New World Translation Abuses

I am going to stick my neck out here and assume I am not by any means the only one to recognise a distinct lack of beauty and poetry in the New World Translation. I would go further and suggest utilitarianism is the guiding light of its ‘translators.’ In short, they abuse the language and the label 'translator.' Are they so incapable of appreciating the higher arts that clunky and mechanical seems to them to be art?

Blessed are the Meek

I am thumbing through their Examining the Scriptures Daily, 2020 edition, and verses jump out at me as I think, ‘My Bible doesn’t say that!’ Here is an example from January 17:

‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.’ Mt.5:5 ESV

‘Happy are the mild-tempered, for they shall inherit the earth.’ Mt.5:5 NWT

‘Meek’ here is the Greek praus (prah-oos) and is variously translated ‘meek, gentle, kind, forgiving, mild, benevolent, humane, humble, considerate.’ It identifies the positive moral quality of dealing with people in a kind manner, with humility and consideration. In our disposition towards God it means a trusting that his dealings with us are for our good.

I am sure such a person might be described as mild-tempered, but such a term comes nowhere near describing what Jesus is saying here. What’s wrong with meek anyway? It does the job, it is the choice of Bible translators across the generations. So much so it makes the verse familiar to us, and it is a beautiful word.

Every Perfect Gift

February 3 gives us:

‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…’ Js.1:17 ESV

Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, coming down from the father of the Celestial lights…’ Js.1:17 NWT

The first ‘gift’ is the Greek dosis and describes the act of giving, while the second ‘gift’ is dōrēma and is the gift given. Perhaps they used ‘present’ to make the distinction, but gift and present are the same in every-day usage. The idea here, however, is that every act of giving, every gift from God is undeserved and free, indeed the opposite of what we do deserve. It should be received with a sublime gratitude that transcends the every-day, ‘Oh, thanks, you shouldn’t have.’

An Excellent Wife

Finally, January 4 gave us the familiar:

‘An excellent wife, who can find? She is far more precious than jewels’ Prov.31:10 ESV

‘Who can find a capable wife? Her value is far more than that of corals…’ Prov.31:10 NWT

Proverbs 31:10-31 is a wisdom proverb written as an acrostic, each verse beginning with the successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The word translated ‘excellent’ in verse 10 in the ESV and ‘capable’ in the NWT is chayal, and carries a range of meaning, including strength, efficiency, ability, but there is so much more to this woman than being capable.

In verse 12 she is diligent

in verse 13 she is skilled

Verse 14 making provision for her family

Verse 15 a hard-working manager of her household

Verse 16 financially independent and wise in trade

Verse 18 turning a good profit

Verse 19 skilled in practical crafts

Verse 20 describes in her the cardinal virtue of compassion

Verse 21 more than prepared for sudden change

Verse 22 sees her excellence in good provision for herself

Verse 23 sees her excellence contribute significantly to her husband’s reputation

Verse 24 has her combine skill in craft with skill in commerce

In verse 25 her character is such she is dressed in dignity

Verse 26 describes a wise woman, kind in teaching others

Verse 27 focussed and diligent

Verses 28-29 praised and honoured by her family for her so many virtues

Verse 30 reveals the secret of her many virtues, the fear of the LORD

The proverb ends with public honour for such an excellent woman.

This is excellence not just capability. This 'virtuous woman' (KJV) does not simply have a capacity but excels in all she does. Why is all this important?

Translators?

First, it is an insight into the capabilities, or otherwise, of Watchtower ‘translators.’ We all know the Watchtower Society doesn’t publish their names. This is from humility, they claim, so the glory goes to Jehovah. However, in the real world of Bible translation it is essential and good practice to make this information known. For those of us who don’t read Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek it is vital to know our Bible comes from a reputable place.

I also wonder if they use alternatives to what are almost universally accepted translation words just to be contrary, so they are not like ‘the whore of Babylon.’ This isn’t me being petty but my recognising their well known pettiness.

Missing Poetry

Secondly, in the original languages, the Scriptures are filled with poetry, song, and wordplay such as puns, alliterations, literary devices of all kinds that help with memory, make the meaning stick. Modern Bibles often help us with some of this, especially poetry, but also by simply finding the closest word that lifts the mind to heaven.

The King James Bible excels in this, its translators being accomplished scholars with a high appreciation of the Bible as literature. Compare their work with that of the NWT and you find the latter a poor shadow of the real thing. It was the King James that, following Tyndale, gave us ‘Blessed are the meek.’ The NWT renders ‘Happy are the mild-tempered,’ rend being the operative word.

Consider what Tyndale, the KJV, and the modern ESV do with Matthew 5:11 and compare with the NWT:

‘Blessed are ye when men revile you and persecute you and shall falsely say all manner of evil sayings against you for my sake…’ Tyndale

‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.’ King James Bible

‘Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.’ ESV

‘Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you for my sake.’ NWT

Lifting our Thoughts to Heaven

Thirdly, if we are to recognise qualities in others and develop those qualities in ourselves, we must know fully what the Bible is describing as a virtue. I knew a man who took James 3:2 so to heart that he didn’t bridle his tongue, he practically stilled it. An otherwise mature believer, he might have made such contributions to the growth and development of others, but he was found to have nothing to say, thinking it a virtue to sit silently.

Even so, some people are incapable of getting worked up about anything, and you might describe such a person as ‘mild-tempered.’ You may equally describe them as indifferent. They might be ‘mild-tempered’ and still woefully short of the virtues described in meekness.

The gift/present issue has troubled me for some time. We can dumb down our faith, perhaps to accommodate children and younger people, or new Christians, to such an extent we lose the substance of the message. An example I think of here is the hymn, ’When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.’ The last verse runs, ‘Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.’

The word ‘offering’ carries the meaning of religious devotion, sacrifice, total commitment. If all of nature was mine yet my placing it on the altar of devotion would be insufficient. There is weight, heft, to these words, they raise your thoughts to heaven, yet I have seen it replaced with ‘present.’ ‘Present’ is a good word for birthdays, but if nature were too small an offering, a present pales, carrying in it as a further offence the idea of adding to the riches of the recipient.

Finally, Jehovah’s Witnesses are, in my experience, intelligent and capable people. To rob them of the poetry, sense, and purpose of Scripture is a crime of eternal proportions. The faithfulness of the typical Witness is impressive, it deserves better reward. Think on these things and have generous compassion for them the next time they call.