study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第20章
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English than it is in Greek or Hebrew。 That is； the English of the King
James version as English is better than the Greek of the New Testament as
Greek。 As for the Hebrew there was little development for many
generations； Renan thinks there was none at all。 The difference comes
from the point of time in the growth of the tongue when the Book was
written。 The Greek was written when the language was old； when it had
differentiated its terms； when it had become corrupted by outside
influence。 The English version was written when the language was new
and fresh； when a word could be taken and set in its meaning without
being warped from some earlier usage。 The study of the Greek Testament
is always being complicated by the effort to bring into its words the
classical meaning； when so far as the writers of the New Testament were
concerned they had no interest in the classical meaning； but only in the
current meaning of those words。 In the English language there was as yet
no classical meaning； it was exactly that meaning that these writers were
giving the words when they brought them into their version。＇1＇ There is
large advantage in the fact that the age was not a scientific one； that the
language had not become complicated。 So it becomes interesting to
observe with Professor March that ninety…three per cent。 of these words；
counting also repetitions； are native English words。 The language was new；
was still plastic。 It had not been stiffened by use。 It received its set more
definitely from the English Bible than from any other one workmore
than from Shakespeare； whose influence was second。
＇1＇ Trevelyan； England under the Stuarts； p。 54；
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The fourth fact which helped to determine its English style is the
loyalty of the translators to the original； notably the Hebrew。 It is a
common remark of the students of the original tongues that the Hebrew
and Greek languages are peculiarly translatable。 That is notable in the
Hebrew。 It is not a language of abstract terms。 The tendency of language is
always to become vague； since we are lazy in the use of it。 We use one
word in various ways； and a pet one for many ideas。 Language is always
more concrete in its earlier forms。 In this period of the concrete English
language； then； the translation was made from the Hebrew； which was also
a concrete； figurative language itself。 The structure of the Hebrew
sentence is very simple。 There are no extended paragraphs in it。 It is
somewhat different in the New Testament； where these paragraphs are
found； certainly in the Pauline Greek； but even there the extended
sentences are broken into clauses which can be taken as wholes。 The
English version shows constantly the marks of the Hebrew influence in the
simplicity of its phrasing。 Renan says that the Hebrew 〃knows how to
make propositions； but not how to link them into paragraphs。〃 So the
earlier Bible stories are like a child's way of talking。 They let one sentence
follow another； and their unity is found in the overflowing use of the word
〃and〃one fact hung to another to make a story； but not to make an
argument。 In the first ten chapters of I Samuel； for example； there are two
hundred and thirty…eight verses； one hundred and sixty of them begin with
AND。 There are only twenty…six of the whole which have no connective
word that thrusts them back upon the preceding verse。
In the Hebrew language； also； most of the emotions are connected
either in the word used or in the words accompanying it with the physical
condition that expresses it。 Over and over we are told that 〃he opened his
mouth and said；〃 or； 〃he was angry and his countenance fell。〃 Anger is
expressed in words which tell of hard breathing； of heat； of boiling tumult；
of trembling。 We would not trouble to say that。 The opening of the mouth
to speak or the falling of the countenance in anger； we would take for
granted。 The Hebrew does not。 Even in the description of God you
remember the terms are those of common life； He is a shepherd when
shepherds are writing； He is a husbandman threshing out the nations；
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treading the wine… press until He is reddened with the wineand so on。
That is the natural method of the Hebrew languageconcrete； vivid； never
abstract； simple in its phrasing。 The King James translators are
exceedingly loyal to that original。
Professor Cook； of Yale； suggests that four traits make the Bible easy
to translate into any language： universality of interest； so that there are apt
to be words in any language to express what it means； since it expresses
nothing but what men all talk about； then； the concreteness and
picturesqueness of its language； avoiding abstract phrases which might be
difficult to reproduce in another tongue； then； the simplicity of its structure；
so that it can be taken in small bits； and long complicated sentences are
not needed； and； finally； its rhythm； so that part easily follows part and the
words catch a kind of swing which is not difficult to imitate。 That is a very
true analysis。 The Bible is the most easily translated book there is； and has
become the classic for more languages than any other one book。 It is
brought about in part in our English version by the faithfulness of the
translators to the original。
Passing from these general considerations； let us look directly at the
English Bible itself and its literary qualities。 The first thing that attracts
attention is its use of words； and since words lie at the root of all literature
it is worth while to stop for them for a moment。 Two things are to be said
about the words： first； that they are few； and； secondly； that they are short。
The vocabulary of the English Bible is not an extensive one。 Shakespeare
uses from fifteen to twenty thousand words。 In Milton's verse he uses
about thirteen thousand。 In the Old Testament； in the Hebrew and Chaldaic
tongue； there are fifty…six hundred and forty… two words。 In the New
Testament； in the Greek； there are forty…eight hundred。 But in the whole of
the King James version there are only about six thousand different words。
The vocabulary is plainly a narrow one for a book of its size。 While； as
was said before； the translators avoided using the same word always for
translation of the same original； they yet managed to recur to the same
words often enough so that this comparatively small list of six thousand
words； about one…third Shakespeare's vocabulary； sufficed for the stating
of the truth。
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Then； Secondly； the words are short； and in general short words are the
strong ones。 Th
