08-31-2012, 03:05 AM
I own the Lamsa, Roth, and Bauscher translations, so I can give you my reviews of these three translations.
The Holy Bible From the Ancient Eastern Text was translated by George M. Lamsa, a native speaker of Syriac from Mar-Bishu in modern day Iraq. His translation is the one that really made the Peshitta a more well-known text in the Western world. He used the style of the KJV/NKJV in his translation. His translation is pretty accurate, but there are several places (mainly in the Gospels in Acts) where he lets his beliefs interfere with his translation, which includes what I believe to be the main problem with his translation: his not translating the Aramaic word "devana" correctly as demons, he instead translates it as "insane" or "lunatic". Lamsa also makes no distinction between the Aramaic "Mar" (Lord) and "MarYah" (Lord YHWH) except in the Old Testament (MarYah is translated as LORD, as most mainstream translations translate YHWH). The Peshitta New Testament makes a unique distinction between "Lord" and "LORD" that is not made in the Greek. The divine name MarYah is applied to Jesus Christ several times (ex. Luke 2:11 and Philippians 2:11) His translation is by no means a bad translation, it is actually one of my favorites but it is the least accurate of the three Peshitta/Peshitto translations I own.
The Aramaic New Testament in Plain English was translated by Reverend Glenn David Bauscher, who has a proficiency in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek. It includes notes that are mainly textual in nature (there are some more theological ones) that compare the Greek texts to the Western Peshitto text he uses. Bauscher's translation is very literal but he occasionally delves into interpretation (but not anywhere near as much as Lamsa's translation). In Matthew 13:42, he translates the Aramaic word that means "furnace" as "essence", which is a result of his universalist theology. He also translates, "Blessed are the poor in spirit..." in Matthew 5:2 as "Blessed by the Spirit are the poor..." He states, 'See Matthew 22:43, the only other place in The Gospels where the same form of the Aramaic word "b'Rukh" (in, by spirit) is used, refers to the Holy Spirit. See also Luke 6:20: "And He lifted His eyes upon His disciples, and said: Blessed are ye poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours". He was talking about the poor, not "the poor in spirit". God does not want us poor in spirit; He wants us to be spiritually rich.' In his Interlinear version (The Aramaic New Testament Interlinear) he translates it more correctly as "Blessed are they who are poor in The Spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Bauscher also makes a distinction between Mar and MarYah that is not seen in Lamsa's translation.
Luke 2:11, Aramaic New Testament in Plain English- "For today, the The Savior has been born to you, who is the LORD JEHOVAH The Messiah, in the city of David."
Philippians 2:11, Aramaic New Testament in Plain English- "And every tongue shall confess that Yeshua the Messiah is THE LORD JEHOVAH to the glory of God His Father."
The Aramaic English New Testament (AENT) is translated from the Eastern Peshitta by Andrew Gabriel Roth. It is a more literal translation than Lamsa or Bauscher's and also less interpretive. Roth also makes a distinction between Mar and MarYah by translating Mar as "Master" and MarYah as "Master YHWH". The Semitic names are retained (ex. Jesus is Y'shua, Simon Peter is Shimon Keefa, John is Yochanan). The Aramaic word "Alaha" (God) is translated into the more familiar Hebrew term "Elohim". There are a couple of places, but not very many, where Roth delves into interpretation. Usually when you see bias in his translation, it is pro-Torah observance for Gentiles and Jews alike. This really effects his translation in one place that I can think of.
Colossians 2:16, Aramaic English New Testament- "Let no (pagan) therefore judge you about food and drink, or about the distinctions of festivals and new moons and Shabbats."
In a footnote on this verse, Roth states, "The Body of Mashiyach must not be concerned with the judgements of those who are outside the Malchut Elohim [Kingdom of God], that is, those who don't know Torah or Mashiyach. It is clear, given the location of this audience and the fact that Rav Shaul always references Jews directly, that Shaul is addressing the local talk of the pagans whose religion dominates this region."
Unfortunately, the context screams that Paul is talking about the judgments the unbelieving Jews were making against the Body of Christ. When Paul deals with stuff like this, he is usually stating that the Jews should not force the Law of Moses onto the Gentiles. Roth's commentary is interesting and he mainly handles his theology in that. His translation is mainly his own edition of the Paul Younan Interlinear of the Peshitta (Matthew 1-Acts 15) and James Murdock's New Testament translation of the Peshitto (Acts 15-Revelations 22). He includes some of Younan's footnotes in his commentary section as well. When Murdock uses the Western reading of the Aramaic, Roth replaces it with the Eastern reading.
Acts 2:38, Murdock New Testament- "Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit hath established you bishops; that ye feed the church of God, which he hath acquired by his blood."
Acts 2:38, Aramaic English New Testament- "Take great care of yourselves, and of all the flock over which the Ruach haKodesh has established you as overseers for; that you feed the assembly of Mashiyach, which He has acquired by His blood."
Roth's translation also includes the Aramaic text he used. The left side has the English translation while the right side has the Aramaic text he used. There is also an extensive appendix in the back of the book that causes this New Testament to look almost the size of an average Bible. The AENT is my favorite of the three translations.
The Holy Bible From the Ancient Eastern Text was translated by George M. Lamsa, a native speaker of Syriac from Mar-Bishu in modern day Iraq. His translation is the one that really made the Peshitta a more well-known text in the Western world. He used the style of the KJV/NKJV in his translation. His translation is pretty accurate, but there are several places (mainly in the Gospels in Acts) where he lets his beliefs interfere with his translation, which includes what I believe to be the main problem with his translation: his not translating the Aramaic word "devana" correctly as demons, he instead translates it as "insane" or "lunatic". Lamsa also makes no distinction between the Aramaic "Mar" (Lord) and "MarYah" (Lord YHWH) except in the Old Testament (MarYah is translated as LORD, as most mainstream translations translate YHWH). The Peshitta New Testament makes a unique distinction between "Lord" and "LORD" that is not made in the Greek. The divine name MarYah is applied to Jesus Christ several times (ex. Luke 2:11 and Philippians 2:11) His translation is by no means a bad translation, it is actually one of my favorites but it is the least accurate of the three Peshitta/Peshitto translations I own.
The Aramaic New Testament in Plain English was translated by Reverend Glenn David Bauscher, who has a proficiency in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek. It includes notes that are mainly textual in nature (there are some more theological ones) that compare the Greek texts to the Western Peshitto text he uses. Bauscher's translation is very literal but he occasionally delves into interpretation (but not anywhere near as much as Lamsa's translation). In Matthew 13:42, he translates the Aramaic word that means "furnace" as "essence", which is a result of his universalist theology. He also translates, "Blessed are the poor in spirit..." in Matthew 5:2 as "Blessed by the Spirit are the poor..." He states, 'See Matthew 22:43, the only other place in The Gospels where the same form of the Aramaic word "b'Rukh" (in, by spirit) is used, refers to the Holy Spirit. See also Luke 6:20: "And He lifted His eyes upon His disciples, and said: Blessed are ye poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours". He was talking about the poor, not "the poor in spirit". God does not want us poor in spirit; He wants us to be spiritually rich.' In his Interlinear version (The Aramaic New Testament Interlinear) he translates it more correctly as "Blessed are they who are poor in The Spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Bauscher also makes a distinction between Mar and MarYah that is not seen in Lamsa's translation.
Luke 2:11, Aramaic New Testament in Plain English- "For today, the The Savior has been born to you, who is the LORD JEHOVAH The Messiah, in the city of David."
Philippians 2:11, Aramaic New Testament in Plain English- "And every tongue shall confess that Yeshua the Messiah is THE LORD JEHOVAH to the glory of God His Father."
The Aramaic English New Testament (AENT) is translated from the Eastern Peshitta by Andrew Gabriel Roth. It is a more literal translation than Lamsa or Bauscher's and also less interpretive. Roth also makes a distinction between Mar and MarYah by translating Mar as "Master" and MarYah as "Master YHWH". The Semitic names are retained (ex. Jesus is Y'shua, Simon Peter is Shimon Keefa, John is Yochanan). The Aramaic word "Alaha" (God) is translated into the more familiar Hebrew term "Elohim". There are a couple of places, but not very many, where Roth delves into interpretation. Usually when you see bias in his translation, it is pro-Torah observance for Gentiles and Jews alike. This really effects his translation in one place that I can think of.
Colossians 2:16, Aramaic English New Testament- "Let no (pagan) therefore judge you about food and drink, or about the distinctions of festivals and new moons and Shabbats."
In a footnote on this verse, Roth states, "The Body of Mashiyach must not be concerned with the judgements of those who are outside the Malchut Elohim [Kingdom of God], that is, those who don't know Torah or Mashiyach. It is clear, given the location of this audience and the fact that Rav Shaul always references Jews directly, that Shaul is addressing the local talk of the pagans whose religion dominates this region."
Unfortunately, the context screams that Paul is talking about the judgments the unbelieving Jews were making against the Body of Christ. When Paul deals with stuff like this, he is usually stating that the Jews should not force the Law of Moses onto the Gentiles. Roth's commentary is interesting and he mainly handles his theology in that. His translation is mainly his own edition of the Paul Younan Interlinear of the Peshitta (Matthew 1-Acts 15) and James Murdock's New Testament translation of the Peshitto (Acts 15-Revelations 22). He includes some of Younan's footnotes in his commentary section as well. When Murdock uses the Western reading of the Aramaic, Roth replaces it with the Eastern reading.
Acts 2:38, Murdock New Testament- "Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit hath established you bishops; that ye feed the church of God, which he hath acquired by his blood."
Acts 2:38, Aramaic English New Testament- "Take great care of yourselves, and of all the flock over which the Ruach haKodesh has established you as overseers for; that you feed the assembly of Mashiyach, which He has acquired by His blood."
Roth's translation also includes the Aramaic text he used. The left side has the English translation while the right side has the Aramaic text he used. There is also an extensive appendix in the back of the book that causes this New Testament to look almost the size of an average Bible. The AENT is my favorite of the three translations.