2. Northern Asiatic Versions.1 Russia, in Asia, is inhabited by numerous races, whom Dr. Young (after the Mithridates of Adelung) refers to the Tataric class. 2 Into twelve of these languages it may be sufficient to state (without going into minuter details) that translations of the sacred volume are either printed or preparing, under the direction and at the expense of the Russian Bible Society; viz. the Nogai Tatar3, Mongolian, Calmuck, Orenburg-Tatar+, Tschuwaschian, Tscheremissian, Tatar-Hebrew (spoken in the interior of Asia), Mordwaschian or Mordvinian, Samoiedian, Tschapoginian, Zirian, and Ossatinian. Of these various translations, the Moravian missionaries at Sarepta, on the banks of the Wolga, in Asiatic Russia, have completed the four Gospels and the Acts in the Calmuck language; and the remainder of the New Testament was translated by M. Schmidt. The entire New Testament, in this language, was printed in 1823; as also were the Mongolian (executed by two converted Mongolian chieftains, under the superintendence of M. Schmidt), Tscheremissian, and Mordwaschian versions of the four Gospels. Subsequently the Pentateuch was translated into Mongolian, and printed under the direction of the Rev. Mr. Stallybrass; but no opportunity has yet offered for circulating either it, or the Mandchou-Tatar New Testament, printed at St. Petersburgh. The Rev. Mr. Dickson, one of the Edinburgh Missionary Society's missionaries at Karass, has completed and printed a Tatar-Turkish version of the entire New Testament, and a considerable portion of the Old Testament; but no part of it has yet been published. The Tatar-Turkish language is vernacular among the Tatars of Astrachan. In 1816, the Rev. Dr. Pinkerton, while travelling in the Crimea, discovered, at Dschoufout Kalé, a copy of a pure Tatar translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew, which was made several centuries ago. This has been revised, and printed at St. Petersburgh.5 3. The Georgian Version. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the whole of the New Testament, together with the Psalms and the Prophets, were printed in the Georgian language, at Teflis, in Georgia, by order of the Prince Vaktangh. The entire Bible was printed at Moscow in 1743, in folio, under the inspection of the Princes Arcil and Vakuset, but at the expense of Prince Bacchar. From this edition the Moscow Bible Society printed an impression of the New Testament in 1816, in the sacred or ecclesiastical character, and another in 1818, in the common character." According to the tradition of the Greek Church, the Georgian version was originally made in the eighth century, by Euphemius the Georgian, the founder of the Ibirian or Georgian monastery at Mount Athos, where his actual autograph was discovered in the year 1817, and is preserved to this day. As the greater part of the books of the Old Testament of this antient version was lost in the wars in which the Georgians were so frequently involved with the Persians and Turks, the editors of the Moscow edition were obliged to translate most of the books of the Old Testament from the Sclavonian version. The Moscow Bible Society are taking measures to obtain a correct transcript of Euphemius's manuscript, from which to print a faithful edition of the Georgian Bible.7 Two MSS. of the Georgian version of the Gospels are said to be preserved in the Vatican Library at Rome. 1 Towards the close of the thirteenth century, a translation of the New Testament and of the Psalms of David into the Tatar language was made by Johannes a Monte Corvino, in order to accelerate the propagation of the Gospel among the dark and idolatrous nations, to whom he had been sent as a missionary in 1288 by Pope Nicholas IV. (Mosheim's Eccl. Hist. vol. iii. pp. 113. 299.) No vestiges of this Tatar version are known to be in existence. 2 See the Supplement to the Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. v. part ii. pp. 225-227. 9 For an account of these Tatar versions, see Dr. Henderson's Biblical Researches, pp. 424. et seq. 4 Dr. Henderson's Biblical Researches, pp. 427, 428. Report of the Scottish Missionary Society for 1824, p. 16. 5 Owen's History, vol. iii. pp. 211-215. Sixteenth Report of the Bible Society, pp. 43, 44. 55. 67. Nineteenth Report, p. li. Thirty-third Report, p. lxxix. 6 Bishop Marsh's History of Translations, p. 32. Dr. Henderson's Biblical Researches (pp. 518-522.) contain an interesting account of the editions of the Georgian version. 7 Sixteenth Report of the Bible Society, pp. 33-53. 4. Modern Armenian Version. A translation of the four Gospels into the modern Armenian language, from the antient Armenian text, has been completed by a learned Armenian resident at Paris; who has undertaken a version of the entire New Testament. I In 1830 the missionaries at Shushi, connected with the Basle Missionary Society, completed a version of the four Gospels into the Ararat or Eastern Armenian dialect, which was printed at Moscow.2 5. New Zealand Version. The New Testament has been translated into the language of the islands of New Zealand by the Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society: it was printed in 1835, at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society.3 6. Tahitan Version. Ta Bibilia Moa Ra, oia te Faufaa Tahiti e te Faufaa api ra; irithia ei parau Tahiti. Lonedona: na te taeti Bibilia i Beritani e te mau Fenua toa i faatupu i Lonedona ra i te Matahiti. 1804. 1838. 8vo. The blessed effects with which the labours of the missionaries (sent out by the London Missionary Society in 1796) have been crowned, have already been noticed in the first volume of this work, pp. 421, 422. In consequence of the extraordinary success which attended the preaching of the Gospel in Otaheite (or Tahiti, as the natives term that island) and in Huaheine, Eimeo, and other neighbouring islands, openings have been made of the most promising nature for the dissemination of the Holy Scriptures. Between the years 1818 and 1836 various portions of the Holy Scriptures were translated and printed in the Tahitan language and in 1838, the entire Bible was printed at London, under the superintendence of the Rev. Henry NOTT, who was himself a principal translator of it, and who had spent forty years in the Tahitan Mission. The expenses of the translation were defrayed by the London Missionary Society. Two editions of the Tahitan Bible have been printed at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society, one in 8vo.; the other in 12mo.4 The following specimen of the Tahitan version, from the Gospel of Matthew, will be not uninteresting to the reader :— (The Lord's Prayer, MATT. vi. 9—13.) 9. E to matou Medua i te ao ra, ia raa to oe ioa. : 10. Ia tae to oe ra hau; ia haapaohia to oe hinaaro i te fenua nei, mai tei te ao atoa na. 11. Homai na matou i teinei mahana tei haapaohia ra o te mahana o te maa, o te mahana o te maa. 12. E faaore mai i ta matou hapa, mai ta matou mau amu tarahu i faaore atoahia e matou nei. 13. E eiaha faarue ia matou ia roohia e te ati ra, e faaora ra ia matore, no oe hoi te hau, e te mana, i te hanahana, i te mau ui atoa e ore e hope. Amene, 7. Rarotongan Version. Te Korero-Motu ou a to tatore a te ora a Jesu Mesia, Kirithia i te Reo Rarotonga. Lonedona. Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the Hervey islands, a group of seven islands, from five to six hundred miles west of Tahiti; concerning which very little was 1 Nineteenth Report, p. xxi. 2 Twenty-seventh Report, p. xlvii. Twenty-eighth Report, p. lvi. 3 Thirty-first Report, p. lxxiv. 4 An interesting account of the introduction of printing into Tahiti, and of the printing of St. Luke's Gospel, is given by Mr. Ellis in his “Polynesian Researches," vol. pp. 392— 8vo. edition. 408. known until they were visited in 1823, by the Rev. Messrs. Williams and Bourne, missionaries of the London Missionary Society. Here the Gospel was planted, and has taken deep root: of its progress the reader will find a delightful account in Mr. Williams's "Narrative of Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands." (London, 1837. 8vo.) The Rarotongan is a dialect of the Tahitan. The translation of the New Testament occupied about five years; Mr. Williams being the principal translator, with the aid of the Rev. Messrs. Pitman and Buzacott. Previously to being sent to England, in order to be printed, it underwent five several revisions; Mr. Williams (who had resided eighteen years among the Polynesian Islands,) being the final umpire. The translation was made from the Tahitan, which was itself made from the English version as a basis, but with constant reference in both cases to the original Greek, and also with the aid of the best modern English commentators and critics. The character of the language enabled the translators to be very close and literal. As a specimen of this version we subjoin The Lord's Prayer, MATT. vi. 9-13. 9. E to matou Medua, i te ao ra. Kia tabu toou ingoa. 10. Kia tae toou basileia. Kia akonoia toou anoano i te enua nei, mei tei te ao katoa na. 11. Omai te kai e taru ia matou i teianei râ. 12. E akakore mai i ta matou ara, mei ia matou i akakore i tei ara ia matou nei. 13. Auraka c akaruke ia matou kia rokoia e te ati, e akaora râ ia matou i te kino; noou oki te au e te mana, e te kaka, e tuatau ua adu. Amene. It is scarcely necessary to add that this version of the New Testament was received by the Rarotongan Christians with devout gratitude. 8. Curdish Version. A translation of the New Testament into the language of the Curds, or Koords, has been completed; but difficulties have hitherto retarded the printing of it." Thirty-first Report, pp. lxxv. 120. Report, p. lxxxii. 2 Twenty-third Report, p. xxviii. Twenty-ninth Report, p. lvi. FAC-SIMILES OF SPECIMENS OF THE VERSIONS OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES, IN THE Eastern Languages, CHIEFLY Translated by the Brethren of the Serampore Mission. TEXT. "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up." MATT. iv. 16. SANSCRIT, or SUNGSKRIT. In the Deva Nagree character, which is used throughout India. अन्धकारे धूप विशन्तो लोक! महालोकमुद्रा तुर्मृत्योर्देशे छायायाञ्चेोपविशतः प्रति आ लोक उदेति / BENGALEE. যে লোক অন্ধকারে বসিয়াছিল তাহারা মহা আলো দেখিতে পাইয়াছে যাহারা মৃত্যুর দেশ ও ছায়ায় বসিল তাহারদের নিকট সালো প্রজ্বলিত৷হইয়াছে । OORIYA, or ORISSA. ଗେଡ଼ୁ ଭୋକ ଅରଭୀରେ ବଧିଥିଲେ ସେମାନେ ମହା ଆକ୍ସିସ୍ দেীघू घা2থঃÎ পেक्षूমतে ÛচQ দো ও £াØাQে ইÛMে ঘেমামশহ ूী১ থह्वेথ घ्रজইত ঘোহথ! । TELINGA, or TELOOGO0. అంధ కారాలయందు కూచుఁత లొకులు మహాతెజి సును చూశిరి మృత్యు వయొక్క దేశమందు నీడయం జున్ను కూచున్న వారినికూచికి వెలుగు పుడుతూ ఉ हot BRIJ-BHASSA. गालिलके में लोग अंधकार मे बैठे हैं उनने वडा उजे देखो फोर मृत्यु देस में और छावामें बैठनवारे जे उम मेरो उदै भयो । PUSHTOO, or AFFGHAN. هره خلق چه په تياره کې ناست وو هغو لویه روشدني ولیده او دمرک ملک لو په سوري کښ دناستو په لوري روښنائي ظاهره شوله SIKH, SHEEK, or PUNJABEE. ਅਰਥਤੇ ਆਂਧੇਰਿਆਂਵਿਚ ਬੈਠਦੇ ਹੋਇਆਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਡੇ ਚਾਂਨਣਨ ਦਿਠਾ ਮਉਤਦੇ ਦੇਸ ਅਤੇ ਛਾਯਾਵਿਚ ਬੈਠੇ ਹੋਇ ਤਾਂਈ ਚਾਂਨਣ ਉਦੋਂ ਹੋਇਆ। HINDOOSTANHEE. जो लोग अंधियारेमें बैठे थे उन्होंने बडी राशवी देखी और मोतके देश वा छायामें बैट्नेवालेकेि तरम् उजियाला जाहिर गया । |