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The Translators’
Awesome Task
Tow Siang Hwa
The translation of God’s
Word is an awesome task fraught with grave responsibility. What mortal
being is worthy to handle and translate the words of the Almighty? Even
as those who teach the Word of God must exercise utmost care: “…the word
of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept;
line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little…”
(Isaiah 28:13), so must they who translate God’s Word exercise the
utmost care.
Those who handle God’s
Word are warned: “Every word of God is pure: …Add thou not unto his
words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:5,
6). In repelling the tempter, our Lord used only God’s Word, “It is
written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Every word in the
Bible is important! Every word must be faithfully and precisely
translated without distortion, without variation, and without addition
or subtraction.
Only with utmost reverence
then should one handle God’s Word. Such was the attitude of the men who
translated the KJV. Those godly men of rare scholarship, holding a “high
view” of Holy Scripture, endeavoured to translate word for word and
phrase for phrase so as to capture the very spirit of the original text,
and thus express the mind of God faithfully.
This precise “word for
word” method (“formal equivalence” or “verbal equivalence”) ensures that
the KJV conveys God’s message with a degree of literal and grammatical
fidelity unrivalled by any other version.
One Translator’s Reckless Methodology
Eugene Nida is an
unregenerate man who denies the blood atonement, the reality of angels
and miracles, and the infallibility of Holy Scripture. Yet he occupied a
key position in the Translations Department of the United Bible
Societies.
By the
introduction of his new translation methodology, “Dynamic Equivalence,”
Nida has become the most influential person in the field of Bible
translation. The theory behind Nida’s “Dynamic Equivalence” goes
something like this:
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a) |
The message and events of Scripture are
bound in the culture of the past. |
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b) |
The strict “word for word” translation being
static does not release the message of God. |
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c) |
“Dynamic Equivalent” unbinds the message
which “leaps out” at the reader in today’s language and culture. |
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d) |
By this method the translator is at
liberty to express just how he feels were the Author’s thoughts. |
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e) |
Instead of “word for word,” it is now
“thought for word,” i.e., man’s thoughts in place of God’s Word.
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Eugene
Nida’s theory is theological liberalism, which is unbelief. It reduces
God to man’s level. It implies that God is unable to communicate with
His creatures in an intelligible manner without man’s aid. A man of
unbelief is a “corrupt tree” which “bringeth forth evil fruit” (Matthew
7:17).
The corrupted Modern
English Bibles have come by the “Dynamic Equivalence” method of
translation. A corrupt methodology gives rise to corrupt versions: “by
their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20).
Heed the warning of the
Scripture: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8). It is supreme folly and reckless
presumption for any man to venture to “think God’s thoughts” by wanton
manipulation of God’s inspired Word.
Dynamic Equivalence in Action
When corrupt men take it
into their heads to put man's thoughts for God's Word, the result is
"textual corruption" in the translation. Here are a few examples from
Kenneth Taylor's "The Living Bible" (TLB):
KJV ("verbal equivalence") vs. TLB ("dynamic
equivalence")
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a) |
1 Samuel 20:30 “... Thou son of the perverse
rebellious woman ...” (KJV)
“You son of a bitch!” (TLB first edition)
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b) |
1 Kings 18:27 “... Cry aloud: for he is a
god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing ...” (KJV)
“... Perhaps he is talking to someone or is
out sitting on the toilet ...” (TLB)
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c) |
Job 3:26 “I was not in safety, neither had I
rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.” (KJV)
“I was not fat and lazy, yet trouble struck
me down.” (TLB)
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d) |
Psalm 34:20 “He keepeth all his bones: not
one of them is broken.” (KJV)
“God even protects him from accidents.” (TLB)
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e) |
Luke 11:1 “... one of his disciples said
unto him, Lord, teach us to pray ...” (KJV)
“... one of his disciples came to him as he
finished and said, Lord, teach us a prayer to recite ..." (TLB) |
Comment
These are just five
examples out of hundreds of blatant mistranslations and wanton
manipulation of God's Word.
Example (d) is a Messianic
prophecy of our Lord's crucifixion which Taylor destroys by his "dynamic
equivalence."
Example (e) is used by
Taylor (with Catholic sympathies) to give credence to the pagan practice
of reciting rosary prayers.
Satan delights in "dynamic
equivalence." It is "demonic equivalence."
Rev. Dr. S. H. Tow is
the senior pastor of Calvary Bible-Presbyterian Church.
- Published in
Bible Witness,
Vol 2 Issue 4 (October - December 2002)
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