How a single translation error can change the meaning of sacred text
In short: The Bible has been translated into thousands of languages, but the process is rarely straightforward. From the addition of vowel points to the loss of original autographs, scholars must navigate a complex web of linguistic shifts, textual variants, and historical legends to reconstruct what was originally written.
The journey of biblical translation is a history of navigating linguistic evolution and textual ambiguity. The Hebrew Bible was originally written in Biblical Hebrew, though portions like Daniel and Ezra used Biblical Aramaic. During the Babylonian exile, the rise of Aramaic as a lingua franca led to the creation of the Targums, allowing common people to understand the Torah. Later, between the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C.E., the Septuagint—a Koine Greek translation—was compiled in Egypt. Legend suggests Ptolemy II Philadelphus hired 72 scholars for this task, a feat of accuracy supposedly proven by the identical texts they produced.
Textual integrity is complicated by the fact that the original Greek autographs have not survived; scholars must instead surmise the original text from surviving manuscripts. These manuscripts often contain variants, ranging from minor spelling differences to major omissions or additions. In the New Testament, some of the most significant variants include the endings of Mark and the Pericope Adulteræ. Furthermore, early manuscripts lacked punctuation entirely, leaving editors to add it later based on their own interpretations.
The Masoretes, working between the 6th and 10th centuries AD, played a crucial role in standardizing the Hebrew text. They added vowel points, known as niqqud, to the consonantal text. Because some words change meaning depending on the vowels chosen, this process required specific interpretive selections. Today, modern translations often begin with the Masoretic Text but must account for ancient variants found in other versions, such as the Syriac Peshitta or the Latin Vulgate, to ensure accuracy.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Bible translations
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