a study of bible-第14部分
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nglish Bible with a comment of a learned theologian of our own time on them。 The phrase is a simple one in the Communion service： 〃This is my body which is given for you。〃 That is all Saxon。 When our theologian comes to comment on it he says we are to understand that 〃the validity of the service does not lie in the quality of external signs and sacramental representation； but in its essential property and substantial reality。〃 Now there are nine words abstract in their meaning； Latin in their form。 It is in that kind of words that the Bible could have been translated； and in our own day might even be translated。 Addison speaks of that： 〃If any one would judge of the beauties of poetry that are to be met with in the divine writings； and examine how kindly the Hebrew manners of speech mix and incorporate with the English language； after having perused the Book of Psalms； let him read a literal translation of Horace or Pindar。 He will find in these two last such an absurdity and confusion of style with such a comparative poverty of imagination； as will make him very sensible of what I have been here advancing。〃＇1＇
＇1＇ The Spectator； No。 405。
The fact that the words are short can be quickly illustrated by taking some familiar sections。 In the Ten Commandments there are three hundred and nineteen words in all； two hundred and fifty…nine of them are words of one syllable； and only sixty are of two syllables and over。 There are fifty words of two syllables； six of three syllables； of which four are such composite words that they really amount to two words of one and two syllables each； with four words of four syllables； and none over that。 Make a comparison just here。 There is a paragraph in Professor March's lectures on the English language where he is urging that its strongest words are purely English； not derived from Greek or Latin。 He uses the King James version as illustration。 If； now； we take three hundred and nineteen words at the beginning of that paragraph to compare with the three hundred and nineteen in the Ten Commandments； the result will be interesting。 Where the Ten Commandments have two hundred and fifty…nine words of one syllable； Professor March has only one hundred and ninety…four； over against the fifty two…syllable words in the Ten Commandments； Professor March has sixty…five； over against their six words of three syllables； he has thirty…five； over against their four words of four syllables； he uses eighteen； and while the Ten Commandments have no word longer than four syllables； Professor March needs five words of five syllables and two words of six syllables to express his ideas。＇1＇
＇1＇ This table will show the comparison at a glance：
Syllables 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Commandments 259 50 6 4 0 0 319 Professor March 194 65 35 18 5 2 319
The same thing appears in the familiar 23d Psalm； where there are one hundred and nineteen words in all； of which ninety…five are words of one syllable； and only three of three syllables； with none longer。 In the Sermon on the Mount eighty two per cent。 of the words in our English version are words of one syllable。
The only point urged now is that this kind of thing makes for strength in literature。 Short words are strong words。 They have a snap and a grip to them that long words have not。 Very few men would grow angry over having a statement called a 〃prevarication〃 or 〃a disingenuous entanglement of ideas；〃 but there is something about the word 〃lie〃 that snaps in a man's face。 〃Unjustifiable hypothecation〃 may be the same as stealing； but it would never excite one to be called 〃an unjustifiable hypothecator〃 as it does to be called a thief。 At the very foundation of the strength of the literature of the English Bible there lies this tendency to short； clear…cut words。
Rising now from this basal element in the literature of the version； we come to the place where its style and its ideas blend in what we may call its earnestness。 That is itself a literary characteristic。 There is not a line of trifling in the book。 No man would ever learn trifling from it。 It takes itself with tremendous seriousness。 Here are earnest men at work； to them life is joyous； but it is no joke。 That is why the element of humor in it is such a small one。 It is there； to be sure。 Many of its similes are intended to be humorous。 A few of its incidents are humorous； but it has little of that element in it； as indeed little of our literature has that element markedly in it。 We have a few exceptions。 But what George Eliot says in Adam Bede is true； that wit is of a temporary nature； and does not deal with the deep and more lasting elements in life。 The Bible is not a sad book。 There are children at play in it； there are feasts and buoyant gatherings fully recounted。 But it never trifles nor jests。
So it has given us a language of great dignity。 Let Addison speak again： 〃How cold and dead does a prayer appear that is composed in the most elegant and polite forms of speech； which are natural to our tongue； when it is not heightened by that solemnity of phrase which may be drawn from the sacred writings。 It has been said by some of the ancients that if the gods were to talk with men； they would certainly speak in Plato's style； but I think we may say； with justice； that when mortals converse with their Creator they cannot do it in so proper a style as in that of the Holy Scriptures。〃
As that earnestness of the literature of the original precluded any great amount of humor in the wide range of its literary forms； so in the King James version it precluded any trifling expressions； any plays on words； even the duplication of such plays as can be found in the Hebrew or the Greek。 You seldom find any turn of a word in the King James version； though you do occasionally find it in the Hebrew。 One such punning expression occurs in the story of Samson （Judges xv：16）； where our version reads： 〃With the jawbone of an ass； heaps upon heaps； with the jawbone of an ass have I slain a thousand men。〃 In the Hebrew the words translated 〃ass〃 and 〃heaps〃 are variants of the same word。 It comes near the Hebrew to say： 〃With the jawbone of an ass； masses upon masses；〃 and so on。 These translators would not risk reproducing such puns for fear of lowering the dignity of their results。 There is a deadly seriousness about their work and so they never lose strength as they go on。
That earnestness grows out of a second fact which may be emphasizednamely； the greatness of the themes of Bible literature。 Here is history； but it is not cast into fiction form。 History always becomes more interesting for a first reading when it is in the form of fiction； but it always loses greatness in that form。 Test it by turning from a history of the American revolutionary or civil war to an historical novel that deals with the same period； or from a history of Scotland to the Waverly novels。 In some degree the earnestness of the time is lost； the same facts are there； but they do not loom so large； nor do they seem so great。 So there is power in the fact that the historical elements of the version are in stately form and are never sacrificed to the fictional form。
These great themes save the work from being local。 It issues from life； but from life considered in the large。 The themes of great literature are great enough to make their immediate surroundings forgotten。 〃The English Bible deals with the great facts and the great problems。 It is from the point of view of those great facts that it handles even commonplace things； and you forget the commonplaceness of the things in the greatness of the dealing。 Take its attitude toward God。 One needs the sense of that great theme to read it fairly。 It quietly overlooks secondary causes； goes back of them to God。 Partly that was because the original writers were ignorant of some of those secondary causes； partly that they knew them； but wanted to go farther back。 Take the most outstanding instance； that of the Book of Jonah。 All its facts； without exception； can be told without mention of God； if one cared to do it。 But there could not be anything like so great a story if it is told that way。 One of his biographers says of Lincoln that there is nothing in his whole career which calls for explanation in other than a purely natural and human way。 That is true； if one does not care to go any farther back than that。 But the greatest story cannot be made out of Lincoln's life on those terms。 There is not material enough； the life must be delocalized。 It can be told without that larger view； so that it will be of interest to America and American children； but not so that it will be of value to generations of men in all countries and under all circumstances if it is told on those terms。 Part of the greatness of Scripture； from a literary point of view； is that it has such a tremendous range of theme； and is saved from a mere narration of local events by seeing those events in the light of larger considerations。
Let that stand for one of the great facts。 Now take one of the great problems。 The thing that makes Job so great a classic is the fact that； while it is dealing with a character； he is standing for the problem of undeserved suffering。 A man who has that before him； if he has at all the gift of imagination； is sure to write in a far larger way than when he is dealing with a man with boils as though he were finally important。 One could deal with Job as a character； and do a small piece of work。 But when you deal with Job as a type； a much larger opportunity offers。
It is these great ideas； as to either facts or problems； that give the seriousness； the earnestness to the literature of the Bible。 Men who express great ideas in literary form are not dilettante about them。 One of the English writers just now prominent as an essayist is often counted whimsical； trifling。 One of his near friends keenly resents that opinion； insists instead that he is dead in earnest； serious to the last degree； purposeful in all his work。 What makes that so difficult to believe is that there is always a tone of chaffing in his essays。 He seems always to be making fun of himself or of other people； and if he is dead in earnest he has the wrong style
