Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-01

TrAnsIatIng IN New Testament.
A perfect translation is the last result
Of the study Of any writing, and sums up
all the efforts Of the critics and interpre-
ters. 1t is also the most effectual means
of difusing the knowledge they have &C.
cumulated, and of opening a way be-
tween ignorance and learning. And
where the subject is one Of universal in
terest, as in the case Of the Bible, a good
tra~nslation,is a common possession, TO be
priced equally by men Of all degrees OF
knowledge. The purpose Of an English
translation is to carry to the mind Of the
ordinary English reader the whole mean.
ing and spirit Of the original. and moth
ing else. The translator must himself
appropriate the ideas which he is to rem
der, and hold them apart from oil adj
mixture, and he must find or create the
medium through which they may be &C.
curately and Adequately conveyed. The
difficulty OF such a work increases with
the width Of the circle for which it is in
tended. Presupposing exactness, the
most popular translation is the highest.
For it is a fallacy Of the halfeducated to
suppose that work done for the learned
is necessarily 10 itself more learned than
that which is done for the general bene-
6t, as if the editor and commentator
stood on a higher level than the transla-
tor. Both equally profit by the lsbors
of their predecessors, but the translator
adds the sympathetic touch that crowns
the whole. Acuteness, patience, sagsci-
ty, are required Ly both; bit the work of
translation requires also something Of
artistic power. fhe translator may seem
only to be the humble exponent of the
critical interpreter. But the best trans
lator is a good interpreter, and some
thing more. Nor will the distinction III.
timately be found tenable which is some.
times made between a translation for the
student and q translation for the people
at large. The best translation will be
available for both purposes; aud the
larger the public that has been contem
! plated by the translator, the better will
: the translation be, provided the aim hal
been to make the real meaning clear
and not to adapt it to the previous no
8 tons of those who are to read. The
work is successful if, besides accu
; racy aud clearness, it has the two
!. great qualities Of simplicity and strength
These remarks are applicable to al
TRANSACTIONS; and here there should b
d no difference between the translators 0
q the New TestameLt and the translate
of Homer, except in their having a deep
er sense of responsibility, and (since tn
e English Bible must ever be pre-eminent
:. ly a book for the whole people, in thei
aiming at a still more complete trans
formation OF Greek into English. Il
e other respects the work of the Biblica
l. translator is peculiar. II it is the Ell
10 .ence of good translation 20 be at one
ineligible aud true, then everything j
II a bindrsnee to translation which eithe
a colors or obscures the meaning Ct tb
original. But such causes are diferer
q in different books, depending partly o
" the condition OF the text, which has il
K own history, partly on the relation i
which the language Of the author stanC
to his thoughts, and partly also on th
degree of analogy in modes Of thinkin
i'll and speaking between the age whic
produced the writing and that in whic
it IS sought to be reproduced. The diff
NC c%Ulties which arise from this last cauI
are of q more subtle kind, when the
has been a continuous growth or cham
Of ideas and language in the psrticul
n department, as Of poetry or philosoph
in which the work to be translated
ID contained. And if the book in quest,
Il. has been the object Of peculiar feeling
70 as Of contempt or reverence, of aversi'
, or affection, or has been made the 81
lice. Of preconceiyed theories on the pa
I1t of considerable classes Of men, the te
denotes oceasioned by such sentimer
and preconceptions are likely to prov
further source of limitation and errt
iS' Lastly, il it has been in use for ages, a
instead Of being interpreted from itse
Err or from contemporary writings, has
in ken color from each successive phase
human history-if there are many thin
&C. in it imperfectly understood, having
sH' reverence toAthe thoughts and custol
OF Of other times, and which, thereto
lend themselves easily to the sense viii
the interpreter is disposed to give thu
n the difficulty Of restoring the Origin
meaning or shade Of meaning, at a
rate in such passages, is at the create
= Contemporary ReUieO.