www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Scripture and Patristic Writings Which translation?

Would like some advice on the purchase of a Latin Vulgate Bible.
Are there any text in Latin with an Enlgish Translation and Critical Apparatus?
Where could I find one?
Stephanos I

I agree that the NIV reads very well, in some ways it is a pleasure, and it has been a good starter for many people just finding Christ.

But I am very suspicious of the translation. The commitee responsible for the translation deliberately excluded Catholic and Orthodox scholars when doing their work. It was intended as a new translation to fit the needs of Evangelical Protestants and in many small ways the translation is skewed to reflect their theological perspective. Your comment about the notes is an indication of that. I read an article about it once but now I cannot seem to find the reference.

You may notice, as I have, that the work is not sold with Deutero Canonicals and I am led to believe that they did not even bother to translate the Deutero Canonicals as a matter of principal! If that is true, it would be an apalling indication of the intentions of the translators, and an automatic death blow for use by Catholics.

It's a real shame too, the translation is very readable.

MichaEL

I really love the Jerusalem Bible, but the one published in the 60's and 70's. I also use the Doughey-Rheims, I guess I prefer the poetic nature of these Bibles.

Yes Rose, The Jerusalem Bible is Great!

I recently purchased mine from (of all places) a used book store! In mint condition.

It's a March 2000 reprint of the original 1966 edition by Doubleday. It's a readers edition with no marginal notes. Some Protestant must have received it as a gift and dumped it as fast as they could!

I also like the New Jerusalem Bible, although I understand the criticism people have leveled against it and the NRSV I don't think the more inclusive language is anywhere near the kind of problem it is made out to be. The only thing I cannot tolerate is an edition with the Deutero-Canonicals isolated in a section of their own, it just isn't right, so with the RSV and NRSV one must be selective.

We part company on the Douay-Rheims though. As much as I like it (heck, I was raised on it, it's like mothers milk to generations of Catholics) I can't really study it. It's like sometimes there's a wall between me and the meaning, the language is too archaic for me to study.

MichaEL

OOOH MICHAEL!

What a wonderful idea. I know where there are several used Book Stores, I will find out if they have one. Mine is so marked that it is hard to mark it anymore. I mean you can only make som many notations at the same peice of Scripture.

I think Doughy-Reims is easy for me because I was reise on King James. Often as I read the verses, I can hear, as you termed the archaic sounds of KJ, but I think that is why I like it.

There are so many verses that are in my mind from memorization when I was a young Baptist. They still ring loud and clear though I am now in my fifties.

If I am on-line, I like to go the site for the USCCB, I think it is the NIV like you are referring too.

We had a Ptotestant friend visiting this past week and I had to help him with ESDRAS. I found it interesting that he is so facinated by it.

Rose

Dear Silouan,

I used the NASB when I was a Evangelical Christian. I don't see anything wrong with it as a supplement to a Catholic Bible. Of course it lacks the Deuterocononical (forgive my spelling) books, so it is not a complete Bible.

I still use it for its concordance.

My Bible teacher and parish priest recommends that one use several translations of the Bible to get a better meaning of the scripture text.

God bless you,

Paul

As far as Protestant translations go, the NASB and the NIV are the best. The NASB is one of the most literal translations. I prefer the NIV for sheer readability. It is almost as good as the NASB in terms of conservative scholarship in its translation, but it's more flowing without going to the extreme of paraphrasing like the Living Bible and the Good News Bible. (I speak from the experience of attending a conservative Lutheran college. NIV was considered the translation of choice for laity, and NASB was the translation of choice for serious scholarship.)

But as already mentioned, there is the issue of the missing Deuterocanonicals...

Anxiously awaiting my new Septuagint and Douay Rheims Verison in the mail will let you all know what I think when they arrive.
Stephnos I

I used the KJV for a long time, then switched to the NAB, and finally the NJB. I don't have any problems with the New Jerusalem. Is it just the fact that there is inclusive language used, or are there other problems?

Thanks for your input.

~mati

This topic is very new to me, and I have many questions. Psalm 103 as we sing it at the Presanctified Liturgy is very different than what I am able to find in any other translation. Where does that come from?

LaFamilia,

The Psalm 103 transaltion is from Baron Jose De Vinck's Septuagint Psalter if you are using the Levkulic book and (I think) from the Grail Psalter if you are using the Passaic book.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Thank you, Father Deacon. Who is the "great beast made to have fun"? Man?

Quite an eye-catching translation, isn't it!

The verse brings to mind the image of a large creature merrily and freely traveling the ocean.

Sticking to nonmythical creatures, I interpret this to be the whale (or at least the Giant Squid). One or another translation, IIRC, states explicitly that it is the "Leviathan" which is another name for the whale, AFAIK.

It certainly had me thinking - I had never heard that before singing it at Presanctified Liturgy! I should have asked at church first, they knew right away.

I just noticed last night while I was confusing myself reading my many bibles that my 2 Douay/Confraternity bibles(1954 & 1961) use different Psalters, one uses Pope Pius XII(1945) and the other appears to be Clementine version. The Clementine Psalm 50 reads as the Septuagint, where the other 1945 version reads like the Grail.

The annotations are easier to find and read in the 1954 Douay/Confraternity then the 1961, go figure.

james