Sharing the Message “with Courtesy and Respect” (I Peter 3:15) Producing and Using Meaningful Translations of the Taurat, Zabur and Injil by John Travis ew things are as precious to a people as their Scriptures. In the case of the Bible, people have attempted over the centuries to translate this F sacred book into as many languages as possible so that all peoples on earth might benefit from its eternal message. A myriad of new translations of the Bible have appeared over this past century, often with one or more types produced within the same language group. In English, for example, there are now translations ranging from the very formal and traditional, to colloquial, easy-to-read translations for children. Some translations use terms found only in church settings; others use more general terms. Yet others are designed for English reading audiences of different reli- gious backgrounds, such as the “Jewish New Testament” (where Jesus is called Yeshua) and a translation of portions of the Bible for readers of Islamic back- ground, in which Jesus is glossed as Isa and the title of the book contains the word Injil.1 This brief article will address some of the unique linguistic factors involved in producing meaningful and respectful translations of Scripture for Muslim readers. Muslim Appreciation of the Taurat, Zabur and Injil For a translation of the Bible to be meaningful to a particular faith community, it needs to take seriously both its language and unique religious heritage. Today, due to globalization and new advances in technology and travel, Muslims and Christians are increasingly interested in one another, and in studying each other’s Scriptures. Important in this connection is the very high regard, at least in theory, that Muslims have for the Scriptures that came c before the birth of Muhammad. In fact, apart from Christianity, Islam is the only other major world religion that officially accepts the Bible—theTaurat, John Travis has lived for twenty years 2 in Muslim communities and traveled Zabur and Injil —as God-inspired Scriptures. extensively throughout the Muslim world. While there is debate among Muslims as to whether the Bible as it exists today He has been heavily involved in two Bible translations for Muslims readers has been altered or “corrupted” over the years, at least theologically, Muslims and assisted in a number of others. consider the Taurat, Zabur and Injil to be sacred in their original form and cInternational Journal of Frontier Missions 23:2 Summer 2006•73 74 Producing and Using Meaningful Translations of the Taurat, Zabur and Injil languages (i.e. Hebrew, Greek and is better to simply say “Matthew” or addition, I Cor 9:19-23 would suggest Aramaic).3 Thus, it is a service to perhaps “The Good News According that those who have the Scriptures at both God and our Muslim friends to Matthew” and so forth, reserv- their disposal should view themselves to translate the Taurat, Zabur, Injil ing the title Injil for the entire as “servants” of those yet outside of in ways that are most honoring, New Testament. Christ, being flexible concerning their comprehensible and relevant for the traditions, so that “as many as possible” Muslim heart and mind. 2. Names of Biblical Characters might come to know the Messiah. I The second key involves the names of have noticed that when translators Six Linguistic Keys Biblical characters, in particular Jesus. learn that the term Isa predates Islam The cultural, theological, and linguis- The majority of major religious figures and that it was derived from Christian tic similarities that exist between Islam mentioned in the Qur’an are also sources5, they are much more inclined and the Bible suggest ways to mean- mentioned in the Bible. Such figures to use it, allowing the context of ingfully translate it for Muslim audi- include Adam (Adam), Noah (Nuh), Scripture to give new or increased ences who, like Jews and Christians, Jacob (Yakub), Abraham (Ibrahim), meaning where needed. trace their spiritual lineage through Joseph (Yusuf), David (Dawud), For this reason and others, many Abraham. Several linguistic keys are Solomon (Sulaiman), John the Baptist Bible translations from ancient times described below. until the present have used the name 1. Parts of the Bible Isa for Jesus, one of the first being an The first key is the need for an appropri- early translation in Arabic, known 6 ate title for the name of the translation. today as the Elegant Gospels. Transla- Since Islamic literature and theology The greatest objection tions in Turkish, Farsi (i.e. “Persian,” already provide very adequate terms the language of Iran) and the first (Taurat, Zabur, Injil) for the various is to the use of the complete translation of the Bible 7 parts of the Bible, these words should name Isa al-Masih into Malay-Indonesian and Urdu be maintained. Sadly, translators have used Isa as well. In fact, in Southeast at times felt compelled to refer to for Jesus . Asia alone I have identified over the Bible as something like the “Old twenty translations that presently 8 Testament” or “New Testament”, use or have used Isa. Note too that terms which are normally meaning- with the increase in the number less to a Muslim. Where Muslim of translations being prepared for special audiences, there are some terms used to refer to the Bible have (Yahya) and Jesus the Messiah (Isa al- translations where, within the same been avoided, it is usually because Masih). Although the Qur’an contains language or dialect, both an Isa and the translator is unaware of these only portions of the accounts of their a non-Isa translation exist. Some terms or is concerned about offending lives, these Arabic names clearly refer examples in major world languages churches, either local or abroad, who to the same historical figures that are include Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Eng- may not like these terms. described in the Bible. For the sake of lish, Indonesian and Sundanese. Two other factors to be considered recognition and religious acceptability, are the use of the term kitab (book) it is crucial that these names be used 3. Lord (Kurios) and the term Injil. Islam recognizes in translations of the Bible. Some, The third key is selecting an appropriate four major kitab—the Taurat, Zabur, however, object to this practice. word for Lord (kurios) in reference to Injil and Qur’an. The word used for The greatest objection is to the use Jesus. The Greek word kurios, which is normally glossed as ‘sir,’ ‘lord,’ ‘Lord’ each of the sixty-six “books” of the cof the name Isa al-Masih for Jesus Bible, however, should not be kitab or ‘master’ in English translations of instead of a foreign name such as Yezu 9 but perhaps rather a term such as Kristo. The two objections generally the Bible, carries the meaning of pos- sessing authority and power. When sura, surah or surat depending on local mentioned are that the portrayal of Isa spelling and pronunciation (this term in the Qur’an is not the same as that of translating this term, it is crucial that corresponds to the one hundred and Jesus in the Bible or that churches in a word be selected that can be used for fourteen sections or chapters found a human (not just for God as has hap- the country have been using a different 10 in the Qur’an). Concerning the term name, such as Yezu.4 In response to pened in some translations ) since the Injil (gospel), the first four books of these objections, however, many have Word of God, through the incarna- the New Testament are often called pointed out that merely changing tion, truly became human. Some good examples of languages that translate “The Gospel of Matthew”, “The Isa to another name (one that may Gospel of Mark” and so forth. The phonetically sound closer to the Greek kurios with a suitable term would be in English, in Spanish, term Injil however, should not be used Ieosous or the Hebrew Yeshua) will Lord Señor here in this context as it conveys the not change one’s misunderstandings Heer in Dutch, Herr in German, Gusti impression that there are four Injil. It regarding the person of Jesus. In in Javanese, and Ginoo, which is used International Journal of Frontier Missions here has hardly been any translation work done in very small languages and . there is not not likely T to be much more. John Travis 75 in parts of the Philippines. In each of these languages, the term chosen to ome have been reluctant to use it in Bible translate kurios in reference to Jesus, translation, fearing it will convey an incorrect is a term that can clearly be used for a respected person who has authority.11 S understanding of God. respectively) this other term is also a good term to use. It seems, how- 4. Allah needed. This is due to the fact that ever, that few languages have such a The fourth key is the glossing of the generally throughout the Muslim “non-biological” term for son. If such Divine names, particularly the name world, the term Allah cannot be gram- a word does not exist, some translators Allah. Of all words known to Muslims, matically used in either a plural or a contend that the title is theologically the name Allah is certainly the most possessive sense (that is, grammati- too heavy to touch and that we need precious. The first phrase of the cally and culturally, one can not say to simply, woodenly, translate the Muslim creed states, “There is no god “my Allah”, “your Allah”, the allahs of words “Son of God” regardless of how but Allah.” Allah is etymologically the Egyptians, etc.).