Happy 400th birthday, King James Bible

[julesjones]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
--John 1:1

And then along came King James VI&I wanting a new English translation of the Word. He set up a committee to do something about it, as one does. And 400 years ago today the fruit of their efforts was published. And yea, it was good. It was so good that it proved that you really can make great art by committee.

It wasn't the best translation, even then, if all you are concerned about is accuracy of translation. There are much better modern translations if what you're after is faithfulness to the original texts. But the joy and the power of the Authorized Version is that it was created to be read aloud, with pleasure in the listening. The committee created a work of literature, one of the greatest works of literature in the English language. The language has changed in the last 400 years, and there are updated versions of the Authorized version. But the committee's choice of words to express the Word lives on still; not merely because it was the book of the dominant religion of the language, but because that committee knew how to write, and write well.

Comments

[kalypso]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

And that kicks off my favourite passage, the one where any other version (ie one which doesn't use "comprehended") is discordant to my ears.

[julesjones]

There are translations which give you the modern English sense of that passage. And there is the KJV, in which the words sing in your soul.

[tinnean.livejournal.com]

I've always loved that version of the 23rd Psalm the best.

[julesjones]

Some of it's simply familiarity, I know. But me too.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

The language has changed in the last 400 years...

I find it far easier to understand than Shakespear, though, even though it's the same time period. I suppose it's because with the KJV they were concentrating on making it as easy to understand as possible. Yet they were able to do that and still produce great prose, which is quite an achievement.

I'm an atheist, but I regret the seeming unfamiliarity with the Bible of the majority of young people today, as it makes a lot of this country's cultural heritage difficult for them to understand.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

I'm agnostic, but I adore the King James...

Oh, and on my own reading list is a book by language writer David Crystal, Begat: the King James Bible and the English language. I'll post a review when I get to it (I've loved his other books I've read).