Preface to the King
James Translation of 1611 |
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Submitted by Elder
Bill Allen |
(Not Copyrighted)
Part VIII The Translators To The Reader
The Purpose of the
Translators, with their Number, Furniture, Care, etc.
But it is high time to leave
them, and to show in brief what we proposed to ourselves,
and what course we held in this our perusal and survey of
the Bible. Truly (good Christian Reader) we never thought
from the beginning, that we should need to make a new
Translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one, (for
then the imputation of Sixtus had been true in some sort,
that our people had been fed with gall of Dragons instead of
wine, with whey instead of milk:) but to make a good one
better, or out of many good ones, one principal good one,
not justly to be excepted against; that hath been our
endeavor, that our mark. To that purpose there were many
chosen, that were greater in other men's eyes than in their
own, and that sought the truth rather than their own praise.
Again, they came or were thought to come to the work, not
exercendi causa (as one saith) but exercitati,
that is, learned, not to learn: For the chief overseer and
ergodiwkthV under
his Majesty, to whom not only we, but also our whole Church
was much bound, knew by his wisdom, which thing also
Nazianzen taught so long ago, that it is a preposterous
order to teach first and to learn after, yea that
to en piqw keramian
manqanein, to learn and practice together, is neither
commendable for the workman, nor safe for the work.
Therefore such were thought upon, as could say modestly with
Saint Jerome, Et Hebraeum Sermonem ex parte didicimus, et
in Latino pene ab ipsis incunabulis etc. detriti sumus. Both
we have learned the Hebrew tongue in part, and in the Latin
we have been exercised almost from our very cradle. S.
Jerome maketh no mention of the Greek tongue, wherein yet he
did excel, because he translated not the old Testament out
of Greek, but out of Hebrew. And in what sort did these
assemble? In the trust of their own knowledge, or of their
sharpness of wit, or deepness of judgment, as it were in an
arm of flesh? At no hand. They trusted in him that hath the
key of David, opening and no man shutting; they prayed to
the Lord the Father of our Lord, to the effect that S.
Augustine did; O let thy Scriptures be my pure delight,
let me not be deceived in them, neither let me deceive by
them. In this confidence, and with this devotion did
they assemble together; not too many, lest one should
trouble another; and yet many, lest many things haply might
escape them. If you ask what they had before them, truly it
was the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, the Greek of the
New. These are the two golden pipes, or rather conduits,
where-through the olive branches empty themselves into the
gold. Saint Augustine calleth them precedent, or original
tongues; Saint Jerome, fountains. The same Saint Jerome
affirmeth, and Gratian hath not spared to put it into his
Decree, That as the credit of the old Books (he
meaneth of the Old Testament) is to be tried by the
Hebrew Volumes, so of the New by the Greek tongue, he
meaneth by the original Greek. If truth be to be tried by
these tongues, then whence should a Translation be made, but
out of them? These tongues therefore, the Scriptures we say
in those tongues, we set before us to translate, being the
tongues wherein God was pleased to speak to his Church by
his Prophets and Apostles. Neither did we run over the work
with that posting haste that the Septuagint did, if that be
true which is reported of them, that they finished it in 72
days; neither were we barred or hindered from going over it
again, having once done it, like S. Jerome, if that be true
which himself reporteth, that he could no sooner write
anything, but presently it was caught from him, and
published, and he could not have leave to mend it: neither,
to be short, were we the first that fell in hand with
translating the Scripture into English, and consequently
destitute of former helps, as it is written of Origen, that
he was the first in a manner, that put his hand to write
Commentaries upon the Scriptures, and therefore no marvel,
if he overshot himself many times. None of these things: the
work hath not been huddled up in 72 days, but hath cost the
workmen, as light as it seemeth, the pains of twice seven
times seventy two days and more: matters of such weight and
consequence are to be speeded with maturity: for in a
business of moment a man feareth not the blame of convenient
slackness. Neither did we think much to consult the
Translators or Commentators, Chaldee, Hebrew, Syrian, Greek
or Latin, no nor the Spanish, French, Italian, or Dutch;
neither did we disdain to revise that which we had done, and
to bring back to the anvil that which we had hammered: but
having and using as great helps as were needful, and fearing
no reproach for slowness, nor coveting praise for
expedition, we have at the length, through the good hand of
the Lord upon us, brought the work to that pass that you
see.
Reasons Moving Us To Set
Diversity of Senses in the Margin, where there is Great
Probability for Each
Some peradventure would have
no variety of senses to be set in the margin, lest the
authority of the Scriptures for deciding of controversies by
that show of uncertainty, should somewhat be shaken. But we
hold their judgment not to be so sound in this point. For
though, whatsoever things are necessary are manifest,
as S. Chrysostom saith, and as S. Augustine, In those
things that are plainly set down in the Scriptures, all such
matters are found that concern Faith, Hope, and Charity.
Yet for all that it cannot be dissembled, that partly to
exercise and whet our wits, partly to wean the curious from
loathing of them for their every-where plainness, partly
also to stir up our devotion to crave the assistance of
God's spirit by prayer, and lastly, that we might be forward
to seek aid of our brethren by conference, and never scorn
those that be not in all respects so complete as they should
be, being to seek in many things ourselves, it hath pleased
God in his divine providence, here and there to scatter
words and sentences of that difficulty and doubtfulness, not
in doctrinal points that concern salvation, (for in such it
hath been vouched that the Scriptures are plain) but in
matters of less moment, that fearfulness would better beseem
us than confidence, and if we will resolve, to resolve upon
modesty with S. Augustine, (though not in this same case
altogether, yet upon the same ground) Melius est dubitare
de occultis, quam litigare de incertis, it is better to make
doubt of those things which are secret, than to strive about
those things that are uncertain. There be many words in
the Scriptures, which be never found there but once, (having
neither brother nor neighbor, as the Hebrews speak) so that
we cannot be holpen by conference of places. Again, there be
many rare names of certain birds, beasts and precious
stones, etc. concerning which the Hebrews themselves are so
divided among themselves for judgment, that they may seem to
have defined this or that, rather because they would say
something, than because they were sure of that which they
said, as S. Jerome somewhere saith of the Septuagint. Now in
such a case, doth not a margin do well to admonish the
Reader to seek further, and not to conclude or dogmatize
upon this or that peremptorily? For as it is a fault of
incredulity, to doubt of those things that are evident: so
to determine of such things as the Spirit of God hath left
(even in the judgment of the judicious) questionable, can be
no less than presumption. Therefore as S. Augustine saith,
that variety of Translations is profitable for the finding
out of the sense of the Scriptures: so diversity of
signification and sense in the margin, where the text is no
so clear, must needs do good, yea, is necessary, as we are
persuaded. We know that Sixtus Quintus expressly forbiddeth,
that any variety of readings of their vulgar edition, should
be put in the margin, (which though it be not altogether the
same thing to that we have in hand, yet it looketh that way)
but we think he hath not all of his own side his favorers,
for this conceit. They that are wise, had rather have their
judgments at liberty in differences of readings, than to be
captivated to one, when it may be the other. If they were
sure that their high Priest had all laws shut up in his
breast, as Paul the Second bragged, and that he were as free
from error by special privilege, as the Dictators of Rome
were made by law inviolable, it were another matter; then
his word were an Oracle, his opinion a decision. But the
eyes of the world are now open, God be thanked, and have
been a great while, they find that he is subject to the same
affections and infirmities that others be, that his skin is
penetrable, and therefore so much as he proveth, not as much
as he claimeth, they grant and embrace.
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