Complutensian Polyglot Bible - Revision history

Nick: /* The preface */

2025-04-25T10:05:19Z

The preface

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:05, 25 April 2025
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	:Moreover, wherever there is diversity in the Latin manuscripts or the suspicion of a corrupted reading (we know how frequently this occurs because of the ignorance and negligence of copyists), it is necessary to go back to the original source of Scripture, as St. Jerome and St. Augustine and other ecclesiastical writers advise us to do, to examine the authenticity of the books of the Old Testament in the light of the correctness of the Hebrew text and of the New Testament in the light of the Greek copies. And so that every student of Holy Scripture might have at hand the original texts themselves and be able to quench his thirst at the very fountainhead of the water that flows unto life everlasting and not have to content himself with rivulets alone, we ordered the original languages of Holy Scripture with their translations adjoined to be printed an dedicated to your Holiness. And we first took care to print the New Testament in Greek and Latin together with a lexicon of all the Greek expressions that can help those reading that language. Thus we spared no effort on behalf of those who have not acquired a full knowledge of the Greek tongue.		:Moreover, wherever there is diversity in the Latin manuscripts or the suspicion of a corrupted reading (we know how frequently this occurs because of the ignorance and negligence of copyists), it is necessary to go back to the original source of Scripture, as St. Jerome and St. Augustine and other ecclesiastical writers advise us to do, to examine the authenticity of the books of the Old Testament in the light of the correctness of the Hebrew text and of the New Testament in the light of the Greek copies. And so that every student of Holy Scripture might have at hand the original texts themselves and be able to quench his thirst at the very fountainhead of the water that flows unto life everlasting and not have to content himself with rivulets alone, we ordered the original languages of Holy Scripture with their translations adjoined to be printed an dedicated to your Holiness. And we first took care to print the New Testament in Greek and Latin together with a lexicon of all the Greek expressions that can help those reading that language. Thus we spared no effort on behalf of those who have not acquired a full knowledge of the Greek tongue.

			Also:

			:“What we have done our main study is the choice of the copies we have used, in order not to to take as archetypes of our edition as the oldest, and those which appeared to us to offer the most irreproachable correction, and we had to choose in an infinite number of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin copies which we have brought, not without from your country, it is to Your Holiness that we are indebted in particular to the Greek copies, and we can not forget the extreme goodness with which it has deigned to send us, from the apostolic library, to the oldest copies, both the Old and New Testaments, from which we have benefited most from the work we had undertaken”

	==Contents==		==Contents==

Nick: /* Translation process */

2019-08-25T02:13:07Z

Translation process

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:13, 25 August 2019
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	===Translation process===		===Translation process===
	~~With the rise of the printing press in the 1450s, the Bible could be distributed much more efficiently.~~ The works started on 1502 and took 15 years to be completed.		The works started on 1502 and took 15 years to be completed.
	At great personal expense, Cardinal Cisneros acquired many manuscripts and invited the top religious scholars of the day, to work on the ambitious task of compiling a massive and complete polyglot "to revive the languishing study of the Sacred Scriptures".		At great personal expense, Cardinal Cisneros acquired many manuscripts and invited the top religious scholars of the day, to work on the ambitious task of compiling a massive and complete polyglot "to revive the languishing study of the Sacred Scriptures".
	[[Diego López de Zúñiga (theologian)\|Diego Lopez de Zúñiga]], was the chief editor and fluent in Latin as well as both Aramaic and Arabic.		[[Diego López de Zúñiga (theologian)\|Diego Lopez de Zúñiga]], was the chief editor and fluent in Latin as well as both Aramaic and Arabic.

Nick: /* The preface */

2019-08-25T02:03:11Z

The preface

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:03, 25 August 2019
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	==The preface==		==The preface==
			[[Image:Cisneros' original complutensian polyglot Bible -2.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Other page from ''Biblia Poliglotta Complutense'']]
	The preface says:		The preface says:
	:There are many reasons, Holy Father, that impel us to print the languages of the original text of Holy Scripture. These are the principal ones. Words have their own unique character, and no translation of them, however complete, can entirely express their full meaning. This is especially the case in that language through which the Lord Himself spoke. The letter here of itself may be dead and like flesh which profits nought (‘for it is the spirit that gives life’ [[2 Corinthians 3:6\|2 Cor. 3:6]]) because Christ concealed by the form of the words remains enclosed within its womb. But there is no doubt that there is a rich fecundity so astonishing and an abundance of sacred mysteries so teeming that since it is ever full to overflowing ‘streams of living water shall flow out from His breast’ [[John 7:38]]. And from this source those to whom it has been given ‘to behold the glory of the Lord with an unveiled face and thus be transformed into that very image’ [[2 Corinthians 3:18\|2 Cor. 3:18]] can continually draw the marvellous secrets of His divinity. Indeed there can be no language or combination of letters from which the most hidden meanings of heavenly wisdom do not emerge and burgeon forth, as it were. Since, however, the most learned translator can present only a part of this, the full Scripture in translation inevitably remains up to the present time laden with a variety of sublime truths which cannot be understood form any source other than the original language.		:There are many reasons, Holy Father, that impel us to print the languages of the original text of Holy Scripture. These are the principal ones. Words have their own unique character, and no translation of them, however complete, can entirely express their full meaning. This is especially the case in that language through which the Lord Himself spoke. The letter here of itself may be dead and like flesh which profits nought (‘for it is the spirit that gives life’ [[2 Corinthians 3:6\|2 Cor. 3:6]]) because Christ concealed by the form of the words remains enclosed within its womb. But there is no doubt that there is a rich fecundity so astonishing and an abundance of sacred mysteries so teeming that since it is ever full to overflowing ‘streams of living water shall flow out from His breast’ [[John 7:38]]. And from this source those to whom it has been given ‘to behold the glory of the Lord with an unveiled face and thus be transformed into that very image’ [[2 Corinthians 3:18\|2 Cor. 3:18]] can continually draw the marvellous secrets of His divinity. Indeed there can be no language or combination of letters from which the most hidden meanings of heavenly wisdom do not emerge and burgeon forth, as it were. Since, however, the most learned translator can present only a part of this, the full Scripture in translation inevitably remains up to the present time laden with a variety of sublime truths which cannot be understood form any source other than the original language.

Nick: /* Erasmus and publication privileges */

2019-08-25T02:02:56Z

Erasmus and publication privileges

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:02, 25 August 2019
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	The NT volume of was printed on 10 Jan 1514, which is volume five. Volumes 1-4 comprise the books of the Old Testament and they were completed on 10 July 1517 (according to the similar printed colophon at the end of volume four). Volume Six was most probably completed on 10 May 1515. [[Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros\|Cardinal Cisneros]] died in July of [[1517 AD\|1517]], five months after the Polyglot's completion, and never saw its publication. Christopher Plantin reprinted the Complutensian Greek text in antwerp in [[1564 AD\|1564]], [[1573 AD\|1573]], [[1574 AD\|1574]], [[1584 AD\|1584]] and [[1590 AD\|1590]], and it was also printed in Geneva in [[1609 AD\|1609]], [[1619 AD\|1619]], [[1620 AD\|1620]], [[1628 AD\|1628]] and [[1632 AD\|1632]].		The NT volume of was printed on 10 Jan 1514, which is volume five. Volumes 1-4 comprise the books of the Old Testament and they were completed on 10 July 1517 (according to the similar printed colophon at the end of volume four). Volume Six was most probably completed on 10 May 1515. [[Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros\|Cardinal Cisneros]] died in July of [[1517 AD\|1517]], five months after the Polyglot's completion, and never saw its publication. Christopher Plantin reprinted the Complutensian Greek text in antwerp in [[1564 AD\|1564]], [[1573 AD\|1573]], [[1574 AD\|1574]], [[1584 AD\|1584]] and [[1590 AD\|1590]], and it was also printed in Geneva in [[1609 AD\|1609]], [[1619 AD\|1619]], [[1620 AD\|1620]], [[1628 AD\|1628]] and [[1632 AD\|1632]].
	~~[[Image:Cisneros' original complutensian polyglot Bible -2.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Other page from ''Bibbia Poliglotta Complutense'']]~~

	==The preface==		==The preface==

Nick: /* Erasmus and publication privileges */

2019-08-25T02:02:18Z

Erasmus and publication privileges

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:02, 25 August 2019
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	The NT volume of was printed on 10 Jan 1514, which is volume five. Volumes 1-4 comprise the books of the Old Testament and they were completed on 10 July 1517 (according to the similar printed colophon at the end of volume four). Volume Six was most probably completed on 10 May 1515.		The NT volume of was printed on 10 Jan 1514, which is volume five. Volumes 1-4 comprise the books of the Old Testament and they were completed on 10 July 1517 (according to the similar printed colophon at the end of volume four). Volume Six was most probably completed on 10 May 1515. [[Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros\|Cardinal Cisneros]] died in July of [[1517 AD\|1517]], five months after the Polyglot's completion, and never saw its publication. Christopher Plantin reprinted the Complutensian Greek text in antwerp in [[1564 AD\|1564]], [[1573 AD\|1573]], [[1574 AD\|1574]], [[1584 AD\|1584]] and [[1590 AD\|1590]], and it was also printed in Geneva in [[1609 AD\|1609]], [[1619 AD\|1619]], [[1620 AD\|1620]], [[1628 AD\|1628]] and [[1632 AD\|1632]].

	[[Image:Cisneros' original complutensian polyglot Bible -2.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Other page from ''Bibbia Poliglotta Complutense'']]		[[Image:Cisneros' original complutensian polyglot Bible -2.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Other page from ''Bibbia Poliglotta Complutense'']]

Nick: /* History */

2019-08-25T02:00:43Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:00, 25 August 2019
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	==History==		==History==
	With the rise of the printing press in the 1450s, the Bible could be distributed much more efficiently. At great personal expense, [[Cardinal ~~Francisco Jiménez de~~ Cisneros~~\|Cardinal Cisneros]]~~ acquired many manuscripts and invited the top religious scholars of the day, ~~including~~ [[Hernán ~~Nuñez~~]], and [[Desiderius Erasmus]] (who refused twice) to work on the ambitious task of compiling a massive and complete polyglot "to revive the languishing study of the Sacred Scriptures." ~~The scholars at~~ the [[~~Complutense University~~]]~~, which is in the city of~~ [[~~Alcalá de Henares~~]]~~, or Complutum~~ in ~~Latin, a city near Madrid~~. ~~Work on the project began in~~ [[~~1502 AD\|1502~~]] ~~under~~ the ~~direction of~~ [[~~Diego Lopez de Zúñiga~~]]~~, and continued there~~ for ~~fifteen years~~.		===Precedents===
			The polyglot bible was the result of [[Toledo School of Translators\|Spain's long-lasting tradition of translations]] of texts. Through centuries the intellectual class of Iberia had developed a deep understanding of the issues of translation and the difficulty of conveying, or even interpreting meaning correctly across languages. Religious texts were known to be particularly difficult due to their high metaphorical content and how dependent on the context in which they were written they tended to be. This sparked a debate in Spain about the convenience of continuing the translation of religious texts and the best way to do it over a century prior to the reformation.
			The customary answer to this debate was to ask religious authorities to examine the translation and cross-check different translations to Castillian, but that in turn created a debate about the qualifications of the religious authority itself to properly translate from the original sources. One of the answers to this debate was the polyglot bible, which Cisneros hoped would end the issue forever.

			===Translation process===
			With the rise of the printing press in the 1450s, the Bible could be distributed much more efficiently. The works started on 1502 and took 15 years to be completed.
			At great personal expense, Cardinal Cisneros acquired many manuscripts and invited the top religious scholars of the day, to work on the ambitious task of compiling a massive and complete polyglot "to revive the languishing study of the Sacred Scriptures".
			[[Diego López de Zúñiga (theologian)\|Diego Lopez de Zúñiga]], was the chief editor and fluent in Latin as well as both Aramaic and Arabic.
			He was given a team of various translators. Converted translators and academics were favoured and specifically sought since they were fluent in the source languages and the cultures of the texts. Second in command, [[Alfonso de Zamora]] (1476-1544) was a converted Jewish scholar, an expert in thalamic studies, and spoke Hebrew as his first language. Other conversos working on the project were [[Alfonso de Alcalá]], [[Pablo de Coronel]]. [[Demetrius Ducas]] a scholar from Crete and [[Hernán Núñez\|Hernán Núñez de Toledo]] ("The Pincian") and [[Juan de Vergara]] were in charge of the translation from Greek manuscripts. [[Antonio de Nebrija]] was specifically called for the translation of the Vulgate. Hernán Núñez de Toledo was also the chief Latinist.

			The scholars met in [[Alcalá de Henares]], a city near Madrid also known by its Latin name Complutum, at [[Complutense University]];

			The [[New Testament]] was completed and printed in 1514, but its publication was delayed while work on the Old Testament continued, so they could be published together as a complete work.

			===Erasmus and publication privileges===
			Cisneros sought out [[Desiderius Erasmus]] (who refused twice) to work on the ambitious task of compiling a massive and complete polyglot "to revive the languishing study of the Sacred Scriptures." Erasmus, who produced his own printed edition of the Greek New Testament. Erasmus obtained an exclusive four-year publishing privilege from [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor\|Emperor Maximilian]] and [[Pope Leo X]] in 1516. [[Theodore Beza]]'s Greek NT Text was used primarily, along with Erasmus' Greek NT Text and with various readings from the Complutensian Greek NT Text to form the [[Textus Receptus]]. The Complutensian Polyglot Bible was a tertiary source for the 1611 King James Version.

	The [[New Testament]] was completed and printed in [[1514 AD\|1514]], but its publication was delayed while work on the [[Old Testament]] continued, so they could be published together as a complete work. In the meantime, word of the Complutensian project reached [[Desiderius Erasmus]] in Rotterdam, who produced his own printed edition of the Greek New Testament. Erasmus obtained an exclusive four-year publishing privilege from [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor\|Emperor Maximilian]] and [[Pope Leo X]] in 1516. [[Theodore Beza]]'s Greek NT Text was used primarily, along with Erasmus' Greek NT Text and with various readings from the Complutensian Greek NT Text to form the [[Textus Receptus]] published by the [[House of Elzevir\|Elzevir]] family (Uncle and Nephew) in 1633, and Erasmus' later editions were a secondary source for the [[King James Version]] of the New Testament. The Complutensian Polyglot Bible was Tertiary source for the [[1611 AD\|1611]] [[King James Version]].

	The NT volume of was printed on 10 Jan 1514, which is volume five. Volumes 1-4 comprise the books of the Old Testament and they were completed on 10 July 1517 (according to the similar printed colophon at the end of volume four). Volume Six was most probably completed on 10 May 1515.		The NT volume of was printed on 10 Jan 1514, which is volume five. Volumes 1-4 comprise the books of the Old Testament and they were completed on 10 July 1517 (according to the similar printed colophon at the end of volume four). Volume Six was most probably completed on 10 May 1515.

	The Complutensian [[Old Testament]] was completed in [[1517 AD\|1517]]. Because of [[Desiderius Erasmus\|Erasmus]]' exclusive privilege, publication of the Polyglot was delayed until Pope Leo X could sanction it in [[1520 AD\|1520]]. It is believed to have not been distributed widely before [[1522 AD\|1522]]. [[Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros\|Cardinal Cisneros]] died in July of [[1517 AD\|1517]], five months after the Polyglot's completion, and never saw its publication. Christopher Plantin reprinted the Complutensian Greek text in antwerp in [[1564 AD\|1564]], [[1573 AD\|1573]], [[1574 AD\|1574]], [[1584 AD\|1584]] and [[1590 AD\|1590]], and it was also printed in Geneva in [[1609 AD\|1609]], [[1619 AD\|1619]], [[1620 AD\|1620]], [[1628 AD\|1628]] and [[1632 AD\|1632]].
	[[Image:Cisneros' original complutensian polyglot Bible -2.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Other page from ''Bibbia Poliglotta Complutense'']]		[[Image:Cisneros' original complutensian polyglot Bible -2.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Other page from ''Bibbia Poliglotta Complutense'']]

Nick: /* Contents */

2019-08-25T00:21:15Z

Contents

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:21, 25 August 2019
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	The typeface devised for the Complutensian by [[Arnaldo Guillén de Brocar]] has been regarded by typographers such as [[Robert Proctor]] as the apex of [[Greek]] typographical development in early printing, before [[Aldus Manutius]]' manuscript-based typefaces took over the market for the next two centuries. Proctor based his [[1903 AD\|1903]] Otter Greek typeface on the Polyglot; the [[Greek Font Society]]'s'' GFS Complutensian Greek'' is likewise based on the Polyglot.		The typeface devised for the Complutensian by [[Arnaldo Guillén de Brocar]] has been regarded by typographers such as [[Robert Proctor]] as the apex of [[Greek]] typographical development in early printing, before [[Aldus Manutius]]' manuscript-based typefaces took over the market for the next two centuries. Proctor based his [[1903 AD\|1903]] Otter Greek typeface on the Polyglot; the [[Greek Font Society]]'s'' GFS Complutensian Greek'' is likewise based on the Polyglot.

			==Paratextual features==
			The Greek lines are mostly right-justified by the modern process of hyphenated word-breaks, whilst the Latin lines are right-justified by the rather unusual process of space-filling o's. But at times the same space-filling o's are also used on the Greek side when the Latin has additional material that is not present in the Complutensian Greek text (e.g., Ac 8:37; 9:5b-6a; 14:7; 23:25, etc.).

	==Manuscripts==		==Manuscripts==

Nick: /* History */

2019-08-25T00:14:15Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:14, 25 August 2019
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	The [[New Testament]] was completed and printed in [[1514 AD\|1514]], but its publication was delayed while work on the [[Old Testament]] continued, so they could be published together as a complete work. In the meantime, word of the Complutensian project reached [[Desiderius Erasmus]] in Rotterdam, who produced his own printed edition of the Greek New Testament. Erasmus obtained an exclusive four-year publishing privilege from [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor\|Emperor Maximilian]] and [[Pope Leo X]] in 1516. [[Theodore Beza]]'s Greek NT Text was used primarily, along with Erasmus' Greek NT Text and with various readings from the Complutensian Greek NT Text to form the [[Textus Receptus]] published by the [[House of Elzevir\|Elzevir]] family (Uncle and Nephew) in 1633, and Erasmus' later editions were a secondary source for the [[King James Version]] of the New Testament. The Complutensian Polyglot Bible was Tertiary source for the [[1611 AD\|1611]] [[King James Version]].		The [[New Testament]] was completed and printed in [[1514 AD\|1514]], but its publication was delayed while work on the [[Old Testament]] continued, so they could be published together as a complete work. In the meantime, word of the Complutensian project reached [[Desiderius Erasmus]] in Rotterdam, who produced his own printed edition of the Greek New Testament. Erasmus obtained an exclusive four-year publishing privilege from [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor\|Emperor Maximilian]] and [[Pope Leo X]] in 1516. [[Theodore Beza]]'s Greek NT Text was used primarily, along with Erasmus' Greek NT Text and with various readings from the Complutensian Greek NT Text to form the [[Textus Receptus]] published by the [[House of Elzevir\|Elzevir]] family (Uncle and Nephew) in 1633, and Erasmus' later editions were a secondary source for the [[King James Version]] of the New Testament. The Complutensian Polyglot Bible was Tertiary source for the [[1611 AD\|1611]] [[King James Version]].

			The NT volume of was printed on 10 Jan 1514, which is volume five. Volumes 1-4 comprise the books of the Old Testament and they were completed on 10 July 1517 (according to the similar printed colophon at the end of volume four). Volume Six was most probably completed on 10 May 1515.

	The Complutensian [[Old Testament]] was completed in [[1517 AD\|1517]]. Because of [[Desiderius Erasmus\|Erasmus]]' exclusive privilege, publication of the Polyglot was delayed until Pope Leo X could sanction it in [[1520 AD\|1520]]. It is believed to have not been distributed widely before [[1522 AD\|1522]]. [[Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros\|Cardinal Cisneros]] died in July of [[1517 AD\|1517]], five months after the Polyglot's completion, and never saw its publication. Christopher Plantin reprinted the Complutensian Greek text in antwerp in [[1564 AD\|1564]], [[1573 AD\|1573]], [[1574 AD\|1574]], [[1584 AD\|1584]] and [[1590 AD\|1590]], and it was also printed in Geneva in [[1609 AD\|1609]], [[1619 AD\|1619]], [[1620 AD\|1620]], [[1628 AD\|1628]] and [[1632 AD\|1632]].		The Complutensian [[Old Testament]] was completed in [[1517 AD\|1517]]. Because of [[Desiderius Erasmus\|Erasmus]]' exclusive privilege, publication of the Polyglot was delayed until Pope Leo X could sanction it in [[1520 AD\|1520]]. It is believed to have not been distributed widely before [[1522 AD\|1522]]. [[Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros\|Cardinal Cisneros]] died in July of [[1517 AD\|1517]], five months after the Polyglot's completion, and never saw its publication. Christopher Plantin reprinted the Complutensian Greek text in antwerp in [[1564 AD\|1564]], [[1573 AD\|1573]], [[1574 AD\|1574]], [[1584 AD\|1584]] and [[1590 AD\|1590]], and it was also printed in Geneva in [[1609 AD\|1609]], [[1619 AD\|1619]], [[1620 AD\|1620]], [[1628 AD\|1628]] and [[1632 AD\|1632]].

Nick: /* Manuscripts */

2019-08-25T00:07:51Z

Manuscripts

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:07, 25 August 2019
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	In the Preface to the reader Cisneros praises the Greek manuscripts sent by Pope Leo X from the Vatican Library and used for the Polyglot, as very old and pure (“vetustissima simul et emendatissima”). He mentions, in addition, other sources: a copy from a very correct manuscript belonging to the legacy of cardinal Bessarion, sent by the Venetian Senate; together with other manuscripts which were the fruit of a long and costly search for a large number of corrected codices.<sup>[1]</sup>		In the Preface to the reader Cisneros praises the Greek manuscripts sent by Pope Leo X from the Vatican Library and used for the Polyglot, as very old and pure (“vetustissima simul et emendatissima”). He mentions, in addition, other sources: a copy from a very correct manuscript belonging to the legacy of cardinal Bessarion, sent by the Venetian Senate; together with other manuscripts which were the fruit of a long and costly search for a large number of corrected codices.<sup>[1]</sup>

	In the 19th century, Vercellone discovered in the [[Vatican Library]], the proceedings of an inventory of the library of Leo X which were drawn up in 1518; he had edited this inventory and described the codices lent to Spain for the preparation of the Complutensian Bible, adding that they had been returned to the library.<sup>[2]</sup> These are Vaticanus Graecus 330 (=108 of Rahlfs’s Catalogue) and Vaticanus Graecus 346 (= 248 of Rahlfs’s Catalogue).<sup>[3]</sup>		In the 19th century, Vercellone discovered in the [[Vatican Library]], the proceedings of an inventory of the library of Leo X which were drawn up in 1518; he had edited this inventory and described the codices lent to Spain for the preparation of the Complutensian Bible, adding that they had been returned to the library.<sup>[2]</sup> These are Vaticanus Graecus 330 (=108 of Rahlfs’s Catalogue) and Vaticanus Graecus 346 (= 248 of Rahlfs’s Catalogue).<sup>[3]</sup> In the inventory, it is stated that they have used ‘very ancient and correct’ manuscripts (antiquissima emendatissimaque) which were supplied from the Vatican library by Pope Leo X himself:
			:Ordinary copies were not the archetypes for this impression, but very ancient and correct ones; and of such antiquity, that it would be utterly wrong not to own their authority; which the supreme pontiff Leo X., our most holy father in Christ and lord, desiring to favour this undertaking, sent from the apostolical library to the most reverend lord the cardinal of Spain, by whose authority and commandment we have this work printed.

	The first contains the Octateuch, 1–4 Kingdoms, 1–2 Paralipomena, 1–2 Ezra, Judith, Esther (Septuagint and Alpha-text) and Tobit (incomplete); and the second contains Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Job, Wisdom, Ben Sira (with the second Prolog), 1–2 Ezra, Esther, Tobit and Judith. It must be emphasized that ms. 330 has many Hexaplaric notes and arabic glosses as well as some Greek scholia to 2 Kingdoms. Ms. 248 is full of Hexaplaric notes in the margins without any indication of the sigla to which those notes should be attributed. As we shall see below, this circumstance may explain some Complutensian singular readings at the beginning of the book of Job.		The first contains the Octateuch, 1–4 Kingdoms, 1–2 Paralipomena, 1–2 Ezra, Judith, Esther (Septuagint and Alpha-text) and Tobit (incomplete); and the second contains Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Job, Wisdom, Ben Sira (with the second Prolog), 1–2 Ezra, Esther, Tobit and Judith. It must be emphasized that ms. 330 has many Hexaplaric notes and arabic glosses as well as some Greek scholia to 2 Kingdoms. Ms. 248 is full of Hexaplaric notes in the margins without any indication of the sigla to which those notes should be attributed. As we shall see below, this circumstance may explain some Complutensian singular readings at the beginning of the book of Job.

Nick: /* The preface */

2019-08-24T23:56:24Z

The preface

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:56, 24 August 2019
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	==The preface==		==The preface==
	The preface says:		The preface says:
	::There are many reasons, Holy Father, that impel us to print the languages of the original text of Holy Scripture. These are the principal ones. Words have their own unique character, and no translation of them, however complete, can entirely express their full meaning. This is especially the case in that language through which the Lord Himself spoke. The letter here of itself may be dead and like flesh which profits nought (‘for it is the spirit that gives life’ [2 Cor. 3:6]) because Christ concealed by the form of the words remains enclosed within its womb. But there is no doubt that there is a rich fecundity so astonishing and an abundance of sacred mysteries so teeming that since it is ever full to overflowing ‘streams of living water shall flow out from His breast’ [John 7:38]. And from this source those to whom it has been given ‘to behold the glory of the Lord with an unveiled face and thus be transformed into that very image’ [2 Cor. 3:18] can continually draw the marvellous secrets of His divinity. Indeed there can be no language or combination of letters from which the most hidden meanings of heavenly wisdom do not emerge and burgeon forth, as it were. Since, however, the most learned translator can present only a part of this, the full Scripture in translation inevitably remains up to the present time laden with a variety of sublime truths which cannot be understood form any source other than the original language.		:There are many reasons, Holy Father, that impel us to print the languages of the original text of Holy Scripture. These are the principal ones. Words have their own unique character, and no translation of them, however complete, can entirely express their full meaning. This is especially the case in that language through which the Lord Himself spoke. The letter here of itself may be dead and like flesh which profits nought (‘for it is the spirit that gives life’ [[2 Corinthians 3:6\|2 Cor. 3:6]]) because Christ concealed by the form of the words remains enclosed within its womb. But there is no doubt that there is a rich fecundity so astonishing and an abundance of sacred mysteries so teeming that since it is ever full to overflowing ‘streams of living water shall flow out from His breast’ [[John 7:38]]. And from this source those to whom it has been given ‘to behold the glory of the Lord with an unveiled face and thus be transformed into that very image’ [[2 Corinthians 3:18\|2 Cor. 3:18]] can continually draw the marvellous secrets of His divinity. Indeed there can be no language or combination of letters from which the most hidden meanings of heavenly wisdom do not emerge and burgeon forth, as it were. Since, however, the most learned translator can present only a part of this, the full Scripture in translation inevitably remains up to the present time laden with a variety of sublime truths which cannot be understood form any source other than the original language.

	::Moreover, wherever there is diversity in the Latin manuscripts or the suspicion of a corrupted reading (we know how frequently this occurs because of the ignorance and negligence of copyists), it is necessary to go back to the original source of Scripture, as St. Jerome and St. Augustine and other ecclesiastical writers advise us to do, to examine the authenticity of the books of the Old Testament in the light of the correctness of the Hebrew text and of the New Testament in the light of the Greek copies. And so that every student of Holy Scripture might have at hand the original texts themselves and be able to quench his thirst at the very fountainhead of the water that flows unto life everlasting and not have to content himself with rivulets alone, we ordered the original languages of Holy Scripture with their translations adjoined to be printed an dedicated to your Holiness. And we first took care to print the New Testament in Greek and Latin together with a lexicon of all the Greek expressions that can help those reading that language. Thus we spared no effort on behalf of those who have not acquired a full knowledge of the Greek tongue.		:Moreover, wherever there is diversity in the Latin manuscripts or the suspicion of a corrupted reading (we know how frequently this occurs because of the ignorance and negligence of copyists), it is necessary to go back to the original source of Scripture, as St. Jerome and St. Augustine and other ecclesiastical writers advise us to do, to examine the authenticity of the books of the Old Testament in the light of the correctness of the Hebrew text and of the New Testament in the light of the Greek copies. And so that every student of Holy Scripture might have at hand the original texts themselves and be able to quench his thirst at the very fountainhead of the water that flows unto life everlasting and not have to content himself with rivulets alone, we ordered the original languages of Holy Scripture with their translations adjoined to be printed an dedicated to your Holiness. And we first took care to print the New Testament in Greek and Latin together with a lexicon of all the Greek expressions that can help those reading that language. Thus we spared no effort on behalf of those who have not acquired a full knowledge of the Greek tongue.

	==Contents==		==Contents==