The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-07-28
NEW TRANSLATION.
The Projected Version of the Jewish Pub.
LEGATION Society of America.

LEGATION Society of America.
The questioned procuring new Jewish
translation of the books of the Old Tes-
lament into the English language for
the use of the Jewish people of the
United States is now in the hands of the
Jewish Publication Society of America,
and a number of rabbis in this city and
elsewhere are DESTROYS that the work
shall be taken up at once and that it
shall be put into the hands of competent
Hebrew scholars and theologians of the
| Jewish faith. The Executive Committee
of the society has adopted a resolution
expressive of the need of good transla-
ton that shall be printed in a volume
which can be sold at low price. The
editor of the Hebrew Standard, in re-
| ferring to the project of the Publication
Society, says: mo critical eccentrici-
ties are wanted; we desire simply clear
accurate, and readable English version.
This isthe view of the subject that is taken
brought it under discussion.
1t was hoped that the project would
secure the approval of the Central Union
of America Rabbits that has just held it's
convention in this city; but the
programme for that conven-
had been prepared before the
Jewish Publication made its Society
proposition, and the rabbis in attend
ance upon it were unwilling to introduce
any new question which they had not
previously taken into consideration.
They were also aware that any deliver
ance they might make in regard to it
would be very sure to meet with Opposi-
| ton from another rabbinical body, the
| Board of Jewish Ministers, of which the
| distinguished Rabbi Gotthell of this city
| is a leading member. If there is to be
| new translation of the Bible for Jewish
| use, it ought to be version that would
be accepted by the Orthodox Jews as
well as by the Reformers, and that could
be put into the hands of any reader as a
justified rendering of the original text
There is by reason to believe that
Rabbi Isaac M. Wise, of Cincinnati, the
President of the Hebrew Union College,
might be induced to undertake the
work of translation under the auspices
of the Jewish Publication Society of
America. but it is doubtful whether this
society would accept any version that
this rabbi might prepare. There is no
doubt of his Biblical scholarship or of
his competency as translator. For six
| teen years he has expounded the Bible in
the college for the training of rabbis over
which he presides, and for nearly half a
century ne has expounded it in the syna-
gogue and in many volumes. He has re-
Gently given Judaism a Pronaos to Holy
writ, which shows his familiary with
Oriental languages, with Jewish theology,
philosophy, and literature, with all
schools of Biblical analysis, and with
the various questions raised by modern
critics. He is an aged rabbi, but he
still possesses vigorous mind with rare
powers of ratiocination. He holds more
over, that the Massorities have preserved
through all ages mot only the manu-
script, but also pronunciation and accen-
tuation of each syllable of Holy Writ"
Notwithstanding these facts, the Jewish
Publication Society would surely reject
a translation from his hands, as orthodox
rabbis charge him with misinterpreting
both the Bible and the laws of Judaism.
1t is probable, therefore, that rabbi
inical committee of translation will be
formed, and it is suggested that such
committee might be chosen under the
direction of Rabbis Kohler, Gotthell,
and Joseph Silverman of this city.
Among the scholars fitted for service up
on the committee are Rabbis Emil G.
Hirsch, Isaac S. Moses, Israel Joseph,
Krauskopf, Jastrow, Kohut, Felsenthal,
Radin, Grossman. Hecht Isaac M. Wise
and Others 1t might be possible for the
Executive Committee of the Publication
Society to secure both Orthodox and Re-
formed rabbis for service upon COM
mittee of translation.
Several Christian theOlooianS have
been asked to give their opinion of the
desirability of a new Jewish translation
of the Old Testament into the English
language. II should like to see such
work. said one of them. IF it were
well done by thoroughly competent
Jewish scholars it would interest Chris
tians as well as Jews. | believe that
thousands of Christian clergymen would
procure it, study it compare it with our
version, and form an opinion upon the
differences between it and the accepted
English version. I think that more
Christians than Jews would get it, for l
have noticed in this country and in other
countries that those Jews who read the
Bible like to read it, not in any transla-
lation, but in the original Hebrew text.
/ doubt whether any Jewish translators
could make an improvement in our Or
binary version of the Psalms or the
Prophets or the Pentateuch. They
might make few passages rather clear
er than we have them, and they might
in afew cases get more appropriate words
than those that are used in King James's
version: yet believe that the best He
braists among them would desire the
fewest changes. The translators who
gave us our Old Testament were mas
tiers of the English language as we'll as
the Hebrew, and the wording of the
English is as impressive as that of the
Hebrew. Nevertheless, / shall be
,alaaSed to see a new translation 1nder