Page:The Holy Bible faithfvlly translated into English ovt of the authentical Latin, diligently conferred with the Hebrew, Greek, & other Editions in diuers languages.pdf/7

Rh others, and freely testifieth, that the old Interpreter translated religiously. What then doe our countrimen, that refuse this Latin, but deprive themselues of the best, and yet al this while have set forth none, that is allowed by al Protestants for good or sufficient?

How wel this is done the learned may judge, when by mature conference they shal have made trial thereof. And if any thing be mistaken, we wil (as stil we promise) gladly correct it. Those that translated it about thirty yeares since, were wel knowen to the world, to have been excellent in the tongs, sincere men, and great Divines. Only one thing we have done touching the text, whereof we are especially to give notice: That whereas heretofore in the best Latin Editions there remained many places differing in words, some also in sense, as in long processe of time the writers erred in their copies, now lately by the care and diligence of the Church, those divers readings were maturely and judiciously examined and conferred with sundry the best written and printed books, and so resolved upon, that al which before were left in the margent, are either restored into the text, or els omitted; so that now none such remaine in the margent. For which cause we have again conferred this English translation, and conformed it to the most perfect Latin Edition. Where yet by the way we must give the vulgar reader to understand, that very few or none of the former varieties touched Controversies of this time. So that this recognition is no way suspicious of partiality, but is meerly done for the more secure conservation of the true text, and more ease and satisfaction of such, as otherwise should have remained more doubtful.

Now for the strictnes observed in translating some words, or rather the not translating of some, which is in more danger to be disliked, we doubt not but the discrete learned reader, deeply weighing and considering the importance of sacred words, and how easily the translatour may misse the sense of the Holy Ghost, wil hold that which is here done for reasonable and necessary. We have also the example of the Latin and Greek, where some words are not translated, but left in Hebrew, as they were first spoken and written; which seeing they could not, or were not convenient to be translated into Latin or Rh