The want of a Free Translation of the Bible, worthy of the original
- Title
- The want of a Free Translation of the Bible, worthy of the original
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Format
- 10 pages on 5 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 13, Folder 20
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3m32nw4t/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3m32nw4t
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx13FF20.xml
- content
-
The want of a Free Translation
of the Bible, worthy of the original
Originality of the Hebrew
[?]
Experimental Science, whose foundations were almost intuitively laid by the great Neopolitan genius +, the science seeking into man's primitive manner of speaking, though made rich by the fruits of profound researches, may still gather treasures in the field of the Hebrew language, of that language which stands at the basis of all Semitic ± tongues, as these are appropriately or inappropriately called. Hebrew and Chaldaic, twin-sisters, preserve in their whole structure notable traces of their origin--ality. They have, moreover,--I must be permitted
+Gian Battista Vico, a deep thinker of the 17th century, in his "Principles of a new science, regarding the common origin of all nations."
The celebrated David Samuel Luzzatto, considering the name Semitic given to such languages, not exact, because the Ethio-pian, spoken by the descendants of Ham, is comprised in the same group, calls them "triliteral" that is, having three letters for their root.
the simile--, they have the vigorous aspect, the ardent yet bold looks peculiar to the age of adolescence. The Sanskrit + and the Prakrit, but chiefly the first, as the mother of Indo-European-tongues, fails, on the contrary, to show the originality claimed for it. The copiousness of expressions, the facility with which it can be moulded into compound-words, the abstract terms in which it abounds, the multiplicity of Grammatical rules, all combines to attest, that, though confessedly ancient, it is the result of mature reflection, an emanation of the cloister, reflecting the minds of sacerdotal castes, and not evincing a spontaneous and self-developing creation of the masses. So true it is, that in order to find in the Sanskrit the simplicity natural to a primitive language, the learned have ima--gined and sought to have detected the existence of older dialects, now said to be almost extinct, from which it drew its derivation. Not so with the Hebrew. Its construction manifestly proves it original.
+ Represented by some philologists as the most original of spoken languages.
It produces its own testimonials, not only in the limited number of words it contains, which number, however, has been considerably underrated, but in the inflexibility it in--variably maintains, and by reason of which every term keeps its distinct individuality, assuming occasionally a different sense, according to the manner in which it is used, but never lending itself to being refashioned at pleasure. The few abstracts terms it possesses, mostly retain their ingenious and at once striking meaning. The few roots on which the tree of the Hebrew language rises, have the character, common to Semitic tongues; they are formed of three letters, which the frequent changes in vowel-points render at times monosyllables. And so does the Hebrew visibly come the very nearest to the monosyllabic languages, which reason suggests to have been first spoken by the human race in its infancy.
The name of the Deity in Hebrew.
Remarkable in the Hebrew is its decided and positive character. It gives it an air of austerity, but renders it preeminently fit to become the hand-maid of religion, speaking authoritatively to the mind, or rather to the feelings. I have said "of religion" but not of mysti--cism; for, Biblical diction has none of that vague and indefinite phraseology of other tongues, and espe--cially of the Oriental, which dims, if it does not alto--gether hide under a thick veil, ideas connected with su--pernatural things. The thoughts set forth are always clear and forcible. I do not know in what language of either a people in his primitive simplicity, or of one highly cultivated has the ineffable name of the Supreme Being been presented more plainly and yet withal more expressively. For by the sign of the Future tense with which it begins, the Eternity and Infinity of God are sug--gested to our intellects, and while the Yod + points to His personal existence, radically excluding pantheistic theories, the remaining letters ± denote His presence, all-pervading & ubiquitous.
+ The sign of the 3d person.
± According to Debenedeth, all the three letters [Hebrew] stand to signify the Present tense.
Thus, the name of the Being worshipped by the Jewish race and round which have, of course, clustered thousands of both mystical and pious interpretations; the name of which the Jovis (Jupiter) of the heathens is but a faint echo, reveals in its real sound and formation, the simplest Theism. It almost typifies the ideas natural with the people of Israel; the same ideas which their language brightly reflects.
Close Identity between the Phoenician and Hebrew-languages
Deserving of special attention to the student of Hebrew are the disinterred documents and relics of the Phoenician people--the British of antiquity. First and successful navigators, inventors of the Alphabet, creators of many branches of industry, an agricultural and at the same time a tra--ding nation, learned but sensual and avaricious and cruelly idolators, burning human victims to fierce gods, the history of their achievements and of their follies will improve the student of philology. Specially the European will be interested in the amount of knowledge
to be derived from searching into the past of that people. For they left the impress of their power beyond the continent of Asia, and established colonies as far as Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, Spain and the Balearic isles. The founders of new Carthage, of that Carthage, where the commercial genius and insatiable will of the Phoenician race, came to a deadly battle with the conquering genius and stern will of the Latin race, can still be asked, and they will give us instruction. Carthage fell, and as the epic bard had written, no vestige was left of even her ruins. But traces of her political and civil life are stamped on medals, which the earth, wherein they were hidden, was made to return. What the spirit of research has met in various places on which Carthage sat her foot, discloses the analogy nay, the identity existing between the language she spoke and the language of the Bible.
Whence does the word Carthage itself draw its deriva--tion, but from Kartá, in Scriptural Chaldaic "City" and doubtless in this instance, the city par excellence?
"Suffetes" and "Sirnes" are styled her magistrates, and the appellation brings to mind the ancient Judges of Israel and the Chiefs of Philistia. + The illus--trious generals Asdrubal and Hannibal, recall the impassioned oratory of the prophets against the wor--ship of the debasing Baal. For while the first appears to signify "His help is Baal" ±, the second may be interpreted "My vigour is Baal" ǂ. And might not the father of the renowned chieftan, have been sur--named Barcas from "Barak," lightning, because of the shining glory he attained in his campaign in against the Spanish country? Now in the same manner as with regard to proper nouns, so likewise touching geographical names, the closest similarity may be discovered between the Phoenician and the Hebrew. The isle of Malta, to which the ancient olden people of Africa emigrated,
+ Shofeté Israel. Sarné Philishtim.
± [Hebrew] [Hebrew]
and the world Malat, to take refuge, are very nearly alike. Etna and Atun, a burning furnace, bear a strong affinity to each other. And none can be cet certain that the river euphonic Arno the river flowing through the charming city of Florence, was not bo--rowed from Arnon of Holy Writ. +
We should not rely upon these seeming evidences of iden--tity, without father and deeper investigations; for they will be apt to mislead. Yet, amid the thick darkness which time has cast over the past, names of places are to the student of the origin of people, like a feeble light spark to a night-traveller. He Journeying through inhospi--table and unexplored regions; he sees a light bright spot looming from a distance, and believes he is approaching a settlement spot. Sometime that spark is a mere vapor rising from the ground, and deceiving the unwary traveller. But it sometimes proves a beacon guiding the weary pilgrim to his resting-place. In fact, through the dense obscurity pervading pre-historic ages, we have
+ A number of words on which De Beneditti tries his ingenuity, are omitted in this translation, not to fatigue the reader.
no other guide but names, and in the absence of books, the must be read attentively and meditated upon.
The want of a free Biblical translation of the Bible worthy of the original.
Professor Renan, lecturing on the study of the Semitic languages, and descanting on the exalted merits of Bibli--cal literature, said once to the students who had crowded around that without the book of Psalms, Lamminais would not have become so powerful a writer. But this distinguished French author drew inspiration from a mediatory agency, from a version of the Hebrew Psalter. Had he beheld the sublime majesty investing the original, even his incisive style would have gained in vigour. For, immutable are the beauties Holy Writ possesses. To feel their influence, they must be seen in their primitive splendour. They will fade under the pencil attempting to reproduce them.
Still, acknowledging the extraordinary difficulties, with which the task of giving the world a translation
worthy of the Scriptures is beset, we may express surprise that Homer and Virgil should have had admirers who have represented them becomingly, and the Bible few or none. None, most assuredly, that whose production may compare favorably in elegance of diction and poetical excellencies with the various and marvellous rendering of Greek and Latin authors. The lack of a work of such a nature is universally felt.
Perhaps the youths of our time, infused with enthusiasm for the grandest of volumes, may assume the arduous but glorious undertaking +. To perform it well, the Spirit of poetry must rule the soul, and a through knowledge of two languages sway the mind. But the rare qualities needed for its accomplishment, may not, we hope, have wholly died away.
+ In this branch, like in all others pertaining to Hebrew literature, Germans, have, in a great number, successfully labored. - Identifier
- p3m32nw4t
- identifier
- SMBx13FF20
Part of The want of a Free Translation of the Bible, worthy of the original
Morais, Sabato, “The want of a Free Translation of the Bible, worthy of the original”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 16, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/91396