Maybe You Like Exciting Greek Translations?? Bored with Exacting Greek, huh?

When the old english translations shipped (last year?), I tagged them, put them in order of publish-date, and moved on.

Today, I accidentally pulled up the 'Harwood Liberal Translation' (NT). I thought maybe I misread ... literal, not liberal.

It was published (1768) just a year before the earliest KJV in Logos. And unlike the church guys, this one tried to translate the greek in the style of other greek translations at the time. Apparently exacting was not a criteria. More like exciting.

So, it reads like an gripping novel. As the ESV ponderously describes Legion and the pigs, Harwood leaves nothing to your imagination! It's like a Turner Broadcasting old movie.

Liberal? I'd say interesting, in an era when people listened.

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Comments

DAL

Thanks for pointing this out! I read Matthew 1:18-25 and I like the way it reads. I’ll create a reading plan to read the entire NT. You are right, it reads like an old radio story. I remember those from when I was a kid.

DAL

JohnB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/981938#Comment_981938

Thanks Denise, it really does have a charm of its own. Just wondering how my church would react to it being read out loud.

David Ames

A LIBERAL TRANSLATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT;

BEING An Attempt to translate the SACRED WRITINGS WITH THE SAME Freedom, Spirit, and Elegance,

With which other English Translations from the Greek Classics have lately been executed:

The DESIGN and SCOPE of each Author being strictly and impartially explored, the TRUE SIGNIFICATION and FORCE of the Original critically observed, and, as much as possible, transfused into our Language, and the Whole elucidated and explained upon a new and rational Plan:

With SELECT NOTES, Critical and Explanatory BY E. HARWOOD

16 for the supreme God was affected with such immense compassion and love for the human race, that he deputed his son from heaven to instruct them—in order that every one who embraces and obeys his religion might not finally perish, but secure everlasting happiness.

Harwood, E. (1768). A Liberal Translation of the New Testament (Vol. I & II, Jn 3:16). London: T. Becket and P. A. de Hondt; J. Johnson; T. Cadell; J. Gore and J. Sibbald; T. Bancks.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/981950#Comment_981950

Thanks Denise. I have this in my library but have never looked at it closely. Interesting.

Beloved Amodeo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/981955#Comment_981955

Denise, you have a knack for turning up pearls of great price! Very interesting.

Oldnewbie

Denise,

This is delightful! I got the collection and have not had time to look through all the NT translations yet. I may have to change the order I'm going through these in. Thank you for making this known!

Paul

When the old english translations shipped (last year?), I tagged them, put them in order of publish-date, and moved on.

Today, I accidentally pulled up the 'Harwood Liberal Translation' (NT). I thought maybe I misread ... literal, not liberal.

It was published (1768) just a year before the earliest KJV in Logos. And unlike the church guys, this one tried to translate the greek in the style of other greek translations at the time. Apparently exacting was not a criteria. More like exciting.

So, it reads like an gripping novel. As the ESV ponderously describes Legion and the pigs, Harwood leaves nothing to your imagination! It's like a Turner Broadcasting old movie.

Liberal? I'd say interesting, in an era when people listened.

Thanks Denise for highlighting this resource. Harwood's writing is certainly elegant - whatever we might say about the accuracy of his translation. For example take his rendering of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12:

1 Seeing such a numerous concourse of people around him, he ascended a mountain, and sitting down, his disciples collected themselves in a body near his person.

2 He then with great solemnity instructed them in the doctrines of his religion in the following discourse:

3 Happy are those who are endowed with true humility—for such are properly disposed for the reception of the gospel.

4 Happy are those who lament with unfeigned contrition the vices and errors of their past lives—for they shall be comforted with the chearing promises of the gospel.

5 Happy are those who are possessed with a mild and inoffensive disposition—for they shall be enriched with the greatest happiness this world can furnish.

6 Happy are those whose minds are inflamed with a sacred ardour to attain universal virtue—their enlarged and generous desires shall be satisfied.

7 Happy are those who are truly campassionate and charitable—that benevolence which they express towards their fellow creatures shall be abundantly recompensed to them.

8 Happy are the sincerely virtuous—they shall be admitted to the blissful vision of God.

9 Happy are those who constantly study to promote harmony and peace among mankind—they shall be called the Sons of God.

10 Happy are those who suffer persecution for Religion and the rights of conscience with inflexible patience and fortitude—their victorious constancy shall be compensated with a superior degree of future blessedness.

11 Happy are you, when for your unshaken attachment to my religion men shall offer you every insult and indignity, shall load you with odious names and injurious reproaches, and when their implacable virulence against you shall be such as shall prompt them knowingly to violate the most sacred truth in aspersing your moral characters and profession.

12 Amidst such persecuting rage and violence instead of being dejected and dispirited, exult in unbounded transports of joy and triumph, for heaven will bestow a glorious palm upon your constancy—the most eminent of the prophets underwent the same cruel sufferings and persecutions to which you will be subjected.

E. Harwood, A Liberal Translation of the New Testament, vol. I & II (London: T. Becket and P. A. de Hondt; J. Johnson; T. Cadell; J. Gore and J. Sibbald; T. Bancks, 1768), Mt 5:1–12.

Definitely not ponderous and heavy - and I must admit I would rather listen to this than a reading of the ESV or other Bibles around. You make a good point - it was written at a time when people primarily listened and perhaps they were better for it. It may not replace my trusty KJV, but still, the writer shows his heart and love for the Scriptures. Keep well Paul