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Monday, September 22, 2008

This Bible is a riot

“Tribals in Jharkhand are up in arms against a recent Kuduk translation of the Bible, which exhorts people to destroy trees and places where they worship. The Bible Society of India has apologised for the translation and has promised to withdraw copies from the market.The Kendriya Sarna Samittee (KSS), an organisation of tribals, has announced it will burn the copies translated into Kuduk - one of the local tribal languages - if they are not withdrawn.”

Source: Thaindian News HT: Jim West

Comments?

4 Comments:

At Mon Sep 22, 09:22:00 PM, Blogger Chris Weimer said...

I wonder how well received would a holy book targeting Americans commanding them to burn down their churches be.

 
At Tue Sep 23, 06:50:00 AM, Blogger Peter Kirk said...

So how are they going to translate Exodus 34:13, Deuteronomy 7:5, 12:4 etc? I'm sure the Bible Society of India would not allow a translation to be published without the clear teaching in these verses against pagan altars. But the version does seem to have made a translation error in using a word meaning "trees" for what modern English versions render as "Asherah poles".

There is an update on the story here.

 
At Tue Sep 23, 07:37:00 AM, Blogger David Ker said...

Thanks for the update, Peter. It's a fascinating story. I would be surprised if "trees" aren't understood as sacred places for worship but even so something set people off.

Gee, I sure wish I could create this much buzz with the Nyungwe translation. ;-)

 
At Wed Sep 24, 01:00:00 PM, Blogger Dru said...

Having read the update Peter references, it sounds as though the translation was dynamically sound, even if perhaps not the most tactful, and the tribals were complaining because they had got the right message and didn't like it!

If you've got access to Bede's history, try Coifi, Book II Chap 13.

 

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