalanced or lacking in vitality and determination. However, Jesus was here
teaching people that their happiness depended, not on satisfying their physical
needs, but on recognizing their need for God's guidance. (Luke 6:20) So such
renderings as "those conscious of their spiritual need" or
"those who know their need for God" convey more accurately the
meaning of this expression.
-Matthew 5:3; The New Testament in Modern
English.
2. The meaning of a
word or an expression may change depending on the context in which it is
used. For instance, the Hebrew expression that normally refers to the human
hand may have a wide variety of meanings. Depending on the context, this word
may, for example, be rendered "control," "openhandedness,"
or "power." (2 Samuel 8:3; 1 Kings 10:13; Proverbs 18:21)
20 THE WATCHTOWER •