realm which God would have saved, a simple creature hath translated the
Bible out of Latin into English. First this simple creature had much
travail, with divers fellows and helpers, to gather many old Bibles, and
other doctors and common glosses, and to make one Latin Bible some deal
true; and then to study it anew, the text with the gloss and other doctors
as he might get, and especially Lyra on the Old Testament, that helped
full much in this work; the third time to counsel with old grammarians and
old divines of hard words and hard sentences, how they might best be
understood and translated; the fourth time to translate as clearly as he
could to the sentence,[133] and to have many good fellows and cunning at
the correcting of the translation. First it is to know that the best
translating out of Latin into English is to translate after the sentence,
and not only after the words, so that the sentence be as open, either
opener, in English as in Latin, and go not far from the letter; and if the
letter may not be sued (followed) in the translating, let the sentence be
ever whole and open, for the words ought to serve to the intent and
sentence, and else the words be superfluous or false. In translating into
English many resolutions may make the sentence open, as an ablative case
absolute may be resolved into these three words, with convenable
(suitable) verb, _the while_, _for if_, as grammarians say, as thus: _the
master reading, I stand_, may be resolved thus, _while the master readeth
I stand_, or, _if the master readeth, &c._, or, _for the master, &c._; and
sometime it would accord well with the sentence to be resolved into _when_
or into _afterward_, thus, _when the master read I stood_, or, _after the
master read I stood_; and sometime it may well be resolved into a verb of
the same tense as others be in the same clause, and into this word _et_;
that is, _and_ in English, as thus, _arescentibus hominibus prae timore_;
that is, _and men should wax dry for dread_. Also a participle of a
present tense or preterite of active voice or passive may be resolved into
a verb of the same tense and a conjunction copulative, as thus, _dicens_;
that is, _saying_ may be resolved thus, _and saith_, or, _that saith_; and
this will in many places make the sentence open, where to English it,
after the verb, would be dark and doubtful. Also a relative, which may be
resolved into his antecedent with a conjunction copulative, as thus,
_which runneth_, _and he runneth_. Also when one word is once set in a
clause it may be set forth as often as it is understood, or as often as
reason and need ask. And this word _autem_, or _vero_, may stand for
_forsooth_, or for _but_, and thus I use commonly; and sometime it may
stand for _and_, as old grammarians say. Also when rightful construction
is let (prevented) by relation, I resolve it openly; thus where this
clause _Dominum formidabunt adversarii ejus_ should be Englished thus by
the letter, _the Lord His adversaries shall dread_, I English it thus by
resolution, _the adversaries of the Lord shall dread Him_; and so of other
clauses that be like.
At the beginning I purposed, with God’s help, to make the sentence as true
and open in English as it is in Latin, or more true and more open than it
is in Latin; and I pray for charity and for common profit of Christian
souls, that if any wise man find any default of the truth of translation,
let him set in the true sentence and open of holy writ, but look that he
examine truly his Latin Bible; for no doubt he shall find full many Bibles
in Latin full false, if he look many, namely, new;[134] and the common
Latin Bibles have more need to be corrected, as many as I have seen in my
life than the English Bible late translated. And where the Hebrew, by
witness of Jerome, of Lyra, and other expositors discordeth from our Latin
Bibles, I have set in the margin, by manner of a gloss, what the Hebrew
hath, and how it is understood in some place; and I did this most in the
Psalter, that of all our books discordeth most from the Hebrew; for the
church readeth not the Psalter by the last translation of Jerome, out of
Hebrew into Latin, but another translation by other men, that had much
less cunning and holiness than Jerome had; and in full few books the
church readeth the translation of Jerome, as it may be proved by the
proper originals of Jerome which he glossed. And where I have translated
as openly or openlier in English as in Latin, let wise men deme (judge)
that know well both languages, and know well the sentence of holy
Scripture. And whether I have done thus or not, no doubt they that ken
well the sentence of holy writ and English together, and will travail with
God’s grace thereabout, may make the Bible as true and as open, yea, and
openlier, in English as in Latin. And no doubt to a simple man, with God’s
grace and great travail, men might expound much openlier and shortlier
the Bible in English, than the old great doctors have expounded it in
Latin, and much sharplier and groundlier than many late postillators, or
expositors have done. But God of His great mercy, give us grace to live
well, and to see the truth in convenable manner, and acceptable to God and
His people, and to spell out our time, be it short, be it long, at God’s
ordinance.
But some that seem wise and holy say thus, If men now were as holy as
Jerome was, they might translate out of Latin into English, as he did out
of Hebrew and out of Greek into Latin, and else they should not translate
now, so they think, for default of holiness and cunning. Though this
replication seem colourable, it hath no good ground, neither reason,
neither charity; for why, (because) this replication is more against Saint
Jerome and against the first LXX. translators, and against holy church,
than against simple men that translate now into English; for Saint Jerome
was not so holy as the Apostles and Evangelists, whose books he translated
into Latin, neither he had so high gifts of the Holy Ghost as they had;
and much more the LXX. translators were not so holy as Moses and the
Prophets, and specially David; neither they had so great gifts of God as
Moses and the Prophets had. Furthermore, holy church approveth not only
the true translation of mean Christian men, but also of open heretics,
that did away mysteries of Jesus Christ by guileful translation, as Jerome
witnesseth in one prologue on Job, and in the prologue of Daniel. Much
more late the Church of England approve the true and whole translation of
simple men, that would, for no good on earth, by their witting and power,
put away the least truth, yea, the least letter or tittle of holy writ
that beareth substance or charge. And dispute they not (let them not
dispute) of the holiness of men now living in this deadly life; for they
know not thereon, and it is reserved only to God’s doom. If they know any
notable default by the translators or their helps, let them blame the
default by charity and mercy, and let them never damn a thing that may be
done lawfully by God’s law, as wearing a good cloth for a time, or riding
on a horse for a great journey, when they wit not wherefore it is done;
for such things may be done of simple men with as great charity and virtue
as some that hold themselves great and wise, can ride in a gilt saddle, or
use cushions and beds and cloths of gold and of silk, with other vanities
of the world. God grant pity, mercy, and charity, and love of common
profit, and put away such foolish dooms (judgment) that be against reason
and charity. Yet worldly clerks ask greatly (grandly) what spirit maketh
idiots (laymen) hardy to translate now the Bible into English, since the
four great doctors durst never do this. This replication is so lewd
(unlearned), that it needeth none answer but stillness or courteous scorn;
for these great doctors were none English men, neither they were
conversant among English men, neither they knew the language of English,
but they ceased never till they had holy writ in the mother tongue of
their own people. For Jerome, that was a Latin man of birth, translated
the Bible, both out of Hebrew and out of Greek into Latin, and expounded
full much thereto; and Austin and many more Latins expounded the Bible,
for many parts, in Latin, to Latin men among which they dwelt, and Latin
was a common language to their people about Rome, and beyond and on this
half (side), as English is common to our people, and yet (still) this day
the common people in Italy speaketh Latin corrupt, as true men say that
have been in Italy; and the number of translators out of Greek into Latin
passeth man’s knowing, as Austin witnesseth in the ij. book of _Christian
Teaching_,[135] and saith thus: “The translators out of Hebrew into Greek
may be numbered, but Latin translators, or they that translated into
Latin, may not be numbered in any manner.” For in the first times of
faith, each man, as a Greek book came to him, and he seemed to himself to
have some cunning of Greek and Latin, was hardy (bold) to translate, and
this thing helped more than letted (hindered) understanding, if readers be
not negligent, for why (because) the beholding of many books hath showed
off or declared some darker sentences. This saith Austin here. Therefore
Grosted (Grosseteste) saith that it was God’s will that diverse men
translate, and that diverse translations be in the church, where one said
darkly, one other more said openly.
Lord God, since at the beginning of faith so many men translated into
Latin, and to great profit of Latin men, let one simple creature of God
translate into English for profit of Englishmen; for if worldly clerks
look well their chronicles and books they shall find that Bede translated
the Bible, and expounded much in Saxon, that was English, or common
language of this land, in his time; and not only Bede, but also King
Alfred that founded Oxford, translated in his last days the beginning of
the Psalter into Saxon, and would more if he had lived longer. Also
Frenchmen, Beemers,[136] and Britons have the Bible and other books of
devotion and of exposition translated in their mother language. Why should
not Englishmen have the same in their mother language I cannot wit, no but
(except) for falseness and negligence of clerks, or for (because) our
people is not worthy to have so great grace and gift of God in pain
(penalty) of their old sins. God for his mercy amend these evil causes,
and make our people to have, and ken, and keep truly holy writ, to life
and death.
But in translating of words equivocal, that is, that have many
significations under one letter, may lightly be peril (there may easily be
a danger of mistake); for Austin saith in the ij. book of _Christian
Teaching_ that if equivocal words be not translated into the sense or
understanding of the author it is error,[137] as in that place of the
psalm, _the feet of them be swift to shed out blood_. The Greek word is
equivocal to _sharp_ and _swift_, and he that translated _sharp feet_
erred, and a book that hath _sharp feet_ is false, and must be amended, as
that sentence, _unkind young trees shall not give deep roots_, ought to be
thus _plantings of adultery shall not give deep roots_.[138] Austin saith
this there; therefore a translator hath great need to study well the
sentence, both before and after, and look that such equivocal words accord
with the sentence; and he hath need to live a clean life, and be full
devout in prayers, and have not his wit occupied about worldly things,
that the Holy Spirit, author of wisdom, and cunning, and truth, dress him
in his work, and suffer him not for to err.
Also this word _ex_ signifieth sometime _of_, and sometime it signifieth
_by_, as Jerome saith; and this word _enim_ signifieth commonly
_forsooth_, and, as Jerome saith, it signifieth, _cause thus_, _forwhy_.
And this word _secundum_ is taken for _after_, as many men say, and
commonly; but it signifieth well _by_ or _up_, thus _by your word_, or _up
your word_. Many such adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions be set off
one for another, and at free choice of authors sometime; and now they
should be taken as it accordeth best to the sentence.
By this manner, with good living and great travail, men may come to true
and clear translating and true understanding of holy writ, seem it never
so hard at the beginning. God grant to us all grace to ken well and to
keep well holy writ, and to suffer joyfully some pain for it at the last.
Amen.
(B.)
_TYNDALE’S PROLOGUES._
I. NEW TESTAMENT[139] 1525. 4TO.
I have here translated, brethren and sisters, most dear and tenderly
beloved in Christ, the New Testament, for your spiritual edifying,
consolation, and solace; exhorting instantly and beseeching those that are
better seen in the tongues than I, and that have better gifts of grace to
interpret the sense of the Scripture and meaning of the Spirit than I, to
consider and ponder my labour, and that with the spirit of meekness; and
if they perceive in any places that I have not attained unto the very
sense of the tongue, or meaning of the Scripture, or have not given the
right English word, that they put to their hands to amend it, remembering
that so is their duty to do. For we have not received the gifts of God for
ourselves only, or for to hide them; but for to bestow them unto the
honouring of God and Christ, and edifying of the congregation, which is
the body of Christ.
The causes that moved me to translate, I thought better that others should
imagine, than that I should rehearse them. Moreover I supposed it
superfluous; for who is so blind as to ask why light should be showed to
them that walk in darkness, where they cannot but stumble, and where to
stumble is the danger of eternal damnation; other so despiteful that he
would envy any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing; or so
bedlam mad to affirm that good is the natural cause of evil, and darkness
to proceed out of light, and that lying should be grounded in truth and
verity, and not rather clean contrary, that light destroyeth darkness, and
verity reproveth all manner of lying.
After it had pleased GOD to put in my mind and also to give me grace to
translate this fore-rehearsed New Testament into our English tongue,
howsoever we have done it, I supposed it very necessary to put you in
remembrance of certain points, which are, that ye well understand what
these words mean: the Old Testament, the New Testament; the law, the
gospel; Moses, Christ; nature, grace; working and believing; deeds and
faith; lest we ascribe to the one that which belongeth to the other, and
make of Christ Moses, of the gospel the law, despise grace and rob faith;
and fall from meek learning into idle dispicions; brawling and scolding
about words.
The Old Testament is a book wherein is written the law of God, and the
deeds of them which fulfil them, and of them also which fulfil them not.
The New Testament is a book wherein are contained the promises of God, and
the deeds of them which believe them or believe them not.
Evangelion (that we call the gospel) is a Greek word, and signifies good,
merry, glad, and joyful tidings, that maketh a man’s heart glad, and
maketh him sing, dance, and leap for joy: as when David had killed Goliath
the giant, came glad tidings unto the Jews, that their fearful and cruel
enemy was slain, and they delivered out of all danger; for gladness
whereof, they sung, danced, and were joyful. In like manner is the
Evangelion of God (which we call gospel, and the New Testament) joyful
tidings; and, as some say, a good hearing, published by the apostles
throughout all the world, of Christ the right David, how that he hath
fought with sin, with death, and the devil, and overcome them: whereby all
men that were in bondage to sin, wounded with death, overcome of the
devil, are, without their own merits or deservings, loosed, justified,
restored to life and saved, brought to liberty and reconciled unto the
favour of God, and set at one with him again; which tidings, as many as
believe, laud, praise, and thank God; are glad, sing, and dance for joy.
This Evangelion or gospel (that is to say, such joyful tidings) is called
the New Testament; because that as a man, when he shall die, appointeth
his goods to be dealt and distributed after his death among them which he
nameth to be his heirs; even so Christ, before his death, commanded and
appointed that such Evangelion, gospel, or tidings, should be declared
throughout all the world, and therewith to give unto all that believe, all
his goods; that is to say, his life, wherewith he swallowed and devoured
up death; his righteousness, wherewith he banished sin; his salvation,
wherewith he overcame eternal damnation. Now, can the wretched man, that
[knoweth himself to be wrapped] in sin, and in danger to death and hell,
hear no more joyous a thing than such glad and comfortable tidings of
Christ; so that he cannot but be glad and laugh from the low bottom of his
heart, if he believe that the tidings are true.
To strength such faith withal, God promised this his Evangelion in the Old
Testament by the prophets, as Paul saith (Rom. i.), how that he was chosen
out to preach God’s Evangelion, which he before had promised by the
prophets in the Scriptures, that treat of his Son which was born of the
seed of David. In Gen. iii. God saith to the serpent, “I will put hatred
between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed, that self seed
shall tread thy head under foot.” Christ is this woman’s seed; he it is
that hath trodden under foot the devil’s head; that is to say, sin, death,
hell, and all his power. For without this seed can no man avoid sin,
death, hell, and everlasting damnation.
Again (Gen. xxii.), God promised Abraham, saying, “In thy seed shall all
the generations of the earth be blessed.” Christ is that seed of Abraham,
saith St. Paul. (Gal. iii.) He hath blessed all the world through the
gospel. For where Christ is not, there remaineth the curse that fell on
Adam as soon as he had sinned, so that they are in bondage under the
condemnation of sin, death, and hell. Against this curse blesseth now the
gospel all the world, inasmuch as it crieth openly, saying, Whosoever
believeth on the Seed of Abraham shall be blessed, that is, he shall be
delivered from sin, death, and hell, and shall henceforth continue
righteous, living and saved for ever, as Christ himself saith, in the
eleventh of John, “He that believeth on me shall never more die.”
“The law,” saith the gospel of John in the first chapter, “was given by
Moses: but grace and verity by Jesus Christ.” The law, whose minister is
Moses, was given to bring us unto the knowledge of ourselves, that we
might thereby feel and perceive what we are of nature. The law condemneth
us and all our deeds, and is called of Paul in 2 Cor. iii. the
ministration of death. For it killeth our consciences and driveth us to
desperation, inasmuch as it requireth of us that which is impossible for
us to do. It requireth of us the deeds of a whole man. It requireth
perfect love from the low bottom and ground of the heart, as well in all
things which we suffer, as in the things which we do. But, saith John, in
the same place, “grace and verity is given us in Christ,” so that when the
law hath passed upon us, and condemned us to death, which is its nature to
do, then we have in Christ grace, that is to say, favour, promises of
life, of mercy, of pardon, freely by the merits of Christ; and in Christ
have we verity and truth, in that God fulfilleth all his promises to them
that believe. Therefore is the gospel the ministration of life. Paul
calleth it in the fore rehearsed place of 2 Cor. iii. the ministration of
the Spirit and of righteousness.
In the gospel, when we believe the promises, we receive the Spirit of
life, and are justified in the blood of Christ from all things whereof the
law condemned us. Of Christ it is written in the fore rehearsed John i.
This is He of whose abundance, or fulness, all we have received, grace for
grace, or favour for favour. That is to say, for the favour that God hath
to his Son Christ he giveth unto us his favour and good will, as a father
to his sons. As affirmeth Paul, saying, “Which loved us in his Beloved
before the creation of the world.” Christ is made Lord over all, and is
called in scripture God’s mercy-stool; whosoever therefore flieth to
Christ can neither hear nor receive of God any other thing save mercy.
In the Old Testament are many promises, which are nothing else but the
Evangelion or gospel, to save those that believed them from the vengeance
of the law. And in the New Testament is often made mention of the law, to
condemn them which believe not the promises. Moreover the law and the
gospel may never be separate; for the gospel and promises serve but for
troubled consciences, which are brought to desperation, and feel the pains
of hell and death under the law, and are in captivity and bondage under
the law. In all my deeds I must have the law before me to condemn mine
imperfectness. For all that I do, be I never so perfect, is yet damnable
sin, when it is compared to the law, which requireth the ground and bottom
of mine heart. I must therefore have always the law in my sight, that I
may be meek in the spirit, and give God all the laud and praise, ascribing
to him all righteousness, and to myself all unrighteousness and sin. I
must also have the promises before mine eyes, that I despair not; in which
promises I see the mercy, favour, and good will of God upon me, in the
blood of his Son Christ, which hath made satisfaction for mine
unperfectness, and fulfilled for me that which I could not do.
Here may ye perceive that two manner of people are sore deceived. First,
they which justify themselves with outward deeds, in that they abstain
outwardly from that which the law forbiddeth, and do outwardly that which
the law commandeth. They compare themselves to open sinners; and in
respect of them justify themselves, condemning the open sinners. They set
a veil on Moses’ face, and see not how the law requireth love from the
bottom of the heart. If they did they would not condemn their neighbours.
“Love hideth the multitude of sins,” saith St. Peter, in his first
epistle. For whom I love from the deep bottom and ground of mine heart,
him condemn I not, neither reckon his sins, but suffer his weakness and
infirmity, as a mother the weakness of her son, until he grow up unto a
perfect man.
Those also are deceived which, without all fear of God, give themselves
unto all manner vices with full consent, and full delectation, having no
respect to the law of God (under whose vengeance they are locked up in
captivity), but say, God is merciful and Christ died for us, supposing
that such dreaming and imagination is that faith which is so greatly
commended in holy scripture. Nay, that is not faith, but rather a foolish
blind opinion springing of their own nature, and it is not given them of
the Spirit of God; true faith is (as saith the apostle Paul) the gift of
God, and is given to sinners after the law hath passed upon them, and hath
brought their consciences unto the brink of desperation, and sorrows of
hell.
They that have this right faith, consent to the law that it is righteous,
and good, and justify God which made the law, and have delectation in the
law, notwithstanding that they cannot fulfil it, for their weakness; and
they abhor whatsoever the law forbiddeth, though they cannot avoid it. And
their great sorrow is, because they cannot fulfil the will of God in the
law; and the spirit that is in them crieth to God night and day for
strength and help, with tears (as saith Paul) that cannot be expressed
with tongue. Of which things the belief of our popish (or of their)
father, whom they so magnify for his strong faith, hath none experience at
all.
The first, that is to say, a justiciary, which justifieth himself with his
outward deeds, consenteth not to the inward law, neither hath delectation
therein: yea, he would rather that no such law were. So he justifieth not
God, but hateth him as a tyrant, neither careth he for the promises, but
will with his own strength be saviour of himself; no wise glorifieth he
God, though he seem outward to do.
The second, that is to say, the sensual person, as a voluptuous swine,
neither feareth God in his law, neither is thankful to him for his
promises and mercy, which is set forth in Christ to all them that believe.
The right christian man consenteth to the law, that it is righteous, and
justifieth God in the law; for he affirmeth that God is righteous and
just, which is author of the law. He believeth the promises of God, and so
justifieth God, judging him true, and believing that he will fulfil his
promises. With the law he condemneth himself and all his deeds, and giveth
all the praise to God. He believeth the promises, and ascribeth all truth
to God: thus everywhere justifieth he God, and praiseth God.