study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第15章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
56
… Page 57…
Study of the King James Bible
The fourth fact which helped to determine its English style is the
loyalty of the translators to the original； notably the Hebrew。 It is a
common remark of the students of the original tongues that the Hebrew
and Greek languages are peculiarly translatable。 That is notable in the
Hebrew。 It is not a language of abstract terms。 The tendency of language is
always to become vague； since we are lazy in the use of it。 We use one
word in various ways； and a pet one for many ideas。 Language is always
more concrete in its earlier forms。 In this period of the concrete English
language； then； the translation was made from the Hebrew； which was also
a concrete； figurative language itself。 The structure of the Hebrew
sentence is very simple。 There are no extended paragraphs in it。 It is
somewhat different in the New Testament； where these paragraphs are
found； certainly in the Pauline Greek； but even there the extended
sentences are broken into clauses which can be taken as wholes。 The
English version shows constantly the marks of the Hebrew influence in the
simplicity of its phrasing。 Renan says that the Hebrew 〃knows how to
make propositions； but not how to link them into paragraphs。〃 So the
earlier Bible stories are like a child's way of talking。 They let one sentence
follow another； and their unity is found in the overflowing use of the word
〃and〃one fact hung to another to make a story； but not to make an
argument。 In the first ten chapters of I Samuel； for example； there are two
hundred and thirty…eight verses； one hundred and sixty of them begin with
AND。 There are only twenty…six of the whole which have no connective
word that thrusts them back upon the preceding verse。
In the Hebrew language； also； most of the emotions are connected
either in the word used or in the words accompanying it with the physical
condition that expresses it。 Over and over we are told that 〃he opened his
mouth and said；〃 or； 〃he was angry and his countenance fell。〃 Anger is
expressed in words which tell of hard breathing； of heat； of boiling tumult；
of trembling。 We would not trouble to say that。 The opening of the mouth
to speak or the falling of the countenance in anger； we would take for
granted。 The Hebrew does not。 Even in the description of God you
remember the terms are those of common life； He is a shepherd when
shepherds are writing； He is a husbandman threshing out the nations；
57
… Page 58…
Study of the King James Bible
treading the wine… press until He is reddened with the wineand so on。
That is the natural method of the Hebrew languageconcrete； vivid； never
abstract； simple in its phrasing。 The King James translators are
exceedingly loyal to that original。
Professor Cook； of Yale； suggests that four traits make the Bible easy
to translate into any language： universality of interest； so that there are apt
to be words in any language to express what it means； since it expresses
nothing but what men all talk about； then； the concreteness and
picturesqueness of its language； avoiding abstract phrases which might be
difficult to reproduce in another tongue； then； the simplicity of its structure；
so that it can be taken in small bits； and long complicated sentences are
not needed； and； finally； its rhythm； so that part easily follows part and the
words catch a kind of swing which is not difficult to imitate。 That is a very
true analysis。 The Bible is the most easily translated book there is； and has
become the classic for more languages than any other one book。 It is
brought about in part in our English version by the faithfulness of the
translators to the original。
Passing from these general considerations； let us look directly at the
English Bible itself and its literary qualities。 The first thing that attracts
attention is its use of words； and since words lie at the root of all literature
it is worth while to stop for them for a moment。 Two things are to be said
about the words： first； that they are few； and； secondly； that they are short。
The vocabulary of the English Bible is not an extensive one。 Shakespeare
uses from fifteen to twenty thousand words。 In Milton's verse he uses
about thirteen thousand。 In the Old Testament； in the Hebrew and Chaldaic
tongue； there are fifty…six hundred and forty… two words。 In the New
Testament； in the Greek； there are forty…eight hundred。 But in the whole of
the King James version there are only about six thousand different words。
The vocabulary is plainly a narrow one for a book of its size。 While； as
was said before； the translators avoided using the same word always for
translation of the same original； they yet managed to recur to the same
words often enough so that this comparatively small list of six thousand
words； about one…third Shakespeare's vocabulary； sufficed for the stating
of the truth。
58
… Page 59…
Study of the King James Bible
Then； Secondly； the words are short； and in general short words are the
strong ones。 The average word in the whole Bible； including the long
proper names； is barely over four letters； and if all the proper names are
excluded the average word is just a little under four letters。 Of course；
another way of saying that is that the words are generally Anglo…Saxon；
and； while in the original spelling they were much longer； yet in their
sound they were as brief as they are in our present spelling。 There is no
merit in Anglo… Saxon words except in the fact that they are concrete；
definite； non…abstract words。 They are words that mean the same to
everybody； they are part of common experience。 We shall see the power of
such words by comparing a simple statement in Saxon words from the
English Bible with a comment of a learned theologian of our own time on
them。 The phrase is a simple one in the Communion service： 〃This is my
body which is given for you。〃 That is all Saxon。 When our theologian
comes to comment on it he says we are to understand that 〃the validity of
the service does not lie in the quality of external signs and sacramental
representation； but in its essential property and substantial reality。〃 Now
there are nine words abstract in their meaning； Latin in their form。 It is in
that kind of words that the Bible could have been translated； and in our
own day might even be translated。 Addison speaks of that： 〃If any one
would judge of the beauties of poetry that are to be met with in the divine
writings； and examine how kindly the Hebrew manners of speech mix and
incorporate with the English language； after having perused the Book of
Psalms； let him read a literal translation of Horace or Pindar。 He will find
in these two last such an absurdity and confusion of style with such a
comparative poverty of imagination； as will make him very sensible of
what I have been here advancing。〃＇1＇
＇1＇ The Spectator； No。 405。
The fact that the words are short can be quickly illustrated by taking
some familiar sections。 In the Ten Commandments there are three hundred
and nineteen words in all； two hundred and fifty…nine of them are words of
one syllable； and only sixty are of two syllables and over。 There are fifty
words of two syllables； six of three syllables； of which four are such
composite words that they really amount to two words of one and two
59
… Page 60…
Study of the King James Bible
syllables each； with four words of four syllables； and none over that。 Make
a comparison just here。 There is a paragraph in Professor March's lectures
on the English language where he is urging that its strongest words are
purely English； not derived from Greek or Latin。 He uses the King James
version as illustration。 If； now； we take three hundred and nineteen words
at the beginning of that paragraph to compare with the three hundred and
nineteen in the Ten Commandments； the result will be interesting。 Where
the Ten Commandments have two hundred and fifty…nine words of one
syllable； Professor March has only one hundred and ninety…four； over
against the fifty two…syllable words in the Ten Commandments； Professor
March has sixty…five； over against their six words of three syllables； he has
thirty…five； over against their four words of four syllables； he uses eighteen；
and while the Ten Commandments have no word longer than four
syllables； Professor March needs five words of five syllables and two
words of six syllables to express his ideas。＇1＇
＇1＇ This table will show the comparison at a glance：
Syllables 1 2 3 4 5 6 The
Commandments 259 50 6 4 0 0 319 Professor
March 194 65 35 18 5 2 319
The same thing appears in the familiar 23d Psalm； where there are
one hundred and nineteen words in all； of which ninety…five are words of
one syllable； and only three of three syllables； with none longer。 In the
Sermon on the Mount eighty two per cent。 of the words in our English
version are words of one syllable。
The only point urged now is that this kind of thing makes for strength
in literature。 Short words are strong words。 They have a snap and a grip to
them that long words have not。 Very few
