{"id":4309,"date":"2014-07-08T15:58:07","date_gmt":"2014-07-08T19:58:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/?p=4309"},"modified":"2014-07-08T15:58:07","modified_gmt":"2014-07-08T19:58:07","slug":"richard-hays-critique-of-the-common-english-bible-translation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/?p=4309","title":{"rendered":"Richard Hays\u2019 Critique of the Common English Bible Translation"},"content":{"rendered":"

There seems to be a growing discussion amongst Bible scholars about the shortcomings of Bible translations which try too hard to sound contemporary (See for example Bob Gundry\u2019s critique of Tom Wright\u2019s NT translation from 2 years ago<\/a>).<\/p>\n

This week I came across this essay:<\/p>\n

Richard Hays, “Lost in Translation: A Reflection on Romans in the Common English Bible,” in The Unrelenting God: God’s Action in Scripture: Essays in Honor of Beverly Roberts\u00a0Gaventa<\/em><\/a> (Eerdmans, 2013)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Common English Bible came out a couple of years ago having been overseen by a more mainline group. In this essay Hays reveals that he and Beverly Gaventa were given the task of writing the first draft of the translation of Romans. However, Hays was particularly disappointed in the translation which was finally published, after being altered by \u201creadability experts.\u201d The rest of his essay is an investigation of what happens when the laudable goal of clarity is reduced to \u201ceasy reading\u201d and is not tethered to theological care. There is a warning here for any translation project.<\/p>\n

As Hays states, “to turn a magisterial theological reflection such as Romans into an easy-reading text for the average American seventh-grader entails certain modifications, tradeoffs, and sacrifices” (84). I think this is an all too common mistake when the goal is for the \u201cman on the street\u201d to be able to understand the text on his own. As I have argued before, this completely misses the need for the teaching function of the church. There is a basic level of understanding, but we ought to expect any translation of the Bible to have rough edges, difficult portions- precisely because the original has these!- which will require much thought and should drive us to the teachers God has given to the church (Eph 4:11-12).<\/p>\n

Hays makes his case with specific examples and pointed, punchy writing.<\/p>\n

He states, \u201cThe repeated use of contractions and low-intensity everyday diction creates a relaxed conversational tone that lowers the temperature of the discourse.\u201d (85) This is a valuable point because certain texts, like Romans, are not supposed to be breezy. Casual may be the rage in our conversations (as practically all else) today, but that does not mean it is the ideal or that it matches the text we are trying to translate.<\/p>\n

Hays critiques the translation of Rom 16:25-27, where \u201crevelation of the mystery\u201d has become \u201cannouncement of the secret\u201d, saying, \u201cThe CEB\u2019s language would be more fitting to describe, say, a delayed wedding announcement than to designate the apostolic unveiling of the hidden mystery of God\u2019s eternal design for saving the world.\u201d (85)<\/p>\n

Romans 1:22 states \u201cthey were made fools\u201d, with God as the implied actor, but the CEB says \u201cthey made fools of themselves.\u201d Hays notes, \u201cThe translation sounds clever, and it is certainly idiomatic English; unfortunately, it obscures Paul\u2019s theological point.\u201d (86)<\/p>\n

In Romans 16:13, \u201cGreet Rufus, the\u00a0 one chosen\/elect in the Lord\u201d becomes \u201cSay hello to Rufus, who is an outstanding believer\u201d!<\/p>\n

Hays is clear that he is not simply annoyed with how his draft was handled but concerned about a trend in translations.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI am drawing attention to this particular translational decision in order to illustrate how the process of translation entails judgments that are deeply theological<\/em> in character.\u201d (88)<\/p>\n

\u201cIn an effort to achieve readability, it has not only sacrificed Paul\u2019s stylistic elegance but also subtly obscured the letter\u2019s theological coherence on key points. It has domesticated Paul\u2019s gospel by muting its apocalyptic notes, dulling its sharp emphasis on the priority of God\u2019s action in Christ to effect the justification of humanity, and reducing its rhetorical grandeur to a casual, plodding discourse.\u201d (101)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

These are important points to consider.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There seems to be a growing discussion amongst Bible scholars about the shortcomings of Bible translations which try too hard to sound contemporary (See for example Bob Gundry\u2019s critique of Tom Wright\u2019s NT translation from 2 years ago). This week I came across this essay: Richard Hays, “Lost in Translation: A Reflection on Romans in …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘Richard Hays\u2019 Critique of the Common English Bible Translation’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[283],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4309"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4309"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4310,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4309\/revisions\/4310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}