Page 38 - Yahwehs Book

throughout the work as distinguishing marks the asterisk and the obelus, that is the star and the spit,
the first of which makes what had previously been defective to beam with light, while the other
transfixes and slaughters all that was superfluous.

But I was encouraged above all by the authoritative publications of the Evangelists and Apostles,
in which we read much taken from the Old Testament which is not found in our manuscripts. For
example, ‘Out of Egypt have I called my Son’: ‘For he shall be called a Nazarene’: and ‘They shall
look on him whom they pierced’: and ‘Rivers of living water shall flow out of his belly’ : and ‘Things
which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, which God hath
prepared for them that love him’, and many other passages which lack their proper context. Let us
ask our opponents then where these things are written, and when they are unable to tell, let us
produce them from the Hebrew. The first passage is in Hosea, the second in Isaiah, the third in
Zechariah, the fourth in Proverbs, the fifth also in Isaiah...

Are we condemning our predecessors? By no means; but following the zealous labors of those who
have preceded us, we contribute such work as lies in our power in the name of the Lord. They
translated before the Advent of Christ, and expressed in ambiguous terms that which they knew not.
We after His Passion and Resurrection write not prophecy so much as history. For one style is
suitable to what we hear, another to what we see. The better we understand a subject, the better we
describe it. Hearken then, my rival: listen, my calumniator; I do not condemn, I do not censure the
Seventy, but I am bold enough to prefer the Apostles to them all. It is the Apostle through whose
mouth I hear the voice of Christ, and I read that in the classification of spiritual gifts they are placed
before prophets, while interpreters occupy almost the lowest place. Why are you tormented with
jealousy? Why do you inflame the minds of the ignorant against me? Wherever in translation I seem
to you to go wrong, ask the Hebrews, consult their teachers in different towns. The words which exist
in their Scriptures concerning Christ, your copies do not contain.
[Source: Jerome’s Apology, Book II, Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol 3.]

Augustine:
For my part, I would much rather that you would furnish us with a translation of the Greek version
of the canonical Scriptures known as the work of the Seventy translators. For if your translation
begins to be more generally read in many churches, it will be a grievous thing that, in the reading
of Scripture, differences must arise between the Latin Churches and the Greek Churches, especially
seeing that the discrepancy is easily condemned in a Latin version by the production of the original
in Greek, which is a language very widely known; whereas, if any one has been disturbed by the
occurrence of something to which he was not accustomed in the translation taken from the Hebrew,
and alleges that the new translation is wrong, it will be found difficult, if not impossible, to get at
the Hebrew documents by which the version to which exception is taken may be defended. And when
they are obtained, who will submit, to have so many Latin and Greek authorities: pronounced to be
in the wrong? Besides all this, Jews, if consulted as to the meaning of the Hebrew text, may give a
different opinion from yours: in which case it will seem as if your presence were indispensable, as
being the only one who could refute their view; and it would be a miracle if one could be found
capable of acting as arbiter between you and them.
[Source: Augustine of Hippo’s Letter LXXI, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Volume
1]