The Art of Bible Translation

by Robert Alter

From the recipient of the National Jewish Book Award for Lifetime Achievement, a "hugely entertaining and irreverent" (Adam Gopnik, New Yorker) account of the art of translating the Hebrew Bible into EnglishIn this brief book, award-winning biblical translator and acclaimed literary critic Robert Alter offers a personal and passionate account of what he learned about the art of Bible translation over the two decades he spent completing his own English version of the Hebrew Bible.Alter’s literary training gave him the advantage of seeing that a translation of the Bible can convey the text’s meaning only by trying to capture the powerful and subtle literary style of the biblical Hebrew, something the modern English versions don’t do justice to. The Bible’s style, Alter writes, “is not some sort of aesthetic embellishment of the ‘message’ of Scripture but the vital medium through which the biblical vision of God, human nature, history, politics, society, and moral value is conveyed.” And, as the translators of the King James Version knew, the authority of the Bible is inseparable from its literary authority.For these reasons, the Bible can be brought to life in English only by re-creating its literary virtuosity, and Alter discusses the principal aspects of style in the Hebrew Bible that any translator should try to word choice, syntax, word play and sound play, rhythm, and dialogue. In the process, he provides an illuminating and accessible introduction to biblical style that also offers insights about the art of translation far beyond the Bible.

Genres: Religion, Language, Nonfiction, Biblical Studies, Judaism, Theology, Jewish

141 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 19, 2019

About the author

Robert Bernard Alter is an American professor of Hebrew and comparative literature at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has taught since 1967, and has published many acclaimed works on the Bible, literary modernism, and contemporary Hebrew literature.

Reviews

[Chad D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straightforward, enjoyable, short chapters. Alter wants to argue that most modern translations of the Bible (by which he means the Hebrew Bible) into English neglect to consider literary style and consequently suffer both in style and content as a result. The stylistic features he dedicates chapters to are syntax, word choice, sound play and word play (counts as one), rhythm, and dialogue. He stuffs the chapters with vivid translation examples: the literal Hebrew and then how contemporary translators succeed or fail at conveying the original feature. His translation villains are those who believe that the lexical meaning is enough, that the Bible's meaning is entirely in semantic content, none in form.

So, lots of fun examples--a very reader-friendly scholarly book. Possible to read when your brain is tired at the end of a long day but you still want to learn.

[Makayla Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Alter gets a bit edgy while calling out modern day translators, he’s got a point. This book shows the importance of paying attention to the literary nuances of the Bible—nuances that have largely been ignored. Grateful for this helpful book!

[William]

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Bible as literature.

Basically, Alter is a literary scholar who reads ancient Hebrew. He ended up getting involved in translation and somewhat recently completed a translation of the entire Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). This book is a summary of some key principles he focused on as he translated--matters of language that he thinks most modern Bible translator handle very poorly: syntax (sentence construction), word choice, sound/word play, rhythm, and (an Old Testament specialty) "the language of dialogue." As the author himself puts it, "my own contention is that meaning in the Bible or in any literary text cannot be reduced to lexical values, that it involves the communication of affect and can never be separated from the nuanced connotation of words and their dynamic interaction as they are joined through sound, through syntax, and through poetic or narrative context" (76).

Amen, man. For me, it is not just the concepts and stories that make the Bible a site for religious experience but it is the way those concepts or stories are presented--through meaningful language. And this language gets a significant part of its meaning through aesthetics--its musical qualities, the way it sounds and feels.

For me this is a big part of why I cling to my beloved King James version when so many other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (traditionally a King-James adhering organization) who fancy themselves as intellectuals or rebels have been touting the virtues of modern translations. "Yeah," I want to tell them, "but your new versions sound like garbage." Seriously, they do.

For a long time I worried that the King James only sounded good to me because it was what I was used to, but Alter has convinced me otherwise. Don't get me wrong, Alter definitely sees many flaws in the good old KJV. (New scholarship has clarified some mistakes made due to lack of knowledge in the early 1600s, for example. Also, he feels the King James version struggles to reproduce the rhythms of ancient Hebrew in poetry sections as well as it might.) However, he maintains that it is a better and more faithful translation than all the modern versions (except, of course, his. . .). Because the translators (who mostly used William Tyndale's earlier, "heretical" translation into English) were so invested in faithfully conveying what they saw as each divine word from Hebrew into their own tongue, they actually ended up doing a pretty good job of reproducing the spare elegance of Biblical narrative style. They never tried to "explain" or "clarify" things the way modern translations insist on doing.

Granted, Alter is a literary guy. The theological issues aren't paramount in his assessment of the Bible's value, thus, "explaining," which some readers might appreciate, seems silly to him. I'm a literary guy, too. But I'm also a religious guy that turns to scripture as a tool to help understand and live truth. Even so, I side with him when it comes to "explaining" in translation. We can do that in commentaries, I say. Let the actual text say what it really says. Anything else is kind of a lie.

Also, it is beautiful the way it is written, and while a lot of other members of the Church would look at me funny for saying this, I think the beauty of scripture is an important component of proper worship. Let me attempt to explain: the Divine Truth of God's love is not just RIGHT, it is BEAUTIFUL. The rightness may be enough for you, but for me the beauty feels equally important. For me, goodness is equal parts rightness and beauty. And while it is impossible to convey or re-create the beauty of the Divine that the Holy Spirit can communicate to our souls, I think we should strive to get as close as possible. And the King James does that for me.

Will I ever give Alter's translation a try? Maybe. I gotta say, I'm a little bothered by the fact that he abandoned the "thees" and "thous" for "yous" and "yours"--I know that is only because I'm used to the Bible being written that way, but for me that make the Bible sound old. And it IS old, right?! Shouldn't an accurate translation make it sound old? I digress.

The point is, thank you Robert Alter for giving me some ammunition to use against these anti-KJV intellectuals within the Church. And the other point is that if you are interested at all in learning more about why the Bible is an awesome work of literature, check this book out. It's only 120 pages long!

P.S.--I thought it was cool that I was the very first person to check this book out from the Lawrence (KS) Public Library.

[Jacopo Quercia · Rating 5 out of 5]

How would you translate the voice of God? How much of yourself would you imprint upon Him or Her, or perhaps upon past authors you wish to emulate or eschew? Such is the subject of 'The Art of Bible Translation,' a text that should be every bit as useful to creative writers as to those approaching religious studies.

Dr. Alter could have easily focused his attention on various translations and mistranslations of the Bible across the centuries. While he does address such instances, they are brief and episodic, oftentimes presented as examples to larger arguments. Instead, true to title, Dr. Alter illuminates the "art" of biblical translation, including syntax, word choice, alliteration, meter, and even imagination. This was a wonderful departure from what could have been a mundane index of names and dates, and the result is brilliant. Beautiful. A masterful thesis not just on biblical translation but also on the larger artistry of the English language.

This book is a fascinating education that left me empowered as a writer and in awe of Dr. Alter's talents. 4.5 stars. (My only complaint is that it could have benefited from a conclusion. )

[Glenn Wishnew III · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nauseatingly repetitive but packs a powerful punch.

[Santi Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent brief introduction to the challenges of interpretation, covering syntax, word choice, word play/puns, rhythm, and the language of dialogue. Alter doesn’t always convince me his translational approach is the best, but it’s incredibly enlightening to see the thought process in detail. Alter leans heavily toward keeping the tight rhythmic flow of ancient Hebrew and in particular the syntactic structure of dialogue, which I like but sometimes leads to clunky transitions.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does a good job of showing linguistic issues that most English translations of the Bible mess up. I think anyone interested in Bible translation should read this book.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Translation is here recognised as always imperfect. The original cannot be replicated - not unless it is very, very simple and also very similar to the new 'copy'.

The author gives an interesting account of some of the aspects of translation he felt forced to consider and give a strong weighting when he gradually undertook to make an English translation of the Hebrew Bible. This account covers topics such as diction, rhythm and dialogue and uses as comparison the translations rendered by contemporary translations, 20th century translations, a few outsiders from 18th or 19th century and also (in pride of place) the 1611 King James version.

This book doesn't touch on any theology or religious studies, or the religious beliefs the Bible is the starting point for. The focus is solely on the translation itself - the considerations made in the making of the author's own version of the Bible. During the reading the author criticises bible studies today as well as weaknesses from all translations made - including his own. The author is not bathing in his glory, he fully admits the issues and flaws in his process and the final result.

My biggest criticism - the reason I have reservations - is that in some important areas I'm still left in ignorance. Why is the Hebrew version what the author chose to translate? Are there lots of other versions? Is one version considered 'gold standard'? He comments on the King James 'company' of translators taking the words to be important in themselves as those of God - does this author feel the same way? What is his religious background?

Overall an excellent read, especially if the Bible is important to you or if you find language (or translation more specifically) interesting. Would highly recommend to a select few.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kind of wanted to give this three stars because Robert Alter is so pompous and full of himself, but really, this book is a gem. It is an inside look into literary translation and a fascinating perspective on biblical literature that one hears far too little about, with all that has been written and said about the Bible. It is short and accessible, even enjoyable in the middle of the night when one can't sleep.

[julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was both fascinating and genuinely hilarious. will never look at the v'shamru the same way again. highly recommend if you're interested in religion, linguistics, writing, or 150 page roasts.

[Jon Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't really for everyone, but if you have some background in literature or linguistics, and you care about how the Bible is translated, this small volume adds somethings unique and useful to the discussion. Alter's position, in its most basic form, is that we have overlooked (purposely or through ignorance) the artfulness of the Biblical texts, and we should be making attempts to preserve aspects of this art in as many ways as possible when we create translations. Alter deals mainly with Biblical Hebrew, and his examples come thus almost exclusively from the Old Testament. I am trained in neither Hebrew nor Greek, but as a linguist with a love of literature, I do have some understanding of how each functions, and in the difficulties of translation in general.

Each chapter discusses some aspect of the artfulness of the biblical (Hebrew) texts, from word choice to word play to rhythm and narrative dialogue. Some of these chapters are more interesting than others, and some are more useful or convincing than others. At times it seems his argument is "we haven't preserved X, because X can't be preserved in a translation," which seems a little self-defeating; isn't it unfair to criticize translations for not doing what you think is often impossible? Alter might respond that he'd prefer that we TRY, and/or at least recognize that the original has these qualities. He argues that translators today are too specialized, often having very little ear for literary English (unlike the 1611 translators, who were literary polymaths), and thus the artfulness is lost either because it's not recognized, not respected, or no attempt is made to create artful English equivalents.

I have a book of famous poetry "deconstructed," that illustrates quite well how different certain poems would sound if they had different [word choice/metaphor/rhythm/rhyme/etc], and so I take Alter's thesis quite seriously. He think that careful and intelligent readers should be able to do with the Bible's texts what we already do when we read Homer, Ovid, or Shakespeare - interpret, study, and ultimately appreciate the words that we're reading.

Again, read this only if you care enough about the artistic and literary value of the Bible, or about what is lost in the process of translation. It's not a long read, but looking at it from this angle is bound to make you think about the texts in ways you probably have not before.

[Carlo Leroux · Rating 5 out of 5]

unbelievable. absolutely phenomenal. i don’t know how this happened but i have a full blown obsession with the bible. i’ve read it in two translations now and i have 4 more on my list that id like to read eventually. i’ve spent $200 on bibles this month. it’s ridiculous.

the first step in igniting my passion for the bible was my discovery of the field of academic bible scholarship. once i dropped a few dogmas about the bible that i had always held with no solid basis, everything seemed to make so much more sense. matters such as authorship, the dates of the various writings, the genres, and advent of various dogmatic doctrines, all are endlessly fascinating to me. but this book helped me to unlock a whole new dimension to this text that i never even knew was missing.

this book helped me to see the bible as art. one unfortunate byproduct of viewing the bible as the univocal word of God is that you do a disservice to the human writers who put it together, and you forget that they were just that: writers. hence, there is a great deal of intention put into the writings. they are art. i now see the concept of a “best translation” to be rather misguided given that translations often seek to fulfill various purposes. but if there was a best, it would be Robert Alters translation of the Hebrew Bible. and i haven’t even read it all yet. and yet i can tell that it highlights something about the bible that i truly love: that it is a deeply human work.

the only downside to knowing as much as i do about the bible is that it does not serve me socially AT ALL. being obsessed with the bible is practically synonymous with getting no bitches. my family doesn’t want to hear anything about what im learning. most of my friends would find it obscene, heretical, and satanic. the only thing i can do is continue to consume as much Dan Mclellan content as i can. hallelujah.

[Lanie Walkup · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a masterfully, concise account, Alter conveys both the challenge and reward of learning the original Biblical languages. As a student of Greek and Hebrew, this book revealed the need to continue to learn and study to grasp the complexity, nuance, and style of these languages and how they might be translated.
This book is accessible but requires a bit of basic knowledge of language, grammar, etc. to follow closely.
Would highly recommend for anyone involved in translation, exegesis, or for anyone just interested in a deeper understanding of the process and importance of Bible translation.

[Matthew Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. I am not 100% on board with the idea of all lexicography being devoid of diachronic development as seems to be suggested here. Alter does not deal much with grammaticalization or diachronic influences, but rather just says things like "This word is selected but there is another word for that in Hebrew." Statements like these assume the Hebrew Bible was written in one time period. Otherwise, there are some good pointers here on translation, theory and practice.

[michal k-c · Rating 3 out of 5]

three stars might be too low but the book is really too short... would’ve loved a few of the chapters to be about 40+ pages longer (especially the one on dialogue). There is a very interesting book waiting to be written on how the tradition of bible translation has shaped literary criticism throughout the ages ....

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

a little pedantic but robert alter is mandatory if the literary qualities of scripture vibrates your personal tuning fork. short version: language is a cultural act and we get our greasy foodhands all over it all the time

[izzynotknitting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely a great book on elementary elements of Biblical Hebrew translation

[kamila gutierrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love letter to the 1611 translation of the King James Bible

[Ryan Lian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Acerbic, funny, and clear. Evangelicals cannot ignore his thesis.
Alter exposes the flatness of most English translations that run roughshod over alliteration, assonance, tempo and a few other literary devices I’ve never heard of.
He blasts the RSV, JPS and New Jerusalem Bible translations, but tellingly ignores the far more popular NIV & ESV.
He both makes you want to just learn the original to experience the beauty and also appreciate the ESV for avoiding most of the pitfalls he exposes.

[Dmitry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book reads more like an essay than a completed volume. To appreciate it, I think one needs to be well versed in the workings of translation and the Bible, as well as enjoy thinking and learning about languages. The author focuses on the intricacies of the original Hebrew language of the Bible: its syntax, word choice, sound and word play, rhythm, and dialog structure. Most of the modern translations fall terribly short in conveying these and tend to excessively modernize and "dumb down" the original language. KJV does a better job, but even that translation omits a lot of the linguistic nuances.

In supporting his translation approach, Robert Alter compares a lot of passages, but most of them tend to be from the obscure and less known sections of the Bible, so in-depth familiarity with the Bible narrative would be important to being able to follow this book.

Overall, to those who love and enjoy reading the Bible, this book will showcase the finer details of God's Word, bringing the appreciation to a whole new level.

[Brian Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given the great number of languages and the finite capacity of humans to be fluent in more than a few languages, translation is a necessary task. Yet anyone who has translated from an original language to a target language knows that translation is not a science. It cannot adequately be done via computer, as anyone who has used Google Translate knows. Translation is an art. A successful translation will not merely translate propositions from one language to another; it will also capture the style, the rhythm, and the subtleties of the original language. Robert Alter, who has recently completed his translation of the Hebrew Bible, believes that previous English translations of that ancient anthology of Scripture have not captured its literary style. In The Art of Bible Translation, Alter explains “how syntax, word choice, rhythm, sound play, word play, and diction are artfully deployed in the Hebrew and why, whatever challenges all these aspects of style pose, they need somehow to be reflected in translation.” Alter is concerned only with the Old Testament and its translation of Hebrew; he does not refer to the handful of chapters of Aramaic in the Old Testament or to any of the New Testament. In addition to explaining the ways in which English translations of Hebrew have failed, and providing an exposition of his own translation philosophy, it seems that one of Alter’s goals is to give his readers a taste of the beauty, the subtlety, and the artistry of the original language of the Hebrew Bible.

The Art of Bible Translation comprises six chapters. In the first chapter, Alter explains the shortcomings of English translations of the Bible. There are some elements of the Hebrew Bible that are often lost in translation. One is parataxis, “the ordering of words in parallel clauses linked by ‘and,’ with very little syntactic subordination or the accompanying subordinate conjunctions such as ‘because,’ ‘although,’ or ‘since’ that specify the connection between clauses” (4). Translators are uncomfortable with this style and its potential ambiguity. So, they clarify the relationships between clauses, inserting translations of words that do not appear in the original text. Another element of biblical style that is often lost is the rather limited vocabulary used in narratives. Translators prefer to use many synonyms, which can cause English readers to become unaware of repeated words. Alter advocates a more literal approach to translation that transparently reveals such repetition, not to mention the original syntax and rhythm of the text, if possible. “The essential point in all this is that the Hebrew Bible by and large exhibits consummate artistry in the language of its narratives and of its poetry, and there must be an answering act in the translation in order to convey what is remarkable about the original” (16).

In chapter 2, Alter discusses syntax, “the ordering of the words” (27). He explains the importance of parataxis, “a vehicle of speed” (30), in greater depth. Also, Hebrew syntax allows for the object of a verb to appear in front of the verb, a practice called “fronting.” The flexibility of Hebrew syntax allows for stress to be laid on different words, whether through fronting or chiasm. Alter clearly thinks that the English translator should, as far as English syntax will allow, present the shape of the original syntax in their work. Instead, translators seem intent on making the original text fit modern literary style.

Translations often hinge on how a particular word is translated. In chapter 3, Alter considers word choice. English translators of the Hebrew Bible have mistranslated certain words because of an uncertainty regarding their meaning. At other times, they seem to avoid translating a word literally for fear of embarrassment, settling for euphemisms instead. One example is Genesis 21:15, which literally states that Hagar “flung” Ishmael under a bush. Instead, modern English translations use something less offensive, such as “put” (ESV). Translators are also frequently uncomfortable translating anthropomorphic language about God. When translators fail to choose the right word in their translations, they obscure the beauty and power of the original text: “because the translators do not see the artistry of the simple language of the original, they feel at liberty to rearrange it in ways that undermine it and to substitute wrong English terms for beautifully right ones in the Hebrew” (61).

In chapter 4, Alter turns his attention to word plays, such as puns, and sound play. It is hard to translate puns because words that are homonyms in one language are usually not homonyms in another. Whenever possible, translators should find ways to retain puns in their work. The same is true of sound play, which includes alliteration or the juxtaposition of words that sound similar but have quite different meanings. In this chapter, Alter provides some important aspects of his philosophy of language and translation. “My own contention is that meaning in the Bible or in any literary text cannot be reduced to lexical values, that it involves the communication of affect and can never be separated from the nuanced connotation of words and their dynamic interaction as they are joined through sound, through syntax, and through poetic or narrative context” (76). According to him, “this is what translation is all about: you see an important effect in the original; you balance different possibilities for conveying it in translation; sometimes you feel you’ve gotten it just right; sometimes you adopt a solution that is far from perfect but that is nevertheless preferable to not communicating the effect of the original at all” (79).

Literature is more than words, syntax, and sounds. It involves rhythm, the subject of chapter 5. Alter gives credit to the translators of the King James Version for occasionally capturing something of the Old Testament’s original rhythm. Modern translations often fail completely in this important aspect of translation. Not surprisingly, rhythm is most important to the poetry of the Hebrew Bible.

Finally, in chapter 6, Alter considers the language of dialogue in the Old Testament’s narratives. The biblical writers often use dialogue to present a person’s character and emotions. When people are confused, the language of their speech can be grammatically incorrect and irregular. Yet translators often correct this language. “All the English versions, proceeding from the naïve assumption that anything anyone says in the Bible has to make sense, ‘correct’ this into intelligible English” (109).

The strengths of Alter’s brief book are many. It is well written, interesting, and a pleasure to read. Alter provides wonderful insights into the literary excellence of the Old Testament, and he describes the challenges that translators face in representing such style in English. The book is equal parts literary theory, translation theory, and ode to the Hebrew Bible, the language of which Alter clearly admires: “Both the narrative and the poetry of the Bible deploy an extraordinary imaginative use of language that has very few equals in the whole ancient world and none among the geographical neighbors of ancient Israel” (121). I found Alter’s enthusiasm for the Hebrew Bible infectious, and I can offer no higher praise than to say that this short book convinced me to buy his complete translation of the Old Testament.

However, no book is without weaknesses, including this one. There is almost no theological content or commentary to be found among Alter’s words. While he clearly loves the language of the Hebrew Bible, it is less clear that he loves the God who inspired this language. I find it disappointing that he accepts the documentary hypothesis, though this has little to no bearing on the points that he makes. I also found two comments rather strange. He boldly claims that “there is no biblical notion of the soul” (48). I have my doubts about such a claim, depending on how one defines “soul.” Additionally, he points out that Abraham, in speaking to Abimelech, says quite literally that “the gods made me a wanderer from my father’s house” (Gen 20:13, quoted on p. 50). Alter states that Abraham used this language because he was speaking to a polytheist and he wanted his message to be accessible to Abimelech. That may very well be true, but Alter seems to go too far with this comment: “What Abraham clearly does not want to hint at in his words to Abimelech is that the one God, as part of a covenantal promise, commanded him to leave his father’s house” (51). That is not at all clear to me.

These criticisms are relatively minor, and they do not concern the main purposes of The Art of Bible Translation. Those who love language, literary theory, translation theory, and the Bible will find much food for thought and delight in Alter’s artful book.

[Rob Quanstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published shortly after the completion of the translation of the The Hebrew Bible, this book’s introduction provides a brief autobiographical history of his translation.

In the first chapter, Alter goes over the history of the English Bible giving praise to Tyndale as a translator of genius who blasted a stylistic path for future translators.
Alter honors the translators of the 1611 King James translation for their devotion to literalism:
“The seventeenth-century translators worked with the theological conviction that every word of the Bible was revealed to humankind by God and that one didn’t play games with God’s words”.​

While celebrating the KJV translators achievement, he is not against noting their inadequacies. “The other pervasive problem with our canonical English version is that the seventeenth-century translators, for all their learning, had a rather imperfect grasp of biblical Hebrew. At times they get confused about the syntax, and they repeatedly missed the nuance, or even the actual meaning, of Hebrew words.”

Yet it is modern translators Alter primarily takes issue with, providing examples of their shortcomings on page after page…
ignoring the literary style of a text, ignoring nuance
ignoring syntax (particularly the repeated used of “and” in a Hebrew text
clarifying a text and introducing modern terms in an ancient cultural context
using a multitude of different words for a single Hebrew term (although he admits it is unavoidable at times)
and more…
The chapters that follow concentrate on how Alter addresses the shortcomings.
Chapter titles provide an outline of how his translation is different: Syntax, Word Choice, Sound Play and Word Play, Rhythm, and Language Dialogue.

Robert Alter’s translation particularly avoids the use of “dynamic equivalence”.
Regarding certain “special interest” translations he writes,
“ of the last, the most endearing and perhaps the most popular is a translation by a pastor named Eugene Peterson, which he calls not the Bible or the Holy Bible but ‘The Message’ and which is intended to address contemporary readers in their own vernacular. … What must be said, though, is that these amount to free adaptations and sometimes transmutations of the biblical texts that do not exactly qualify as translations, and so they remain beyond the scope of my discussion.”​

It’s not a difficult book to read, Alter keeps things lively and understandable. It is not written in scholarly mumbo jumbo.
After reading it you may be interested in looking over one of his translations or getting his translation of the entire OT. I frequently consult it as I study and enjoy it a lot.

[Scott W. Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read Alter's translation of the Hebrew Bible, but am interested in it so I picked this up after finding it for just $2. In the book, Alter breaks down different literary elements of Bible translation that he views as important, and shows how he tackles these issues and contrasts it with how the KJV and various modern translations have handled them instead. It quickly becomes clear that he holds significant regard for the KJV (though he finds faults in it as well), but he seems to have a universal disdain for modern translations.

Regarding modern translations, Alter accuses them of mangling the Hebrew, simplifying and explaining the underlying text too much (instead of letting the reader work it out), and failing to respect the poetry and rhythm of the Hebrew. He provides examples throughout, and looks at translations from Jewish, Protestant and Catholic traditions. His arguments are strongly and clearly stated, and at times even humorous.

My only real complaint with his book is that I do feel he occasionally paints modern Bible translations with very broad strokes. One example is Genesis 42:12. Joseph accuses his brothers of being spies who've come "to see the nakedness of the land." Alter notes that a literal rendering of this phrase appears in the KJV and JPS Tanakh, but that other modern translations paraphrase it as they feel "all metaphors need to be explained." (p. 108). His point is well made, however a quick search reveals that several other translations also include a literal rendering of this phrase as well - e.g. ESV, NRSV, NKJV. So the problem is not as universal as the book makes it seem.

I felt the book was very insightful. Even if one doesn't agree with him on all his points, it seems he has a lot to offer those who desire to better understand the challenges and nuances of translating the Hebrew Bible into English. Reading this definitely left me wanting to read Alter's translation and commentary.

[Matthew Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alter's translation of the Bible is one of my favorites and I love his Art of Biblical Narrative, so I was surprised and disappointed when I read this book on Bible Translation. A respected professor I had was always skeptical of Alter, and I think I am beginning to see why. Alter's approach to Bible Translation, which focuses on syntax, diction, soundplay/wordplay, rhythm, and appropriate dialogue, is fair enough and helps create a well-thought-out translation. However, this book felt a bit shortsighted in that it seems he was advocating for his way to be the only way. His way, consequently, is primarily a translation that must be as "elegant" as the KJV and sacrifices clear understanding for strict adherence to each word. While this theoretically creates a good translation, the translation theory also comes across as academic, and intellectual. It assumes that the reader is keyed into the intricacies of literature and poetry - both English and Hebrew and comes off as quite elitist. While this may be good for people wanting such an academic translation, Alter neglects the many ways the Bible has been read and used and does not acknowledge how various translation theories may be appropriate for various audiences.

This did not read as "The Art of Bible Translation", but was more of "The Defense of My Bible Translation." This, of course, is fine, but not what I anticipated, and could perhaps be better used as an appendix or introduction to his Bible Translation. Anyone interested in a more succinct, more intricate, more helpful introduction to the art of translating, I recommend the first chapter of Robert Bly's "8 Stages of Translation." However, it is about translation in general, not Bible translation.

[Edwin David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a small hardback of 120 pages with a (far too) brief list of suggested reading and a short index. Currently, it will set you back around £20 on Amazon and frankly, I'd wait for the paperback or Kindle version. The style is not particularly academic, though, ironically for a book advocating for literary style, I found it rather hard going.

So, let's list the things I didn't like about it, before suggesting why you should read it anyway.

Firstly, the style is rather smug and self-satisfied. You could sum up the whole of the book by saying that all modern English translations are wrong, the Authorised Version sometimes gets it right, but the only reliable translation is the author's own. He may well, of course, be right, but the tone and style are irritating.

Secondly, apart from dismissing The Message as not being worthy of his attention, he doesn't interact with the most popular modern translations of the Bible. I'm sure that were he to have done so, it wouldn't change the thesis of his work, but not having done so leaves the book floating around in an academic arena and not rooted in the experience of those who actually read the Bible on a regular basis.

Thirdly, and most importantly, I disagree with the author about the nature and purpose of the Bible. This book interacts with the Bible as an excellent example of Hebrew literature (despite the title, the book is limited to the Old Testament). The Bible is this, but it is is much more, it is primarily God's revelation of himself to humanity. While preserving literary integrity is a very important aspect of translation, it is not the whole story. Alter hints at this himself when in his dismissal of The Message he writes, "I don't want to dismiss such efforts because they are manifestly devised to make the Bible speak to specific communities that variously regard it as the word of God and may be seeking a sense of immediate relevance".

Elsewhere he complains that translators are unable to use good literary English because they are not immersed in the "novels of Saul Bellow or Ian McEwan or the poetry of W. S. Merwin". To which I would reply, that it's not just the translators who are unfamiliar with these works (if indeed they are) but so are the vast majority of their readers.

My last complaint is really unfair, but I'll make it anyway. The book limits itself to looking at English translations of the Old Testament. However, the vast majority of Bible translation being carried on today is not into the English language. Appeals to historical language use and literary classics don't make much sense when you are translating Scripture into a language with no written literature. As a translator, I was very conscious or literary style as I was aware that our work might well be setting the standard for future literacy in Kouya. It is also unfortunate, that the author does not engage with some of the translators' guides produced by UBS on topics such as Hebrew Poetry. He may well have been dismissive of them, but the fact that he doesn't even mention them seems to indicate that he is not fully abreast of the field that he is writing about.

So, with that extensive list of caveats, I would still suggest that this book is worth reading.

Firstly, although the literary aspects of translation that the book focuses on are not the only important issue in Bible translation, they are important and are somewhat ignored. Questions such as syntax, wordplay and rhythm are things that translators need to take into account and this book provides good examples of why this is the case.

Secondly, the book provides lots of fascinating examples of the way in which the Hebrew text actually works. There is plenty in here to intrigue and inform regular Bible readers. Just a couple of examples from the chapter on dialogue will suffice to illustrate this.

Alter points out that proportionally dialogue takes up much more space than narrator's reports in the narrative books of the Old Testament. The narration tends to be used to speed up the story and move through things quickly "two decades in the life of Jacob and Esau are telescoped into a single Hebrew noun and verb". However, dialogue is used to slow the story down and to develop the relationships between the characters.

For the biblical writers, then, it was clearly of paramount importance to show people relating to each other through speech.

p. 103

This is a fascinating observation, of relevance to the translator, but I would take it a step further and say that it gives us an insight into the way in which the Triune God views both revelation and humanity. Relationships are far more important than we Westerners tend to believe.

A second example comes from Abraham's interaction with Abimelech in Genesis 20. This whole section (p. 106 ff.) is fascinating, but I want to highlight one short insight. When Abimelech responds to God's condemnation of him for taking Sarah into his harem, he says "will you slay an innocent nation (goy)?". This is a rather strange phrase, which could be taken as Abimelech speaking of himself as representing the nation. However, Alter points out that these words echo Abraham's prayer to God to preserve Sodom and Gomorrah in the immediately preceding chapter. Is the narrator using this dialogue to create a deliberate contrast?

So, who should read this book? To be honest, I don't think it is one for the average reader, though anyone who has a deep interest in English Bible translations would enjoy it. However, I would say that Bible translators and students of the Hebrew Bible would do well to get a copy and spend some time studying it. Despite all of my reservations, it is a worthwhile read.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Alter is an expert on ancient Hebrew who after decades of studying the language and the Hebrew Bible has come to the following conclusion: Modern Bible translations do a poor job of capturing the beauty and style of the original Hebrew. Hear hear. This concise book discusses Hebrew syntax, rhythm, word play, etc., and the challenges of translating the texts while maintaining the powerful simplicity of the original. I was especially interested in how the Hebrew Bible differs from other ancient texts - notably it makes unique use of narrative and conversation techniques that aren't seen in other texts of the era, indicating a highly literate (as opposed to oral) culture.

Alter is writing from a Jewish perspective and not for an evangelical Christian audience. As such, he doesn't examine modern translations commonly used by evangelicals, such as the NIV, NASB, and ESV. I would have been interested in his take on the ESV, which is a once-removed revision of the KJV and definitely easier on the ear than the others. That said, having suffered through multiple readings of the NIV in my lifetime, it was gratifying to see someone else confirm my feeling -- these modern translations are created by scholars who do not have an ear for literary beauty. Of course, it's great that people are reading them anyway.

[Dave Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kind of book that will require plenty of rereads. Not unlike learning a new language, the art of translation requires a commitment to the cadences and nuances of word, form, sound and text. This is perhaps even more so when it comes to ancient Hebrew and the art of "biblical" translation. For anyone who doubts the art of scripture, this book should prove crucial to opening up a window to its composition as such. By shedding light on the King James, Alter moves us forward and backwards in his attention to history and development, with most of his focus being s studied examination of the technicals, each chapter devoted to a different aspect of understanding translations (by way of uncovering the art of translation itself). Thia includes syntax, word, sound, form, rhythm and cadence, and dialogue. Interspersed within this are examples that bring these things into focus as a reader of the text. Some will surprise, some will awaken, most I think should inspire us towards being better readers in general.

But make no mistake. That takes time, commitment and effort. Thankfully this book is really short, making it easier to make that investment. A skill that can then translate to seeing the text in its context, art and literary form.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! Robert Alter’s writing is moving, logical, and accessible. His thesis is that the *art* of the Bible is integral to the *message* of the Bible. So if translators completely ignore the rich artistic nature, they not only make the Bible less interesting… they could allow readers to miss meaning.

He traces this argument through common areas of error in English translations, such as rhyme, rhythm, dialogue, and word choice. I think the true strength is in the examples he provides, where he shows a literal translation (and explains its significance) and then shows multiple English translations that just… miss things. It really hammers home just how much is going on beneath the surface in the original Hebrew text. (This book is focused on the Hebrew Bible)

Anyways, I loved reading this- it made my “language nerd” and “Bible nerd” sides very happy. I’m definitely going to pick up more of Alter’s work.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful. If I had read this 50 years ago, I may not have abandoned Hebrew after a year of introduction. Obviously, I’m no Hebrew scholar, but now I at least wish I was.

Great arguments for literal translations with good cautions about dynamic equivalency. Most helpful are examples of the literary aspects of Biblical Hebrew, showing how form informs meaning and how translation often obscures both art and literary quality while attempting to get the meaning right.

The NASB wasn’t used in any examples, so now I will need to troll though the book for my own comparisons. Though I appreciate the awkward term “loving-kindness” used fairly consistently in NASB, Alter alerts me to the down-side of a four syllable word translating a single syllable word.

So much to re-read and process from this.

[Ben Rothke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Talmud records that when the book of the Prophets was translated into Aramaic, there was an earthquake in the land of Israel. The message one could gather is that God doesn’t take kindly to the tampering of his holy books, even if it’s done by the greatest of sages.

Robert Alter is the emeritus professor of Hebrew and comparative literature at the University of California, Berkeley, and recently completed his landmark translation of the Bible into English. In “The Art of Bible Translation” he doesn’t quote that Talmudic passage, but he is quite aware of the countless challenges of being a Bible translator.

In this fascinating monograph, Alter details the trials and tribulations of his 20-year translation effort, and the lessons he learned along the way. As a literary critic, his command of the English language, appreciation of nuance and adept understanding of the rules of grammar enable him to focus on the nuances of the biblical text. He translation is a masterpiece, and this is his playbook.

Alter opens with the observation that the practice of translation entails an endless series of compromises. Some of them happy, some painful, and some not quite right because the translator has been unable to find an adequate English equivalent for what is happening, often brilliantly, in the original language. The challenge in translating the Bible is exacerbated given that its power is due in large part to the compactness of the Hebrew language.

With the exception of the King James version, Alter is somewhat critical of many of the other translations. A pervasive problem with other English versions is that the translators, for all their learning, had a rather imperfect grasp of biblical Hebrew. He also writes that there is a double problem with other modern translators that not only do they lack a clear sense of what happens stylistically in the Bible, but their notion of English style, its decorum and its expressive personalities, tend to be rather shaky.

While he is enamored by the King James version, Alter admits that its contains embarrassing inaccuracies, that its language of Renaissance English doesn’t resonate well today. Also, the King James translation committees didn’t pick up on those nuances of the Hebrew language and syntax, which takes away from the depth of the text.

In the first of the six chapters, Alter critiques most translations of the past few centuries. He notes that the Jewish Publication Society translation was painfully inept, the Revised English Bible turns beautiful bits of Hebrew narrative into something both ungainly and banal, and that other translations are made by teams that make decisions or even distort what is conveyed in the Hebrew text.

The areas he focuses on are syntax, word choice, sound play and word play, rhythm and the language of dialogue. The focus on rhythm is important, as the significant rhythms in the Bible have been overlooked in most translations.

As a literary critic, Alter emphasizes the importance of telling the story, so as not to get lost in the translation. He begins by stressing the literary character of the Bible, which he says most modern translations fail to recognize. His main critique of the other translations is that they obsess at the micro level of understanding each word, to the macro loss of the literary character of the Bible. The result being translation that don’t capture the depth and beauty of the Biblical narrative.

Many of Alter’s complaints are inherent to every translation; it is a near impossibility to reproduce the rhythm and sounds from one language to another. That can be observed in the book of Isaiah with his significant use of internal rhyming. Isaiah is also a great master of highlighting antithesis, by juxtaposing words that sound alike, but are opposite in meaning.

There are some aspects to Alter’s critiquing of other translations that I didn’t understand. For example, in the story of Yosef’s brothers who go to Egypt to buy food, he takes the JPS translation to task for translating the Hebrew word lishbor as to procure, forcefully noting that the use of procure is a stylistic blunder, that it is a verb at home in the directives of a quartermaster corps, but not in an ancient Hebrew dialogue.

As good as Alter is as a translator, the traditional reader is cautioned in accepting Alter’s translation as the final view, given that his approach is premised on acceptance of the documentary hypothesis. As to the translation itself, readers may want to heed the caution of Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, who in his critique of the translation, noted that it is best for the secular reader of the Bible, who seeks not prophecy but literary splendor.

Being a translator is like walking a tightrope. On one side, the translator must stay loyal to the text. On the other side, he must ensure the output is readable and meaningful. In this interesting and entertaining book, Alter shows how he walked that line.