RT Article
T1 In Pursuit of the Perfect Bible: Attitudes to Bible Translation in Hellenistic Judaism
JF The Bible translator
VO 67
IS 3
SP 365
OP 379
A1 Ziegert, Carsten 1970-
LA English
PB Sage
YR 2016
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1758121335
AB This article investigates attitudes to Bible translation as mirrored in the Letter of Aristeas, Philo’s treatise On the Life of Moses, and the prologue to the book of Ben Sira. In each of these documents, its respective author reflects on the translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. The author of the Letter of Aristeas was concerned about a possible revision of a translation that was highly esteemed and tried to preserve it by alluding to the “canon formula” (Deut 4.2). Philo considered the Greek Torah as divinely inspired, presuming a strictly literal translation which was the perfect image of its source text. The article mentions today’s followers of these two writers whose views can be criticized from the point of view of modern translation theory. The translator of the book of Ben Sira, on the other hand, showed a balanced opinion which can serve as a model for today’s Bible translators.
K1 Hellenistic Judaism
K1 King James Only movement
K1 Letter of Aristeas
K1 On the Life of Moses
K1 Philo of Alexandria
K1 Septuagint
K1 canon formula
K1 Inspiration
K1 prologue to Ben Sira
K1 Revision
DO 10.15496/publikation-93841