[B-Greek] LXX vs. Masoretic
Maurice A. O'Sullivan
mauros at iol.ie
Fri Jan 16 12:27:40 EST 2004
At 13:23 16/01/2004, Kenneth C. Vendler wrote:
>I believe the NJPS does in fact on
>occasion translate from the LXX, but only when the Hebrew text is obscure. I
>may be incorrect on this, but on my next trip to Barnes and Nobles I will
>look and see if I can come up with any examples :-)
Kenneth:
I don't have my copy of the NJPS, but the Preface to the 1985 edition
states, firstly makes a general point:
>> In preparing the translation of The Prophets, the translators faced a
recurring problem that deserves special mention. The prophetic books
contain many passages whose meaning is uncertain. Thus, in order to provide
an intelligible rendering, modern scholars have resorted to emending the
Hebrew text. Some of these emendations derive from the ancient
translators, especially of the Septuagint and the Targums, who had before
them a Hebrew text that sometimes differed from today?s traditional text.
Where these ancient versions provide no help, some scholars have made
conjectural emendations of their own. Many modern English versions contain
translations of emended texts, sometimes without citing any departure from
the traditional Hebrew text.<<
and then in relation to the JPS translation states:
>>Like the translation of The Torah, the present translation of the
prophetic books adheres strictly to the traditional Hebrew text; but where
the text remains obscure and an alteration provides marked clarification, a
footnote is offered with a rendering of the suggested emendation. If the
emendation is based on one or two ancient versions, they are mentioned by
name; if more than two versions agree, they are summed up as "ancient
versions." Conjectural emendations are introduced by "Emendation yields."
Sometimes, however, it was deemed sufficient to offer only a change of
vowels, and such modifications are indicated by "Change of vocalization
yields." In all cases, the emendation is given in a footnote, which may be
readily disregarded by those who reject it on either scholarly or religious
grounds. The only exceptions involve such changes in grammatical form as
those, say, from second person to third or from singular to plural. In such
rare instances, the change is incorporated in the text, and the traditional
Hebrew is translated in a footnote.<<
Maurice A. O'Sullivan [ Bray, Ireland ]
mauros at iol.ie
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