I cannot therefore recommend to the imitation of future translators the manner of placing words which Bishop Lowth occasionally uses. As, "Wherefore my bowels for Moab like a harp shall sound." Isai. xvi. 11. "In Jehovah shall be justified, and make their boast, all the seed of Israel." C. xlv, 25. But I approve of such a structure as, "To the fatherless they administer not Justice:" C. i. 23. "And the reproach of thy widowhood thou shalt remember no more." C. liv. 4. Though I think that the former line may be better rendered according to Rule I. "The fatherless they judge not." In Mr. Blayney's translation we find frequent instances of a good structure, by judiciously adhering to the Hebrew turn of the sentence: As, "And mine heritage ye made an abomination." Jer. ii. 7, "And the sword and the famine shall we not see." Jer. v. 11. Our translators also sometimes give a pleasing turn to their clauses by conformity to the order of the words in the original. As, "Surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you." Ezek. xx. 33. "And with their idols have they committed adultery." Ib, c. xxiii. 37. But they are by no means strict observers of this method:" for in the next verse to the passage last quoted they render," And have profaned my sabbaths;" whereas the order in the Hebrew is, " And my sabbaths have they profaned." They also make use of inversions which are not found in the Hebrew: as, " And out of their hand I will not deliver them:" where the original is," And I will not deliver them out of their hand." Zech. xi. 6. RULE VI. The simple and ancient turn of the present version should be retained. Swift was an admirer of simplicity, and is an example of it. He thinks it "one of the greatest perfections in any language;" and " the many beautiful passages in the Old and New Testament he takes to be owing to the simplicity that runs through the whole." Letter to Lord Oxford. This simplicity arises, in a great measure, from the preference of pure English words to foreign ones. Thus our translators use keep back for suppress, call upon for invoke, put under for submit, bow down for incline, lift up for exalt, stretch out for extend, cry out for exclaim, put away for divorse, put asunder for separate, cut off for reject, let go for dismiss, fall away for desert, &c. &c. They are even so fond of these Anglicisms, that they often prefer them to single English words: as in the use of turn back for return, go away for depart, let go for release, &c. In this they are generally to be imitated. But when a latinized word expresses the precise idea of the original, which a term purely English cannot reach, it may be questioned whether propriety should be sacrificed to simplicity. Thus the word signifies to shew joy by outward gestures, tripudiis et volutationibus: see Cast. lex: and I am therefore disposed to render it always by exult. Again: this manner of expression should, It hink, be rejected when it degenerates into familiar idiom: as, hold thy tongue for be silent, we cannot tell for we know not, to take in hand for to undertake, to be at hand for to draw nigh or to approach, to cast in one's teeth for to rereproach or revile, &c. One reason for the disuse of such phrases is, that a translation of the bible should be a classical book to a foreigner, who would be perplexed by such language. 1. The rule therefore excludes such words as dilate, vindicator, fabricator, inanity, rectitude, &c. See Bp. Lowth's Isaiah. And Mr. Blayney has devolve, revolve, relinquish, convoke, deposit, libations, machinations, &c. 2. It also excludes modern terms and phrases, and the pomp and elegance of modernized diction. A few examples will shew how much the admission of these would lesson the gravity and majesty so well supported in the received translation. Doctor Priestly has customhouse for receipt of custom. Engl. harmony. Doddridge renders Mark vi. 21: "And a convenient day happened when Herod on his birthday made a supper for his lords, and chief officers, and other persons of distinguished rank in Galilee." Bishop Lowth has "envoy, negociator, plebeians; "your soul shall feast itself with the richest delicacies;" "§ in suppliant guise address thee" "|| disparting rills;""* whose antiquity is of the earliest date." &c. In Mr. Blayney's Jeremiah we find the privy council of Jehovah?" "the environs of Jerusalem;" "the manufacture of the potter;""† and the captain of the guards gave him provisions, and a gratuity, and dismissed him;" "cause cavalry to come up;" "§ his haughtiness is exceedingly supereminent;" Is. lv, 2. § xlv. 14. || xxx. 25. xxiii, 7. † Jer. xt. 5. li. 27. § xlviii. 29. "they have sinned against Jehovah, The legitimate fold and recourse of their fathers." &e. S. The rule supposes that the old inflections should be retained, and the use of the subjunctive mood after certain particles. 4. It also supposes that such Hebraisms should be retained as the English language easily admits, or to which an English ear is now accustomed. Of this kind are, the throne of his glory; labour of love; As for Ephraim, their glory shall flee away as a bird: which form resembles Sallust's Plebs urbana, ea vero præceps erat; and that common Atticism, Urbem quam statuo, vestra est. "The Hebrew idioms run into the English tongue with a particular grace and beauty. Our language has received innumerable elegancies and improvements from that infusion of Hebraisms which "are derived to it out of the poetical passages in holy "writ. They give a force and energy to our expres"sions, warm and animate our language, and convey "c our thoughts in more ardent and intense phrases than are to be met with in our own tongue. There is "something so pathetic in this kind of diction, that it "often sets the mind in a flame, and makes our heart "burn within us." &c. Addison. Spect. N. 405. RULE VII. The old ecclesiastical terms should be continued: as grace, elect, predestinated, &c. “We have avoided the scrupulosity of the Puri"tans, who leave the old ecclesiastical words and "betake them to other; as when they put washing "for baptism, and congregation instead of church." Pref. to the English translation. Il Jer. 1. 7. Such words are now part of our theological lan guage; and explanations of them perpetually occur. RULE VIII. Metaphors are, in general, to be retained; and the substitution, or unnecessary introduction, of new ones should be avoided. If the original metaphor cannot be transfused, it should be rendered in the margin. The genius of a language, and the nature and customs of a country, will often appear by observing this rule. Bishop Lowth renders Isai. xliv. 8, "Is there a God beside me? "Yea, there is no other sure protector; I know not any." "Yea, there is no * God;" &c. English version. I prefer rendering, Yea, there is no rock; I know not any." Again: the Bishop renders c. xlii. 22, Hebr. RULE IX. Proper names should remain as they are now written. So little depends on their orthography in a translation, and they are now so familiarized to the ear, that to alter them may perplex or offend some and cannot benefit any. This rule was among King James's instructions to our translators. "The names of the prophets and the Marg. Heb. rock. |