Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-27
ANOTHER REVISION OF BIBLE
Some Facts About the New work ON
which American Scholars Are
Engaged.

Thirty eminent American scholars have
been meeting at Princeton university IN
conference over the text of revised edi-
ton of the English Bible. They represent
the leading divinity schools and universities
of the United States and Canada Their
task does not look toward translation,
but rather to revision of the authorized
version. For 800 years the so-called King
James edition has held ITS primacy. In
turn. it was based on the Coyerdale and
earlier TRANSACTIONS. So far az ypossible 1t
retained Coverdals's phraseology; but the
translators collectively brought literary
genius of the highest order to bear upon
their task of giving English expression to
the, Hebrew scriptures and the Greek New
Testament.
If one will but ask a friend who reads
Hebrew fluentIy to repeat a psalm or q
passage from one of the prophets in the
ancient original tongue and compare the
rhythm and sound with those of the au-
thorlzed version he will be amazed by the
singular correspondence OF the two. Such
fidelity in the rendering OF the sense and
rhythm and the solemn music of the He
| brew has proved impossible in any Ian
guage other than English. No doubt this
quality. has contributed to the unparalleled
influence OF the English BIpe on English
religion, character and literature. 1t has
done much to deprive the Hebrew scriptures
of alien characteristics. The authorized
version is the great we'll OF English unde5
filed, work Of such idiomatic vigor that 1t
| stands unrlvaled. ?
The 3OOth anniversary of the authorized
version is to be celebrated next May. The
occasion will be marked by the issue of the
new edition revised by American and Eng
lish scholars under the auspices of oxford
university. This revision Is purely literary
While the English Bible has been more In
fluential than anything else in giving fixity
to the language, many changes in gram.
NAUTICAL usage and in the meaning of words
in common use have crept into the common
speech in three centuries The scholars
now In conference have been at work on,
conservative lines to make the language
OF the Bible conform to the usage Of to-
day. Where a word is used in a sense now
generally obsolete, II is to be replaced by
another woro of unequivocaI meaning.
Opinions will differ In regard to the de-
STABILITY of any such revision. however
conservative 1. may be. There are those
who will feel that the revisers are tamper-
ing with the greatest monument of Eng
fish literature. The answer TO this is that
the other version will remain in the hands
of those who prefer it; that the Bible IN
more than literature, being the repository
of revealed religion, and that its primary
purpose is not literary qualification, but
ethical and spiritual teaching and improve
ment This primary purpose is best served
by employing language thoroughly under
standed OF the people, to employ an
archaic locution which would illustrate the
sort Of word and phrase to be revised.
1t seems not to be forgotten that the
authorized version has undergone consider
able verbal revision since it was first Ia
! sued. The extent OF this verbal revision In
known to scholars who have made COM
parisons.-Philadelphi Press