Ancient translations
Septuagint
(lat. Interpretatio Septuaginta Seniorum — translation (interpretation) of the seventy elders; gr. Ἡ μετάφρασις τῶν Ἑβδομήκοντα — translation of the seventy interpreters)
The oldest translation of the TaNaKh into ancient Greek.
After the Babylonian captivity, Israel rebuilt the temple and worship. But most of the Jews remained in Babylon and stopped using Hebrew.
There were more Jews in the Diaspora than in Israel. That's why it was decided to make a translation into the international language of the time, Greek.
The translation was made in the 3rd or 1st century B.C. by 72 translators in Alexandria, Egypt. 72 translators at Alexandria, Egypt. This translation was not intended for liturgical purposes, therefore in addition to the books of TaNaKh, a number of historical and important books have been translated: the Third Book of Ezra, the Book of Tobit, the Book of Judith, the Book of the Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach, the Epistle of Jeremiah, the Book of Baruch and the Maccabees.
(lat. Interpretatio Septuaginta Seniorum — translation (interpretation) of the seventy elders; gr. Ἡ μετάφρασις τῶν Ἑβδομήκοντα — translation of the seventy interpreters)
The oldest translation of the TaNaKh into ancient Greek.
After the Babylonian captivity, Israel rebuilt the temple and worship. But most of the Jews remained in Babylon and stopped using Hebrew.
There were more Jews in the Diaspora than in Israel. That's why it was decided to make a translation into the international language of the time, Greek.
The translation was made in the 3rd or 1st century B.C. by 72 translators in Alexandria, Egypt. 72 translators at Alexandria, Egypt. This translation was not intended for liturgical purposes, therefore in addition to the books of TaNaKh, a number of historical and important books have been translated: the Third Book of Ezra, the Book of Tobit, the Book of Judith, the Book of the Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach, the Epistle of Jeremiah, the Book of Baruch and the Maccabees.
Targum
(heb. תרגום - lit. translation, interpretation)
The translation of the TaNaKh (Old Testament) into Aramaic.
The exact time of the appearance of the Targums is unknown.
Tradition attributes the authorship of the first Targum to the scribe Ezra.
However, historical sources date the Targum to the first centuries BC. e.
The most famous targums are Targum Onkelos and Targum Jonathan.
(heb. תרגום - lit. translation, interpretation)
The translation of the TaNaKh (Old Testament) into Aramaic.
The exact time of the appearance of the Targums is unknown.
Tradition attributes the authorship of the first Targum to the scribe Ezra.
However, historical sources date the Targum to the first centuries BC. e.
The most famous targums are Targum Onkelos and Targum Jonathan.
Peshitta
(syr. ܦܫܺܝܛܬܳܐ - short for ܡܦܩܬܐ ܦܫܝܛܬܐ — lit. simple version)
Bible translation into Syriac.
(syr. ܦܫܺܝܛܬܳܐ - short for ܡܦܩܬܐ ܦܫܝܛܬܐ — lit. simple version)
Bible translation into Syriac.
Vulgata
(lat. Biblia Vulgata — Common Bible)
c. 342 – c. 347 – 30 September 420.
by Jerome of Stridon.Translation of Holy Scripture into Latin from Hebrew (Old Testament) and from Greek (New Testament) languages.
The Psalms are given in two versions: juxta Hebraeos (according to the Hebrew text) and juxta LXX (according to Septuagint). Latin text of Bible adopted by the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (1546).
Used in Latin patristics and worship, it underlies most European translations of Bible.
Only the most significant ancient translations of Scripture are presented here.(lat. Biblia Vulgata — Common Bible)
c. 342 – c. 347 – 30 September 420.
by Jerome of Stridon.Translation of Holy Scripture into Latin from Hebrew (Old Testament) and from Greek (New Testament) languages.
The Psalms are given in two versions: juxta Hebraeos (according to the Hebrew text) and juxta LXX (according to Septuagint). Latin text of Bible adopted by the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (1546).
Used in Latin patristics and worship, it underlies most European translations of Bible.
Some are used in Bible translations today.
Early Bible translations
Old TestamentTargums
I BCThe translation of the TaNaKh (Old Testament) into Aramaic.During the Babylonian captivity, the Jews began to use their own language, Aramaic.Therefore, it became necessary to translate Scripture into Aramaic.
Such translations are called Targums.For a long time translations into Aramaic were oral.
It was not until the first century B.C. that translations of the Targums began to be made.
The oldest surviving copy dates back to the first century. Babylon caused not only translations, but also the writing of books.
For example, there are two books in the Tanakh that were originally written in Aramaic: Daniel and Ezra-Nehemiah.
For this reason there are no targums for these books (they are already in Aramaic). All the other books of the Tanakh have targums.
Old TestamentSeptuagint (LXX)
354-430 BCauthor: 70 interpreters.The first translation of the Bible, or rather the Old Testament, which was in use during the time of Jesus.
This is the first and fastest translation. The purpose of use for worship was not, because the translation was fairly free. Added lines, chapters, books.
The fact is that after the transfer to Babylon, most of the Jews did not return to Israel. Israel was in decline and only patriots returned.
So a large diaspora was formed and not all owned Hebrew, or did not own it at the proper level. Because it was decided to make the translation of the Bible into an international language at that time - Greek.
BibleVulgata (V)
lat. public345-420author: Jeromewww.thelatinlibrary.com/bible.html
Translation of the Bible into Latin.
These 2 translations (Septuagint and Vulgate) for a long time remained the only permissible for worship.
BiblePeshitta
I-IIBible translation into Syriac.The Peshitta appeared before the division of Syriac Christianity in the fifth century and was accepted by both the Jacobites and Nestorians.The translation was made in the first or second century A.D. from a Hebrew or Aramaic text.
The oldest surviving copy is dated 500.
The Peshitta corresponds to the Masoretic text, but not as exactly as the Targums or Vulgate.
Old TestamentArabic Translation of the Tanakh
IXauthor: Saadia GaonThe Jewish translation of the Torah and some of the Tanakh into Arabic.The translation is much the same as the Masoretic text.
There were commentaries for educated readers.In addition to the standard translation, there was a Tafsir, a free translation of the Torah with a partial commentary for the general public.The Gaon followed the Targum (Targum Jerushalmi I) in transcribing Saadiah's proper names.The translation was intended for the needs of the Jewish community.
It was most widely used in Yemen, where it was read at synagogue services. The translation became common among Arabic-speaking Jews.
Old TestamentSamaritan Pentateuch
II BCThe Samaritans recognized only the Torah as God's Word and therefore copied and preserved only this part of the Tanakh.If we compare the Samaritan Pentateuch with the Masoretic text, there are about 6,000 differences between them (mostly spelling).It agrees with the Septuagint in about 2,000 out of 6,000 deviations from the Masoretic text.
Everywhere under the central place of worship, Jerusalem is replaced by Mount Gerizim.
John 3:16-17 (or Genesis 1:1 for the OT)
- Targums: בְּקַדְמִין, בְּרָא יְיָ, יָת שְׁמַיָּא, וְיָת אַרְעָא. LXX - Septuagint: ᾿Εν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. V - Vulgata: Sic enim dilexit Deus mundum ut Filium suum unigenitum daret ut omnis qui credit in eum non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternam.17 Non enim misit Deus Filium suum in mundum ut iudicet mundum sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum. - Peshitta: ܵܟܲܢܵܐ ܓܹܝܪ ܐܲܚܸܒ݂ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ. ܐܲܝܟܲܢܵܐ ܕܠܲܒ݂ܪܹܗ ܝܼܚܝܼܕ݂ܵܝܵܐ ܢܸܬܸ݁ܠ. ܕܟܠ ܡܲܢ ܕܲܡܗܲܝܡܸܢ ܒܹܗ. ܠܵܐ ܢܹܐܒܲܕ݂. ܐܸܠܵܐ ܢܸܗܘܘܿܢ ܠܹܗ ܚܲܝܹ̈ܐ ܕܲܠܥܵܠܲܡ.
17 ܠܵܐ ܓܹܝܪ ܫܲܕܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܠܲܒ݂ܪܹܗ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܕܲܢܕ݂ܘܼܢܝܼܘܗܝ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ. ܐܸܠܵܐ ܕܢܸܚܹܐ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܒܐܝܼܕ݂ܗ. - Arabic Translation of the Tanakh: - Samaritan Pentateuch:
