an open letter on translating-第1节
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An Open Letter on Translating
By Dr。 Martin Luther； 1483…1546
Translated from：
〃Sendbrief von Dolmetschen〃
in _Dr。 Martin Luthers Werke_；
（Weimar： Hermann Boehlaus Nachfolger； 1909）；
Band 30； Teil II； pp。 632…646
by Gary Mann； Ph。D。
Assistant Professor of Religion/Theology
Augustana College
Rock Island； Illinois
Preface
Wenceslas Link to all believers in Christ：
The wise Solomon says in Proverbs 11： 〃The people who withhold
grain curse him。 But there is a blessing on those who sell it。〃
This verse speaks truly concerning all that can serve the common
good or the well…being of Christendom。 This is the reason the
master in the gospel reprimands the unfaithful servant like a lazy
scoundrel for having hidden and buried his money in the ground。
So that this curse of the Lord and the entire Church might be
avoided； I must publish this letter which came into my possession
through a good friend。 I could not withhold it； as there has been
much discussion about the translating of the Old and New
Testaments。 It has been charged by the despisers of truth that
the text has been modified and even falsified in many places；
which has shocked and startled many simple Christians； even among
the educated who do not know any Hebrew or Greek。 It is devoutly
hoped that with this publication the slander of the godless will
be stopped and the scruples of the devout removed； at least in
part。 It may even give rise to more writing on such matters and
questions such as these。 So I ask all friends of the Truth to
seriously take this work to heart and faithfully pray to God for a
proper understanding of the divine Scriptures towards the
improvement and increase of our common Christendom。 Amen。
Nuremberg Sept。 15； 1530。
To the Honorable and Worthy N。； my favorite lord and friend。
Grace and peace in Christ； honorable； worthy and dear Lord and
friend。 I received your writing with the two questions or queries
requesting my response。 In the first place； you ask why I； in the
3rd chapter of Romans； translated the words of St。 Paul：
〃Arbitramur hominem iustificari ex fide absque operibus〃 as 〃We
hold that the human will be justified without the works of the law
but only by faith。〃 You also tell me that the Papists are causing
a great fuss because St。 Paul's text does not contain the word
sola （alone）； and that my changing of the words of God is not to
be tolerated。 Secondly； you ask if the departed saints intercede
for us。 Regarding the first question； you can give the papists
this answer from me … if you so desire。
On the first hand； if I； Dr。 Luther； had thought that all the
Papists together were capable of translating even one passage of
Scripture correctly and well； I would have gathered up enough
humility to ask for their aid and assistance in translating the
New Testament into German。 However； I spared them and myself the
trouble； as I knew and still see with my own eyes that not one of
them knows how to speak or translate German。 It is obvious；
however； that they are learning to speak and write German from my
translations。 Thus； they are stealing my language from me … a
language they had little knowledge of before this。 However； they
do not thank me for this but instead use it against me。 Yet I
readily grant them this as it tickles me to know that I have
taught my ungrateful students； even my enemies； to speak。
Secondly； you might say that I have conscientiously translated the
New Testament into German to the best of my ability； and that I
have not forced anyone to read it。 Rather I have left it open；
only doing the translation as a service to those who could not do
it as well。 No one is forbidden to do it better。 If someone does
not wish to read it； he can let it lie； for I do not ask anyone to
read it or praise anyone who does！ It is my Testament and my
translation … and it shall remain mine。 If I have made errors
within it （although I am not aware of any and would most certainly
be unwilling to intentionally mistranslate a single letter） I will
not allow the papists to judge for their ears continue to be too
long and their hee…haws too weak for them to be critical of my
translating。 I know quite well how much skill； hard work；
understanding and intelligence is needed for a good translation。
They know it less than even the miller's donkey for they have
never tried it。
It is said； 〃The one who builds along the pathway has many
masters。〃 It is like this with me。 Those who have not ever been
able to speak correctly （to say nothing of translating） have all
at once become my masters and I their pupil。 If I were to have
asked them how to translate the first two words of Matthew 〃Liber
Generationis〃 into German； not one of them would have been able to
say 〃Quack！〃 And they judge all my works！ Fine fellows！ It was
also like this for St。 Jerome when he translated the Bible。
Everyone was his master。 He alone was entirely incompetent as
people； who were not good enough to clean his boots； judged his
works。 This is why it takes a great deal of patience to do good
things in public for the world believes itself to be the Master of
Knowledge； always putting the bit under the horse's tail； and not
judging itself for that is the world's nature。 It can do nothing
else。
I would gladly see a papist come forward and translate into German
an epistle of St。 Paul's or one of the prophets and； in doing so；
not make use of Luther's German or translation。 Then one might
see a fine； beautiful and noteworthy translation into German。
We have seen that bungler from Dresden play master to my New
Testament。 （I will not mention his name in my books as he has his
judge and is already well… known）。 He does admit that my German
is good and sweet and that he could not improve it。 Yet； anxious
to dishonor it； he took my New Testament word for word as it was
written； and removed my prefaces and glosses； replacing them with
his own。 Then he published my New Testament under his name！ Dear
Children； how it pained me when his prince in a detestable preface
condemned my work and forbid all from reading Luther's New
Testament； while at the same time commending the Bungler's New
Testament to be read … even though it was the very same one Luther
had written！
So no one thinks I am lying； put Luther's and the Bungler's New
Testaments side by side and compare them。 You will see who did
the translation for both。 He has patched it in places and
reordered it （and although it does not all please me） I can still
leave it be for it does me no particular harm as far as the
document is concerned。 That is why I never intended to write in
opposition to it。 But I did have a laugh at the great wisdom that
so terribly slandered； condemned and forbade my New Testament；
when it was published under my name； but required its reading when
published under an other's name！ What type of virtue is this that
slanders and heaps shame on someone else's work； and then steals
it； and publishes it under one's own name； thereby seeking glory
and esteem through the slandered work of someone else！ I leave
that for his judge to say。 I am glad and satisfied that my work
（as St。 Paul also boasts ） is furthered by my enemies； and that
Luther's work； without Luther's name but that of his enemy； is to
be read。 What better vengeance？！
Returning to the issue at hand； if your Papist wishes to make a
great fuss about the word 〃alone〃 （sola）； say this to him： 〃Dr。
Martin Luther will have it so and he says that a papist and an ass
are the same thing。〃 Sic volo； sic iubeo； sit pro ratione
voluntas。 （I will it； I command it； my will is reason enough） For
we are not going to become students and followers of the papists。
Rather we will become their judge and master。 We； too； are going
to be proud and brag with these blockheads； and just as St。 Paul
brags against his madly raving saints； I will brag over these
asses of mine！ They are doctors？ Me too。 They are scholars？ I
am as well。 They are philosophers？ And I。 They are
dialecticians？ I am too。 They are lecturers？ So am I。 They
write books？ So do I。
I will go even further with my bragging： I can exegete the psalms
and the prophets； and they cannot。 I can translate； and they
cannot。 I can read Holy Scriptures； and they cannot。 I can pray；
they cannot。 Coming down to their level； I can do their
dialectics and philosophy better than all of them put together。
Plus I know that not one of them understands Aristotle。 If； in
fact； any one of them can correctly understand one part or chapter
of Arist
