_PREFACE. IT may seem presumptuous for an ordinary
Woman with no particular advantages of education to translate and
publish alone, the most wonderful book that has ever appeared in the
world, and thought to be the most difficult to translate. It has
ocoupied the time and attention of the wisest and most learned of all
ages, believing, as the world has believed, that such only could give
the correct rendering of the language in which the Bible was written.
Over twenty years ago, when I had four
sisters, a friend met with us weekly, to search the Scriptures, we being
desirous to learn the exact meaning of every Greek and Hebrew word,
from which King James's forty-seven translators had taken their version
of the Bible. We saw by the margin that the text had not been given
literally, and it was the literal meaning we were seeking. I had studied
Latin and Greek at school, and began by translating the Greek New
Testament, and then the Septuagint, from which our Saviour quoted one or
two texts which are not in the Hebrew Bible, and there is now said to
be no Hebrew Bible extant so old as the Septuagint. We all had a strong
desire to learn the signification of the proper names, and I wrote to a
learned friend about it, and he advised me to study Hebrew, saying, " it
was a simple language, and easily learned, there being but one book in
the world, of pure Hebrew, which was the Bible." He added that, " then I
could see with my own eyes, and not look through the glasses of my
neighbors." I soon gave my attention to the Hebrew, and studied it
thoroughly, and wrote it out word for word, giving no ideas of my own,
but endeavoring to put the same English word for the same Hebrew or
Greek word, everywhere, while King James's translators have wholly
differed from this rule; but it appeared to us to give a much clearer
understanding of the text.
It had never at that time entered my mind
that I should ever publish the work, but I was so much interested and
entertained to see the connection from Genesis to Revelation, that I
continued my labors and wrote out the Bible five times, 1 twice from the
Greek, twice from the Hebrew, and once from the Latin-the Vulgate.
These three languages were written over the head of our Saviour. They
are now dead languages and cannot be altered. The whole construction is
so complete, that it does seem to be the work of inspiration, and the
only communication from God to man, for all time. The work is given in
types, in figures, in parables, and in dark sayings, a knowledge of
which is gained, as all other knowledge is gained, by the desire of the
heart to learn it. It may be thought by the public in general, that I
have great confidence in myself, in not conferring with the learned in
so great a work, but as there is but one book in the Hebrew tongue, and I
have defined it word for word, I do not see how anybody can know more
about it than I do. It being a dead language no improvements can be made
upon it. As for the Latin and Greek, I have no doubt many have searched
deeper into the standard . works than I have, but I think no one has
given more time and attention to the literal meaning of the Bible text
in these languages.
It is very possible that the readers of
this book may think it strange that I have made such use of the tenses,
going according to the Hebrew grammar. It seems that the original Hebrew
had no regard to time, and that the Bible speaks for all ages. If I did
not follow the tenses as they are, I myself should be the judge, and
man must not be trusted with regard to the Word of God. I think the
promiscuous use of the tenses shows that there must be something hidden,
that we must search out, and not hold to the outward, for the " letter
kills, but the Spirit gives life." It took me about seven years to
accomplish the live translations, at least, I was engaged in it that
length of time, not giving my whole time to it.
I should probably have been much longer,
had it come into my head that I should ever consent to have it
published. There may be some little inaccuracies, like putting the verb
to be, for is, in a few instances, but I think never has the sense of
the Original Tongue been altered.