登陆注册
5155200000027

第27章

(68) If anyone thinks that I am speaking too generally, and without sufficient warrant, I would ask him to set himself to showing us some fixed plan in these histories which might be followed without blame by other writers of chronicles, and in his efforts at harmonizing and interpretation, so strictly to observe and explain the phrases and expressions, the order and the connections, that we may be able to imitate these also in our writings (17). (69) If he succeeds, I will at once give him my hand, and he shall be to me as great Apollo; for I confess that after long endeavours I have been unable to discover anything of the kind. (70) I may add that I set down nothing here which I have not long reflected upon, and that, though I was imbued from my boyhood up with the ordinary opinions about the Scriptures, I have been unable to withstand the force of what I have urged.

(71)However, there is no need to detain the reader with this question, and drive him to attempt an impossible task; I merely mentioned the fact in order to throw light on my intention.

(72)I now pass on to other points concerning the treatment of these books. (73) For we must remark, in addition to what has been shown, that these books were not guarded by posterity with such care that no faults crept in. (74) The ancient scribes draw attention to many doubtful readings, and some mutilated passages, but not to all that exist: whether the faults are of sufficient importance to greatly, embarrass the reader I will not now discuss. (75) I am inclined to think that they are of minor moment to those, at any rate, who read the Scriptures with enlightenment: and I can positively, affirm that I have not noticed any fault or various reading in doctrinal passages sufficient to render them obscure or doubtful.

(76)There are some people, however, who will not admit that there is any corruption, even in other passages, but maintain that by some unique exercise of providence God has preserved from corruption every word in the Bible: they say that the various readings are the symbols ofprofoundest mysteries, and that mighty secrets lie hid in the twenty-eight hiatus which occur, nay, even in the very form of the letters.

(77)Whether they are actuated by folly and anile devotion, or whether by arrogance and malice so that they alone may be held to possess the secrets of God, I know not: this much I do know, that I find in their writings nothing which has the air of a Divine secret, but only childish lucubrations. (78) I have read and known certain Kabbalistic triflers, whose insanity provokes my unceasing as astonishment. (79) That faults have crept in will, I think, be denied by no sensible person who reads the passage about Saul, above quoted (1 Sam. xiii:1) and also 2 Sam. vi:2: "And David arose and went with all the people that were with him from Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God."(80) No one can fail to remark that the name of their destination, viz., Kirjath-jearim [Endnotee 18], has been omitted: nor can we deny that 2 Sam. xiii:37, has been tampered with and mutilated. "And Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. (81) And he mourned for his son every day. So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years." (82) I know that I have remarked other passages of the same kind, but I cannot recall them at the moment.

(83) That the marginal notes which are found continually in the Hebrew Codices are doubtful readings will, I think, be evident to everyone who has noticed that they often arise from the great similarity, of some of the Hebrew letters, such for instance, as the similarity between Kaph and Beth, Jod and Van, Daleth and Reth, &c. (84) For example, the text in 2 Sam. v:24, runs "in the time when thou hearest," and similarly in Judges xxi:22, "And it shall be when their fathers or their brothers come unto us often," the marginal version is "come unto us to complain."(85) So also many various readings have arisen from the use of the letters named mutes, which are generally not sounded in pronunciation, and are taken promiscuously, one for the other. (86) For example, in Levit. xxv:29, it is written, "The house shall be established which is not in the walled city," but the margin has it, "which is in a walled city."(87) Though these matters are self-evident, [Endnore 6], it is necessary, to answer the reasonings of certain Pharisees, by which they endeavour toconvince us that the marginal notes serve to indicate some mystery, and were added or pointed out by the writers of the sacred books. (88) The first of these reasons, which, in my, opinion, carries little weight, is taken from the practice of reading the Scriptures aloud.

(89) If, it is urged, these notes were added to show various readings which could not be decided upon by posterity, why has custom prevailed that the marginal readings should always be retained? (90) Why has the meaning which is preferred been set down in the margin when it ought to have been incorporated in the text, and not relegated to a side note?

同类推荐
  • 太上升玄说消灾护命妙经注

    太上升玄说消灾护命妙经注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Maitre Cornelius

    Maitre Cornelius

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 吴耿尚孔四王全传

    吴耿尚孔四王全传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 灵宝九幽长夜起尸度亡玄章

    灵宝九幽长夜起尸度亡玄章

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 绛守居园池

    绛守居园池

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 末世之最强手机

    末世之最强手机

    唐成浩无意捡到了一部手机,却突然进入了末世世界。想要离开这个末世,只有拿起武器反抗。不断去击杀丧尸,兑换尸币,才能够打开回家的通道。叮咚:您已经进入了末世的世界,真正的游戏,正式开始。
  • 1987我不知你会降临这个世界

    1987我不知你会降临这个世界

    如果我回到1987年,我会阻止自己的出生吗?第一个念头,当然是,会,如果我不曾存在于这个世界,我就会少了许多的烦恼可是,转念再一想若我真的得到这个阻止自己存在于这个世界上的机会我会不会真的这么决绝?我真的会吗?怀疑令人不知所措,思考令人杂念丛生,不如,就把谜底交给这部小说让它带我们去刺破人生中那些又美丽又痛苦的泡沫1987,我不知你会降临这个世界……
  • 愿星辰恰似你

    愿星辰恰似你

    我,叫乔画,一位放荡不羁爱自由的人。然后,我爱着爱着,我他妈就进牢了。这他妈……这叫做舍身取义。嘤,我爱我自己。“乔画,你护着恶人,世界护着你。”有些人撞着撞着就爱了,爱着爱着就死了。“风,你轻轻地吹,请带给她一句话,不要吹散了,我很想她。”全员恶人。乔画也是。我死了。朋友,你听说过一句话吗?叫做好人一生平安。#全员恶人我夹缝生存#
  • 开拓潜力(影响你一生的成功励志书)

    开拓潜力(影响你一生的成功励志书)

    本丛书内容纵横,伴随整个人生成功发展历程,思想蕴含丰富,表达深入浅出,闪耀着智慧的光芒和精神的力量,具有成功心理暗示和潜在智慧力量开发的功能,具有很强的理论性、系统性和实用性,能够起到启迪思想、增强心智、鼓舞斗志、指导成功的作用。这套书系是当代成功励志著作的高度浓缩和精华荟萃,是成功的奥秘,智慧的源泉,生命的明灯,是当代青年树立观念、实现财智人生的精神奠基之作,也是各级图书馆珍藏的最付佳精品。
  • 北方风味小吃

    北方风味小吃

    根据家庭的特点,科学系统地介绍了四季营养食谱、南北方风味小吃和烧腊卤熏食谱。该丛书具有经济实用、价格实惠、易学易做等特点。它帮助家庭解决了四季应吃什么、怎么吃、吃多少等科学营养进食和搭配的问题,同时也介绍了南北风味小吃和烧腊卤熏食谱,令餐桌上的菜肴更加丰富。
  • 清除师兄计划书

    清除师兄计划书

    一朝穿书,想到自己的炮灰身份,云无欢觉得如今只有七岁的她,根本承受不住。测灵根,入仙门,按在原书的剧情,成了天资聪慧小师妹。奈何造化弄人,师兄得秘境传承之后,欲杀之证道。而中期上线女主,还在一心想要撮合他们。女主:师叔,你与我师父是天造地设的一对,没人能把你们分开的。云无欢:……ps:修仙言情类型,不喜勿喷。升级打怪类型,请关注新书《祖传剑仙》
  • 凰临天下

    凰临天下

    一场阴谋,只因皇权利益,贵为郡主的她沦为亡命罪女,身败名裂,家族尽遭戮杀!一朝醒来,生杀予夺,我行我素,腹黑轻狂的佣兵首领,重生竟成罪王千金哑女!莅临异世,两世记忆,相似境遇,她本性不减,有仇必报,来敌必杀!他,炎汉皇子却又是赤夏女皇嫡子,俊美如斯,铁血冷酷,多重的身份,平静的心下却暗藏杀机,期待着狩猎般的杀戮。当围猎场上佣兵罪女对上心机重重的冷艳皇子,利箭匕首相向,究竟谁会臣服谁,谁能虏获谁的心?--------------“求婚”-----------------“我要娶你!”“娶我?凭什么?”“本王有权有钱还有色。”“庸俗!”“再加上我的心和命如何?”“王爷,你的节操呢?”“节操是什么?对你我应该有节操么?”
  • 爱禁爱

    爱禁爱

    10月8日晴风,向北我们依然每周去看祈,因为担心她一个人会寂寞。叶子已能渐渐接受这穷极所有也扭转不回的事实,终于相信了那个躺在血泊中的孩子便是一直用塔罗给我们谏言的祈。宛如脱线人偶一般,她离开的那样潇洒。依藤从新加坡回来后,便安静了。未来,又会是个什么模样呢。
  • 飘絮的雪花

    飘絮的雪花

    这是一个不同于死神世界的故事,一个凄美的故事,女主从一出生就注定她是冬天的雪花,没有春天,更没有未来,她的人生就像美丽的雪花,然而注定不能存活于温暖之中;在她的一生中,她到底爱过蓝染吗,他不知道,蓝染也不知,只是在她死的时候,蓝染感觉到了疼痛是什么滋味,如果可以选择,蓝染希望自己从未带她走出若夜阁
  • 网恋77天

    网恋77天

    简介:该书是一本以QQ为题材的校园网恋的浪漫爱情故事。这里没有武侠里的刀光剑影,这里没有玄幻里的斗气魔法,这里没有科幻里的天马行空,这里没有历史里的源远流长,这里没有后宫里的勾心斗角,这里没有悬疑里的扑朔迷离,这里也没有灵异里的毛骨悚然……这里只有毫无营养的对白以及淡淡的故事构筑成平淡无奇的小说。