A Manual of Biblical Bibliography

Boyle, and of the Levant or Turkey Company of London, for the benefit of the Christians in Turkey, by whom it was very gratefully received. In the same year a translation of the whole Bible into the Turkish language was completed by Albertus Boboosky, better known by his Turkish name of Hali Bey, first dragoman or interpreter to the Porte. He undertook this arduous work at the request of the celebrated Levin Warner, at that time ambassador from Holland, and his translation was sent to Leyden, corrected and ready for the press. Here it lay until 1814, when the Rev. Dr. Pinkerton, having ascertained its value, recommended it to the British and Foreign Bible Society. The curators of the university of Leyden having confided the manuscript to his excellency Baron von Diez, at that time counsellor of legation to the court of Berlin, this distinguished scholar devoted the last two years of his life to its revision, and to superintending the printing of it. On his decease, in 1817, the editing of this version was undertaken by M. Kieffer, professor of the Oriental languages at Paris : and in 1820, the New Testament was finished. The printing of the entire Turkish Bible was completed in 18283, and its accuracy has been attested by the Rev. Dr. Henderson, who had (not without reason) objected to some passages in the first edition of the Turkish New Testament. In 1837, an edition of the Turkish version, in Greek characters (commonly called the GræcoTurkish) was considerably advanced at press, for the use of such Turks as use the Greek characters.+

The five books of Moses, the book of Joshua, and the New Testament, were translated into what is called the plain Turkish dialect, and published at Astrachan, in 1825. This version was executed by the Rev. John Dickson, missionary from the Scottish Missionary Society, at Astrachan; who, in executing it, derived essential assistance from the preceding version of Hali Bey.5 A copy of this plain Turkish version is in the Library of the British Museum; and a version of St. Matthew's Gospel has been printed in the Turco-Tartar dialect.6

18. Portuguese Versions.

In 1681, the New Testament was printed in the Portuguese language at Amsterdam; and some portions were printed in the former part of the last century by the Missionaries at Tranquebar. A Portuguese version of the Old Testament, executed by Joao Ferreira d'Almeida and Jacob op den Akker, was published at Batavia, in 1748-53, in two volumes 8vo. These were Protestant versions. In 1781, Antonio Pereira published a Portuguese version of the New Testament, at Lisbon ; and in 1783, the entire Bible. This translation is made from the Vulgate Latin version, and in all doctrinal points is in unison with the church of Rome.

19. Albanian Version.

Η Καινή Διαθήκη του Κυρίου και Σωτηρος ἡμων Ιησου Χριστου Διγλωττος,

Sixteenth Report

1 Owen's History of the Bible Society, vol. iii. pp. 13, 14. 257.500. of the Society, Appendix, p. 17. Albertus Boboosky was born in Poland in the beginning of the seventeenth century. While a youth he was stolen by the Tartars, and sold to the Turks in Constantinople. By them he was educated in the Mohammedan faith, and when he grew up became first dragoman or translator to Mahomet or Mohammed IV. His Turkish name was Hali Bey. He understood seventeen languages, and is said to have spoken French, German, and English with the fluency of a native. To the English language he was greatly attached; and at the request of Mr. Boyle translated the catechism of the Church of England into Turkish. He also composed several works himself, several of which have been published: but his great work was the translation of the Scriptures, above noticed. Boboosky also wrote a grammar and dictionary of the Turkish language. But it is not known what has become of them, and of the church catechism. This wonderful man intended to have returned into the bosom of the Christian Church; but died, before he accomplished his design. Owen's Hist. vol. iii. p. 14. note.

2 See the Collection of Documents relative to the Turkish version, in the Twentieth

Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Appendix, pp. 124-155.

3 Twenty-fourth Report, p. xxix. and Appendix p. 161.

4 Thirty-seventh Report, p. lxiii.

5 New Baptist Miscellany, vol. ii. p. 382.

6 Thirty-second Report, p. xlvii.

τουτέστι, Γραϊκη και Αλβανικη. [The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in two languages, that is, Greek and Albanian.] Corfu, 1827. 8vo.

The Albanians are a hardy people, inhabiting the countries antiently known by the names of Illyricum and Epirus; numerous tribes of them are also spread over Macedonia and the Morea or Peloponnesus. A translation of the New Testament into their language was finished in the year 1820, by Dr. Evangelos Mexicos, under the patronage and at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The Albanian dialect had never been brought to a standard, until the Committee of the Ionian Bible Society accomplished it, and printed the New Testament under the direction of Gregory, archbishop of Euboea, in 1827, in parallel columns, one containing the Greek text, the other the Albanian version. An alphabet of the Albanian characters faces the title-page.1

20. Maltese Version.

The Maltese may almost be considered as a dialect of the Arabic language. Into this dialect the New Testament was a few years since translated by signor Giuseppe Cannólo, a native of the island of Malta, under the direction and with the assistance of the Rev. William Jowett, M.A. at that time one of the Representatives of the Church Missionary Society in the Mediterranean. The Old Testament is in progress. As very few books have appeared in Maltese, the Gospel of John has been printed in this country, in Maltese and English, in parallel columns; and copies have been sent to Malta for distribution chiefly among persons capable of forming a judgment of the Maltese, in order to render the translation as perfect as practicable, before the entire New Testament shall be put to press. The importance of this undertaking will be felt, when it is considered that the crowded population of the islands of Malta and Gozo never yet possessed the Scriptures in their own tongue. The value of this translation is further enhanced, by the circumstance that it may serve as a step to Europeans who are desirous to learn the Arabic language.2

4. VERSIONS IN THE LANGUAGES OF ASIA.

[i] Hebrew Version.

The New Testament was first translated into Hebrew by the learned Elias Hutter, who published it in his Polyglott edition of the New Testament in twelve languages, viz. Greek, Syriac, Hebrew, Latin, German, Boheman, Italian, Spanish, French, English, Danish, and Polish, at Nuremberg, in 1599-1600, in two volumes 4to. In his preface he states, that when meditating that work, he sought in vain for a Hebrew version of the New Testament. No alternative therefore was left to him, but to attempt it himself. Accordingly, laying aside every other undertaking, he translated, corrected, and finished it in the space of one year. For a first translation, especially when we consider the shortness of the time in which it was accomplished, it is truly a wonderful performance. From Hutter's Polyglott the Hebrew text was detached, and printed separately, with some corrections, under the superintendance of William Robertson, 8vo. London, 1661. It is a volume of extremely rare occurrence, as the greater part of the impression was consumed in the great fire of London, in 1666. Robertson's edition was beautifully reprinted in 12mo. at London in 1798, by the Rev. Richard Caddick, with the pious and benevolent design of enlightening the minds of the Jews. This translation not being executed in pure biblical Hebrew, and consequently not adapted to the Jews, the London Society for promoting Christianity among them, in 1817, completed and published a new translation in biblical Hebrew. The Gospel of Saint Matthew was published in 1814, and the succeeding books at different times, as they could be completed.

p. xxv.

Twenty-second Report of the Bible Society, pp. xxxv. xxxvi. Twenty-third Report, 2 Eighteenth Report of the Church Missionary Society for 1817-18, p. 69.

Another Hebrew translation of the New Testament with points was executed by Mr. William Greenfield, and published at London, in 1831, in 8vo.1 The late Rev. Dr. Buchanan, during his researches in the interior of India, obtained a Hebrew manuscript of the New Testament in the country of Travancore, which is now deposited in the University Library at Cambridge. It is written in the small Rabbinical or Jerusalem character. The translator was a learned rabbi, and the translation is in general faithful: his design was, to make an accurate version of the New Testament, for the express purpose of confuting it, and of repelling the arguments of his neighbours, the Syrian or St. Thomé Christians. His own work was the providential instrument of subduing his unbelief; and he lived and died in the faith of Christ. A transcript of this Travancore Hebrew New Testament is in the Library of the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews. A Hebrew translation of the four gospels was published at Rome (with the Latin Vulgate text), by John Baptist Jonas, in 1668, in one volume folio. A copy is in the King's Library, in the British Museum. A Hebrew translation of the Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament from the Greek was made by Seckel Isaac FRAENKEL, and published at Leipzig in 1830.3

[.] Chaldee.

The New Testament has not hitherto been published in this language; but a manuscript copy, both of the Old and New Testament, is said to exist in the Vatican Library. In the course of his missionary labours in Persia, the Rev. Dr. Wolff purchased the manuscripts of different portions of the Chaldee Bible; which, though the same in language as the Syriac, is written in a different character, 5

[m.] Versions in the Oriental Languages, either translated by the Baptist Missionaries at Serampore, or printed at the Mission Press.

The Baptist Missionaries entered India in 1793, and ultimately fixed themselves at the Danish settlement of Serampore, near Calcutta. To this mission chiefly belongs the honour of reviving the spirit of promoting Christian knowledge, by translations of the Bible. Soon after their establishment at Serampore, they were convinced that, if ever Christianity took deep root in India, it must be through the Holy Scriptures being translated and put into the hands of the various tribes who inhabit that vast country. Aided by a noble fund for translations, raised by subscriptions among the societies of the Baptist denomination in Great Britain, almost from the commencement of their pious labours, and also by various annual grants of money from the British and Foreign Bible Society, from the year 1806 to the present time, the missionaries applied themselves to the great work of translating the Scriptures. In this undertaking, which has been honoured with the sanction of the Marquess Wellesley, and subsequent governors-general of India, the Rev. Doctors Carey and Marshman, and the Rev. William Ward, pre-eminently distinguished themselves; and, with their coadjutors, continued with unwearied assiduity to prosecute their arduous work. Having formed a typographical estab

1 The reader will find a critical account of this Hebrew version of the entire new Testament in the Congregational Magazine for October, 1831. There are extant various other Hebrew translations of detached books of the New Testament, by different individuals, which we have not room to enumerate. For an account of them see Dr. Clarke's Bibliographical Dictionary, vol. vi. pp. 218-222.

Fourth Report of the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, Appendix, p. 45.

3 Hagiographa Posteriora denominata Apocrypha, hactenus Israelitis ignota, nunc autem e textu Græco in linguam Hebraicam convertit atque in lucem emisit Seckel Isaac FRAENKEL. Lipsia, 1830. 8vo.

+ Clarke's Bibliographical Dictionary, vol. vi. p. 213.

5 Twenty-third Report of the Bible Society, p. xxxii.

6 For an account of the very great care bestowed on the versions undertaken by the Missionaries at Serampore, (each of which, upon the average, was the result of seven years' labour,) the reader is referred to the Rev. Dr. Marsham's "Brief Memoir" relative to their operations in Bengal (pp. 4-7. London, 1827), which most satisfactorily repels the

lishment at Serampore, they have also been enabled to print translations of the Scriptures, entire or in part, which had been made by other learned and pious individuals. And when the Mission College, founded at Calcutta by the late Right Rev. Dr. T. F. MIDDLETON, Bishop of Calcutta (one of whose special objects, for the spiritual welfare of India, is the translation of the Bible into the hitherto untranslated dialects of India), shall commence its active operations, we may with just confidence anticipate the ultimate triumphs of our holy religion among the numerous tribes who inhabit that immense continent.'

The languages spoken in India form three classes, viz.

1. The Arabic, and the languages derived from or bearing an affinity to it. 2. The Sanscrit or Sungscrit; and, 3. The Chinese, with the languages respectively derived from or bearing an affinity to them.?

1. Modern Versions in the ARABIC language, and its cognate dialects.

(1.) ARABIC.—A version of the entire Bible in Arabic has come down to us, of which an account has been given in Vol. II. pp. 231, 232. of the Author's Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures. Though highly valued by some Oriental scholars for its general accuracy and fidelity, it has become antiquated in its dialect, and consequently unacceptable to the learned Arabians. On this account a new translation, in elegant modern Arabic, was commenced by Sabat, an eminent Arabian scholar, under the superintendence of the late Rev. T. T. Thomason, M. A., one of the Hon. East India Company's Chaplains. The New Testament was completed and published at Calcutta, in 1816, at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society. 3 A second edition of the New Testament, much revised and improved, was printed in 1826, at the press belonging to the Bishop's College, Calcutta. An edition of the Arabic New Testament, in Syriac characters, was printed at Paris, at the expense of the Bible Society, in 1822. See a specimen of the Arabic version in p. 122. infra.

(2.) Persian.-The Persian version, also noticed in Vol. II. pp. 233, 234., having also become antiquated and obsolete, a new one was undertaken by Lieut. Colonel Colebrooke, who completed the four Gospels. They were published at Calcutta in 1804. An entire version of the New Testament, in pure and elegant Persian, was executed by the late Rev. H. Martyn, who travelled from India to Shiraz, the Athens of Persia, for that purpose. He arrived there in June, 1811, and by the middle of the following year he had completed his work, with the assistance of Meer Seyd Ali, a learned native. He next proceeded to translate the book of Psalms into the same language; and thus rendered those important parts of the Sacred Scriptures into the vernacular language of two hundred thousand who bear the Christian name, and which is known over one fourth of the habitable globe. A beautifully written copy of Martyn's translation was presented by Sir Gore Ouseley, bart. his Majesty's extraordinary, to the Sovereign of Persia, who publicly expressed his approbation of

assertions of their incompetency, which had been made by an anonymous writer in one of the periodical journals.

1 As soon as it was known in England that Bp. Middleton was forming the Mission College at Calcutta, the sum of 5000l. sterling was voted to him by each of the venerable Societies, for promoting Christian Knowledge, and for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, in aid of that Institution. The same sum was voted to his Lordship by the Church Missionary Society, without condition or restriction, in furtherance of his plan. And the like sum of 5000l. was voted by the British and Foreign Bible Society, in aid of the translation of the Holy Scriptures.

2 Where no other authority is cited, our notices of original translations are abridged from the "Brief View of Baptist Missions and Translations," 8vo. London, 1815: from the "Periodical Accounts of the Baptist Missionary Society" No. XXX.; from the Supplement to No. XXXI., containing a further memoir of the translations of the sacred Scriptures, dated March 21. 1816, 8vo. London, 1817; from specimens of editions of the Sacred Scriptures in the Eastern languages, translated by the Brethren of the Serampore Mission, and of several others, printed at the Mission Press, Serampore, 1818, 4to. ; from the "Seventh Memoir respecting the Translations of the Sacred Scriptures into the Languages of India, conducted by the Brethren at Serampore," 8vo. Serampore, 1820;

and from their Tenth Memoir, published in London, in 1884. The specimens of versions, in pp. 118-120. have been stereotyped from fac-similes, liberally communicated for the use of this work, by the Rev. J. Dyer, one of the Secretaries of that Society.

3 Buchanan's Christian Researches in Asia, pp. 285-290. (London, 1811.)

the work. Sir G. Ouseley subsequently carried another copy of the manuscript to Petersburg, where it was printed in 1815, at the expense of the Petersburg Bible Society, under his superintendence. A specimen of this version is given in page 121. A modern Persian version of the historical books of the Old Testament is in progress also at Petersburg; and of the poetical and prophetical books, by the Rev. Mr. Glen, a Scottish Missionary at Astrachan. The book of Psalms and the Proverbs have been printed. A new Version of Isaiah, by Mirza Ibrahim, a learned Persian, has been completed and printed. These two versions are destined for the inhabitants of Persia Proper. A Persian translation of the Old Testament, commenced by the Rev. T. Robinson, archdeacon of Madras, under the sanction of the late bishop Heber was completed and printed in 1837.5 This version is especially designed for the Mohammedans, Parsees, and Persians of India.

(3.) Pushtoo or Affghan.-This language is spoken beyond the river Indus, by a people, who, there is every reason to conclude (from the coincidence of their language with the Chaldaic and from other circumstances), are descended from the ten tribes of Israel. The eminent linguist, the late John Leyden, M.D., commenced a translation of the New Testament; and on his death, in 1812, the Baptist missionaries at Serampore procured men skilled in the language to complete his undertaking. The whole of the New Testament was printed at the mission press in 1818; and the Pentateuch and historical books in 1832. A specimen of this version is given in page 119.

(4.) Bulocha or Buloshee.-This language is spoken on the western banks of the Indus, the country of Bulochistan extending westward to Persia. Considerable progress has been made by the missionaries in translating the New Testament into this dialect, in which they have printed three Gospels. See a specimen of it in page 120.

2. Versions in the SANSCRIT or SUNGSKRIT language and its cognate dialects.

(1.) Sanscrit. This, though the parent of all the languages spoken in western and southern India, is, at present, the current language of no country, though it is spoken by the learned nearly throughout India. The New Testament was published in Sanscrit at Serampore, in 1808; the Pentateuch and historical books in 1811; the Hagiographa in 1816; and the translation of the prophetic books was finished in 1818. The baptist missionaries are preparing a new edition of this version, which is read with great interest by the Brahmins. A specimen of it is given in page 118.

(2.) In Western India, not fewer than twenty-nine languages are derived from the Sanscrit, and into twenty-one of these the sacred volume has been wholly or in part translated, viz. :—

i. The Sikh, Sheek, or Punjabee, which is spoken in the province of Punjab, or the country of the five rivers (from punj five, and ab water) into this language the Old Testament has been translated at Serampore, as far as the end of the book of the prophet Ezekiel. See a specimen of it in page 119.

ii. The Gujarathi or Guzurattee, which is spoken in the peninsula of Guzurat; in this language the entire Bible has also been printed. Two editions of the Old Testament, three editions of the New Testament, and one edition of the Four Gospels and Acts have been printed and circulated."

iii. The Assamese, or language of the kingdom of Assam, in which the New Testament was printed in 1822; the Pentateuch in 1822, and the historical books, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa, in 1832. See a specimen in page 120.

iv. The Kashmiree or Kashmire, which is spoken in the extensive province of

1 Owen's Hist. of the Bible Society, vol. iii. p. 41. ; vol. ii. p. 261. In pp. 265-267. an English translation of the letter of the King of Persia is printed at length. See also the very interesting Memoir of the Rev. Henry Martyn, B. D. 8vo. London, 1819, particularly pp. 341-433.