Jerome – Translation of Ezekiel According to the Hebrew
| Document: | Translation of Ezekiel according to the Hebrew |
| Incipit: | Hiezechiel propheta cum |
| Addressee: | Paula and Eustochium |
| Date: | 393 |
| Latin Text: | R. Weber and B. Gryson, eds., Biblia sacra: iuxta Vulgatam versionem (Stuttgart 1994). [text provided by Douay-Rheims Bible Online] |
| English Translation (Preface Only): | Translated by K.P. Edgecomb (see below.) |
| Notes: | This was eventually incorporated into the Vulgate. |
Jerome’s Preface to his Translation of Ezekiel*
The Prophet Ezekiel was led captive with Joachim1 king of Judah to Babylon, and he prophesied there to those who were captives with him, to those repenting that they had willingly handed over the prophecy of Jeremiah to enemies, and yet saw the city Jerusalem to stand, which he had predicted would fall. And in his thirtieth year of age, and in the fifth year of the captivity, he began to speak to his fellow captives. And at the same time, though later, this one in Chaldea and Jeremiah in Judea prophesied. His style is neither greatly eloquent nor excessively rustic, but properly proportioned between both. And he was a priest, as also was Jeremiah, the beginning and ending of the book being wrapped in great obscurities. But also the common edition of him does not differ much from the Hebrew one. Because of that I greatly wonder what was the cause, that when we have the same translators in all the books, in some they translated the same things, in others, different things. Therefore, read this also according to our translation because, by being written in words with spaces, it gives a clearer meaning to readers. And if my friends also mock this, say to them that no one restrains them from writing. But I do not respect him who follows them, which is more clearly said in Greek, as they are called insult-swallowers.2
END OF THE PROLOGUE
1 sic. Codex Amiatinus reads ioachin. The mistake is still common.
2 Greek here: φαγολοιδοροι
*We thank Kevin Edgecomb for permission to publish his translation on our page.
Back to Scripture Translations of Jerome
Created by JRZ
Updated 2/24/2014, MS
No Responses yet
