In the 12. Chap. your translation hath,1 he that neglecteth a loss for a friend, is a just man. A wise saying perhaps. But Solomons sentence in this place is far otherwise, The just man is more excellent then his neighbour. ⟨p. 319⟩In the 16. Chap. a true weight and balance (saith the wise man) are of the Lord:2 and then immediately it followeth, And all the stones or weights of the bag are his works. 3these last words are thus translated in your books, And all the stones of the world are his works, 4by a small change of the bag into the world. This you will say was the writers fault, and not the translators. Verily so I think: for no translator of any skill could be so much deceived in the Hebrew word. But why then keep you this corruption still in the text of scripture? why will you not amend a fault so foul, and so sensible, that it may be felt with the finger? And thus hath it gone in your books of many hundred years, as may appear by Bede & other latin writers in their commentaries. v. 3 And in the same Chapter before, where Solomon exhorteth us to cast or commit our works unto the Lord, 5in your translation we are bid to reveal our works unto the Lord. In the 20. Chapter your vulgar translations have corrupted and falsified a text diversely.6 Some copies read thus, It is ruin to a man to call down the saints: others, to note the saints: others,7 to vow the saints: others to devour the ⟨p. 320⟩saints. And this last cometh nearest to the truth, for Solomon saith, indeed, It is a mans ruin, to devour a holy or sanctified thing. 8In the latter end of the 30. Chapter, whereas Solomon saith, (he that presseth or churneth milk, bringeth forth butter, so to press and force wrath, causeth strife,) your translator hath told us a pretty tale in this sort, He that presseth strongly the paps to draw forth milk, he bringeth forth butter, which thing yet I believe was never seen. But such absurdities in your translation must be borne withal. In the last Chap. among the other praises of a worthy and excellent woman that is one,9 that she putteth her hand to the whorl: for which your translation saith,10 she putteth her hand to valiant things. Such as these, be there many faults in your translation of this book, which might in all translations deserve reproof, and require correction, but most of all in the holy scriptures of almighty God.
In the 12. Chap. your translation hath,1 he that neglecteth a losse for a friend, is a iust man. A wise saying perhaps. But Salomons sentence in this place is farre otherwise, The iust man is more excellent then his neighbour. ⟨p. 319⟩In the 16. Chap. a true waight and balance (saith the wise man) are of the Lord:2 and then immediatlie it foloweth, And all the stones or weightes of the bagge are his workes. 3these last words are thus translated in your bookes, And all the stones of the world are his workes, 4by a small change of the bagge into the world. This you will saie was the writers fault, and not the translators. Verelie so I thinke: for no t•anslator of anie skill could be so much deceiued in the Hebrew word. But why then keepe you this corruption still in the text of scripture? why will you not amend a fault so foule, and so sensible, that it may be felt with the finger? And thus hath it gone in your bookes of manie hundred yeares, as may appeere by Beda & other latine writers in their commentaries. v. 3 And in the same Chapter before, where Salomon exhorteth vs to cast or commit our workes vnto the Lord, 5in your translation we are bid to reueale our workes vnto the Lord. In the 20. Chapter your vulgare translations haue corrupted and falsified a text diuersely.6 Some copies read thus, It is ruine to a man to call downe the saintes: others, to note the saintes: others,7 to vowe the saints: others to deuour the ⟨p. 320⟩saints. And this last commeth neerest to the truth, for Salomon saith, indeed, It is a mans ruine, to deuoure a holie or sanctified thing. 8In the latter end of the 30. Chapter, whereas Salomon saith, (he that presseth or churneth milke, bringeth forth butter, so to presse and force wrath, causeth strife,) your translator hath tolde vs a pretie tale in this sorte, He that presseth stronglie the pappes to draw forth milke, he bringeth forth butter, which thinge yet I beleeue was neuer seene. But such absurdities in your translation must be borne withal. In the last Chap. among the other praises of a worthy and excellent woman that is one,
- 1Prou. 12.29.
- 2prou. 16.11.
- 3sacculi.
- 4seculi.
- 5Devolve. Revela.Deuolue. Reuela.
- 6Prou. 20.25.
- 7devocare. denotare. devotare. devoraredeuocare. denotare. deuotare. deuorare
- 8Kodesh. prou. 30.33.
- 9prou. 31.19.
- 10Ad fortia.
