 Section 1 of the Preface of the King James Bible. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information and to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sam Stinson. Section 1. The Translators to the Reader. Preface to the King James Version of 1611. The best things have been culminated. Zeal to promote the common good, whether it be by devising anything ourselves, or revising that which hath been labored by others, deserveeth certainly much respect and esteem, but yet findeth but cold entertainment in the world. It is welcomed with suspicion instead of love, and with emulation instead of thanks, and if there be any hole left for Cavill to enter, and Cavill, if it do not find a hole, will make one. It is sure to be misconstrued, and in danger to be condemned. This will easily be granted by as many as no story, or have any experience. For was there ever any projected that savored any way of newness or renewing, but the same endured many a storm of gainsaying or opposition? A man would think that civility, wholesome laws, learning in eloquence, synods, and church maintenance, that we speak of no more things of this kind, should be safe as a sanctuary and out of shot, as they say, that no man would lift up the heel, no, nor dog move his tongue against the motioners of them. For by the first, we are distinguished from brute beasts, led with sensuality. By the second, we are bridled and restrained from outrageous behavior and from doing of injuries, whether by fraud or by violence. By the third, we are enabled to inform and reform others. By the light and feeling that we have attained unto ourselves. Briefly, by the fourth being brought together to a parley, face to face, we sooner compose our differences than by writings which are endless. And lastly, that the church be sufficiently provided for is so agreeable to good reason and conscience that those mothers are holding to be less cruel that kill their children as soon as they are born than those nursing fathers and mothers, wheresoever they be, that withdraw from them who hang upon their breasts and upon whose breasts again themselves do hang to receive the spiritual and sincere milk of the word. Livelihood and support fit for their estates. Thus it is apparent that these things which we speak of are of most necessary use and therefore that none either without absurdity can speak against them or without note of wickedness can spurn against them. Yet for all that, the learned know that certain worthy men and a carcice with others have been brought to untimely death for none other fault but for seeking to reduce their countrymen to good order and discipline, and that in some commonwealths, for example, locre, it was made a capital crime once to motion the making of a new law for the abrogating of an old, though the same were most pernicious, and that certain, Cato the Elder, which would be counted pillars of the state and patterns of virtue and prudence could not be brought for a long time to give way to good letters and refined speech but bear themselves as averse from them, as from rocks or boxes of poison, and fourthly that he was no babe but a great clerk, Gregory the Divine, that gave forth and in writing to remain to posterity in passion per adventure, but yet he gave forth that he had not seen any prophet to come by any synod or meeting of the clergy but rather the contrary, and lastly, against church maintenance and allowance in such sort as the ambassadors and messengers of the great King of Kings should be furnished. It is not unknown what a fiction or fable so it is esteemed, and for no better by the reporter himself, Noclerus, though superstitious, was devised, namely that at such a time as the professors and teachers of Christianity in the Church of Rome, then a true church were liberally endowed. A voice forsooth was heard from heaven saying, Now is poison poured down into the church, etc. Thus not only as oft as we speak as one sayeth, but also as oft as we do anything of note or consequence, we subject ourselves to everyone's censure and happy is he that is least tossed upon tongues for utterly to escape the snatch of them it is impossible. If any man conceit that this is the lot in portion of the meaner sort only and that princes are privileged by their high estate, he is deceived. As the sword devoureth as well, one as the other, as it is in Samuel, 2 Samuel 1125, nay as the great commander charged his soldiers in a certain battle to strike at no part of the enemy, but at the face, and as the king of Syria commanded his chief captains to fight neither with small nor great save only against the king of Israel, 1 Kings 2231, so it is too true that Envy strikeeth most spitefully at the fairest and at the chiefest. David was a worthy prince and no man to be compared to him for his first deeds and yet for as worthy as act as ever he did even for bringing back the Ark of God in solemnity, he was scorned and scoffed at by his own wife, 2 Samuel 616. Solomon was greater than David, though not in virtue, yet in power, and by his power and wisdom he built a temple to the Lord, such a one as was the glory of the land of Israel and the wonder of the whole world. But was that his magnificence liked of by all? We doubt it. Otherwise, why do they lay it in his son's dish and call unto him for easing the burden? Make, say they, the grievous servitude of thy father in his sore yoke lighter. 1 Kings 12.4. Be like he had charged them with some levies and troubled them with some carriages. Hereupon they raise up a tragedy and wish in their heart the temple had never been built. So hard a thing it is to please all, even when we please God best, and do seek to approve ourselves to every one's conscience. If we will descend to later times we shall find many the like examples of such kind or rather unkind acceptance. The first Roman emperor, C. Caesar Plutarch, did never do a more pleasing deed to the learned nor more profitable to posterity for conserving the record of times in true suppotation than when he corrected the calendar and ordered the year according to the course of the sun and yet this was imputed to him for novelty and arrogance and procured to him great obligy. So the first christened emperor Constantine at the least wise that openly professed the faith himself and allowed others to do the like. For strengthening the empire at his great charges and providing for the church as he did got for his labor the name Pupilus as who would say a wasteful prince that had need of a guardian or overseer R. L. Victor. So the best christened emperor Theodosius for the love that he bear unto peace thereby to enrich both himself and his subjects and because he did not see war but find it was judged to be no man at arms Zosimas. Though indeed he excelled in feats of chivalry and showed so much when he was provoked and condemned for giving himself to his ease and to his pleasure. To be short the most learned emperor of former times Justinian at the least the greatest politician what thanks had he for cutting off the superfluities of the laws and digesting them into some order and method this that he had been blotted by some to be an epitomist that is one that extinguishes worthy whole volumes to bring his abridgments into request this is the measure that hath been rendered to excellent princes in former times even Kumbene Fassarent Malayaduri for their good deeds to be evil spoken of neither is there any likelihood that envy and malignity died and were buried with the ancient no no the reproof of Moses taketh hold of most ages you are risen up in your father's stead an increase of sinful men Numbers 32 14 what is that that hath been done that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the son sayeth the wise man Ecclesiastes 1 9 and S. Stephen as your fathers did so do you Acts 7 51 his majesty's constancy not withstanding culmination for the survey of the English translations this and more to this purpose his majesty that now reigneth and long and long may he reign and his offspring forever himself and children and children's always new full well according to the singular wisdom given unto him by God and the rare learning and experience that he hath attained unto namely that who so ever attempted anything for the public especially if it pertained to religion and to the opening and clearing of the word of God the same saideth himself upon a stage to be gloated upon by every evil eye yea he casteth himself headlong upon pikes to be gored by every sharp tongue for he that medalleth with men's religion in any part medalleth with their custom nay with their freehold and though they find no content in that which they have yet they cannot abide to hear of altering not withstanding his royal heart was not daunted or discouraged for this that color as a salute as a statue immovable and an anvil not easy to be beaten into plates as one sayeth he knew who had chosen him to be a soldier or rather a captain and being assured that the course which he intended made for the glory of God and the building up of his church he would not suffer it to be broken off for whatsoever speeches or practices it doth certainly belong unto kings yea it doth specially belong unto them to have care of religion yea it doth specially belong unto them to have care of religion yea to know it aright yea to profess it zealously yea to promote it to the utter most of their power this is their glory before all nations which mean well and this will bring unto them far most excellent weight of glory in the day of the Lord Jesus for the scripture sayeth not in vain them that honor me I will honor 1 Samuel 2 30 neither was it a vain word that Eusebius delivered long ago that piety towards God was the weapon and the only weapon that both preserved Constantine's person and avenged him of his enemies Eusebius Lib 10 Cap 8 the praise of the holy scriptures but now what piety without truth what truth what saving truth without the word of God what word of God wherefore we may be sure without the scripture the scriptures we are commanded to search John 5 39 Isaiah 8 20 they are commended that searched and studied them Acts 17 11 and 8 28 29 they are reproved that were unskillful in them or slow to believe them Matthew 22 29 Luke 24 25 they can make us wise unto salvation 2 Timothy 3 15 if we be ignorant they will instruct us if out of the way they will bring us home if out of order they will reform us if in heaviness comfort us in us if cold inflame us Tole lege tole lege take up and read take up and read the scriptures S Augustine confess Lib 8 Cap 12 for unto them was the direction it was said unto S Augustine by a supernatural voice whatsoever is in the scriptures believe me sayeth the same as Augustine is high and divine there is verily truth and a doctrine most fit for the refreshing of men's minds and truly so tempered that everyone may draw from thence that which is sufficient for him if he come to draw with a devout and pious mind as true religion requireeth S Augustine de Utilit Credendi Cap 6 Thus S Augustine and S Jerome Amascripturus et amabit te sapiensia et cetera S Jerome ad dimitriad love the scriptures and wisdom will love thee and S Cyril against Julian even boys that are bred up in the scriptures become most religious et cetera S Cyril 7 contra julianum but what mention we three or four uses of the scripture whereas whatsoever is to be believed or practiced or hoped for is contained in them or three or four sentences of the fathers since whosoever is worthy the name of a father from Christ's time downward has likewise written not only of the riches but also of the perfection of the scripture I adore the fullness of the scripture sayeth Turtullian against Hermogenes Turtullian against Hermogenes and again to appellus and heretic of the like stamp he sayeth I do not admit that which thou bringest in or concludest of thine own head or store de tuo without scripture Turtullian de carne Christi so Saint Justin martyr before him we must know by all means sayeth he that it is not lawful or possible to learn anything of God or of right piety save only out of the prophets who teach us by divine inspiration so Saint Basil after Turtullian it is a manifest falling away from the faith and a fault of presumption either to reject any of those things that are written or to bring in upon the head of them any of those things that are not written we omit to cite to the same effect that is to be of Jerusalem in his four cateches Saint Jerome against Helvidias Saint Augustine in his three book against the letters of petylion and in very many other places of his works also we forbear to descend to later fathers because we will not weary the reader the scriptures then being acknowledged to be so full and so perfect how can we excuse ourselves if we do not study them of curiosity if we be not content with them men talk much of an olive bow wrapped about with wood where pond did hang figs and bread, honey in a pot and oil how many sweet and goodly things it had hanging on it of the philosopher stone that it turned copper into gold of cornucopia that it had all things necessary for food in it of panaceas the herb that it was good for diseases of catholicon the drug that it is instead of all purges of volcans armor that it was an armor of proof against all thrusts and all blows etc well that which they falsely or vainly attributed to these things for bodily good we may justly and with full measure ascribe unto the scripture for spiritual it is not only an armor but also a whole armory of weapons both offensive and defensive whereby we may save ourselves and put the enemy to flight it is not an herb but a tree or rather a whole paradise of trees of life which bring forth fruit every month and the fruit thereof is for meat and the leaves for medicine it is not a pot of mana or a cruise of oil which were for memory only or for a meals meat or two but as it were a shower of heavenly bread sufficient for a whole host be it never so great and as it were a whole cellar full of oil vessels whereby all our necessities may be provided for and our debts discharged in a word it is a panory of wholesome food against phenode traditions of physicians shop St. Basil called it S. Basil in Sol Primum of preservatives against poisoned heresies a pandect of profitable laws against rebellious spirits a treasury of most costly jewels against beggarly rudiments finally a fountain of most pure water springing up unto everlasting life and what marvel the original thereof being from heaven from earth the author being God not man the indider the holy spirit not the wit of the apostles or prophets the pen men such as were sanctified from the womb and endued with a principal portion of God's spirit the matter, verity, piety purity, uprightness the form God's word God's testimony God's oracles the word of truth the effects light of understanding stableness of persuasion repentance from dead works newness of life holiness peace joy in the holy ghost lastly the end and reward of the study thereof fellowship with the saints participation of the heavenly nature fruition of an inheritance immortal undefiled happy is the man that delighted in the scripture and thrice happy that meditated in it day and night translation necessary but how shall men meditate in that which they cannot understand how shall they understand that which is kept closed in an unknown tongue as it is written except I know the power of the voice be to him that speaketh a barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian to me 1 Corinthians 14 the apostle accepted no tongue not Hebrew the ancient not Greek the most copious not Latin the finest nature taught a natural man to confess that all of us in those tongues which we do not understand are plainly death we may turn the deaf ear unto them 2 Corinthians counted the Athenian whom he did not understand barbarous Clem Alex one strong so the Roman did the Syrian and the Jew even as Jerome himself called the Hebrew tongue barbarous be like because it was strange to so many as Jerome Damiso so the emperor of Constantinople Michael Theophilly Phil calleth the Latin tongue barbarous though Pope storm at it to Tom Consil X edit Petrie Crab so the Jews long before Christ called all other nations log Nazim which is little better than barbarous therefore as one complaineth that always in the Senate of Rome there was one or other that called for an interpreter Cicero 5 De Finipis so lest the church be driven to the like exigent it is necessary to have translations in a readiness translation it is that openeth the window to let in the light that breaketh the shell that we may eat the kernel that puteth aside the curtain that we may look into the most holy place that removeeth the cover of the well that we may come by the water even as Jacob rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well by which means the flocks of Laban were watered Genesis 29 10 indeed without translation into the vulgar tongue the unlearned are but like children at Jacob's well which is deep John 411 without a bucket or something to draw with or as that person mentioned by Isaiah to whom when a sealed book was delivered with this motion read this I pray thee he was fain to make this answer I cannot for it is sealed Isaiah 29 11 the translation of the Old Testament out of the Hebrew into Greek while God would be known only in Jacob and have his name great in Israel and in none other place while the do lay on Gideon's fleece only and all the earth besides was dry then for one and the same people which spake all of them the language of Canaan that is Hebrew one and the same original in Hebrew was sufficient as Augustine Lib 12 Contra Faust C 32 but when the fullness of time drew near that the son of righteousness the son of God should come into the world whom God ordained to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood not of the Jew only but of the Greek of all them that were scattered abroad then low it pleased the Lord to stir up the spirit of a Greek prince Greek for descent and language even of Ptolemy Philadelphia king of Egypt to procure the translating of the book of God out of Hebrew into Greek this is the translation of the 70 interpreters commonly so called which prepared the way for our savior among the Gentiles by written preaching as Saint John Baptist did among the Jews by vocal for the Grecians being desirous of learning were not want to suffer books of worth to lie molding in King's libraries but had many of their servants ready scribes to copy them out and so they were dispersed and made common again the Greek tongue was well known and made familiar to most inhabitants in Asia by reason of the conquest that there the Grecians had made as also by the colonies which did they had sent for the same causes also it was well understood in many places of Europe yay and Africa to therefore the word of God being set forth in Greek become here by like a candle set upon a candlestick which give a light to all that are in the house or like a proclamation sounded forth in the marketplace which most men presently take knowledge of and therefore that language was fittest to contain the scriptures both for the first preachers of the gospel to appeal unto for witness and for the learners also of those times to make search and trial by it is certain that that translation was not so sound and so perfect but it needed in many places correction and who had been so sufficient for this work as the apostles or apostolic men yet it seemed good to the holy ghost and to them to take that which they found the same being for the greatest part true and sufficient rather than making a new in that new world in green age of the church to expose themselves to many exceptions and cavalations as though they made a translations to serve their own turn and therefore bearing a witness to themselves their witness not to be regarded this may be supposed to be some cause why the translation of the seventy was allowed to pass for current not withstanding though it was commended generally yet it did not fully content the learned know not of the Jews for not long after Christ Aquila fell in hand with the new translation and after him the adotan and after him Samachis a fifth and a sixth edition the authors were not known Epiphan Manchur at Ponderibus these with the seventy made up the hexapla and were worthily and to great purpose compiled together by origin how be it the edition of the seventy went away with the credit and therefore not only was placed in the midst by origin for the worth and excellency thereof above the rest as Epiphanius gathered but also was used by the greek fathers for the ground and foundation of their commentaries yay Epiphanius above named doeth a tribute so much unto it that he holdeth the authors thereof not only for interpreters but also for prophets in some respect as august to de dectrin c-15 end of section one section two of the preface of the king james version of the bible this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit libravox.org recording by sam stinson section two and justinian the emperor and joining the jews his subjects to use especially the translation of the seventy rendereth this reason thereof because they were as it were enlightened with prophetical grace yet for all that as the egyptians are said of the prophet to be men and not god and their horses flesh and not spirit as a 31 3 so it is evident and saint gerome affirmeth as much as gerome de optimo generate interpret that the seventy were interpreters they were not prophets they did many things well as learned men but yet as men they stumbled and fell one while through oversight another while through ignorance yea sometimes they may be noted to add to the original and sometimes to take from it which made the apostles to leave them many times when they left the hebrew and to deliver the sense thereof according to the truth of the word as the spirit gave them utterance this may suffice touching the greek translations of the old testament translation out of hebrew and greek into latin there were also within a few hundred years after christ translations many into the latin tongue for this tongue also was very fit to convey the law and the gospel by because in those times very many countries of the west yea of the south east and north spake or understood latin being made provinces to the romans but now the latin translations were too many to be all good for they were infinite latin interprets nolo, modi, numerari, pasunt seith, s augustine s augustin the doctor christ lib 2 cap 2 again they were not out of the hebrew fountain we speak of the latin translations of the old testament but out of the greek stream therefore the greek being not altogether clear the latin derived from it must needs be modi this moved s gerome a most learned father and the best linguist without controversy of his age or of any that went before him to undertake the translating of the old testament out of the very fountain with that evidence of great learning, judgment, industry and faithfulness that he had forever bound the church onto him in a debt of special remembrance and thankfulness the translating of the scripture into the vulgar tongues now through the church were thus furnished with greek and latin translations even before the faith of christ was generally embraced in the empire for the learned know that even in estero's time the consul of roman his wife were both ethnics and about the same time the greatest part of the senate also estero, marcell, zosim yet for all that the godly learned were not content to have the scriptures in the language which they themselves understood greek and latin as the good lepers were not content to fare well themselves but acquainted their neighbors with the store that god had sent and also might provide for themselves 2nd king seven nine but also for the behoof and edifying of the unlearned which hungered and thirsted after righteousness and had souls to be saved as well as they they provided translations into the vulgar for their countrymen in so much that most nations under heaven did shortly after their conversion hear christ speaking unto them in their mother tongue not by the voice of their minister only but also by the written word translated if any doubt hear of he may be satisfied by examples enough if enough will serve the turn first estero mseith multarum gentium linguus scriptura ante translata doset falsa esseque adita sunt etc that is the scripture being translated before and the languages of many nations doth show that those things that were added by lucian and hesikius are false esterum prayeth in for evankel so esterum in that place the same gerum elsewhere affirmeth that he the time was had set forth the translation of the seventy suia lingua that is for his countrymen of dalmatia esterum safronio which words not only erasmus doth understand to purport that esterum translated the scripture into the dalmatian tongue but also six dis senesis and alphonsis castro alphan lb1k23 that we speak of no more men not to be accepted against by them of rome do ingenuously confess as much so est christistum that lived in esterum's time giveeth evidence with him the doctrine of est jaan saith he did not in such sort as the philosophers did vanish away but the syrians, egyptians indians, persians Ethiopians and infinite other nations being barbarous people translated it into their mother tongue and to be true philosophers he meneth christians est christoste in johan cap 1 ham 1 to this may be added theodorit as next unto him both for antiquity and for learning his words be these every country that is under the sun is full of these words of the apostles and prophets and the hebrew tongue he meneth the scriptures in the hebrew tongue is turned not only into the language of the greecians but also of the romans the egyptians and persians and indians and armenians and sythians and saromasians and briefly into all the languages that any nation useeth theodor 5 therapute so he in like manner uphilis is reported by paulus diaconis and isidore to have translated the scriptures into the gothic tongue paedia con lee 12 john bishop of seville by vassius to have turned them into arabic about the year of our lord 717 vassius in cron hispan bead by sister shensis to have turned a great part of them into saxon effnard by trithemias to have abridged the french salter as bead had done the hebrew about the year 800 king alfred by the said sister shensis to have turned the salter into saxon polydore verge 5 histor methodius by aventinis printed at ingolstant to have turned the scriptures into slavonian aventin lib 4 bishop of frissing by vietis renanis to have caused about that time the gospels to be translated into dutch rhythm yet extant in the library of corbinium circa anum 900 b renan rirum german lib 2 valdas by diverse to have turned them himself into french about the year 1160 charles the fifth of that name surnamed the wise have caused them to be turned into french about 200 years after valdas his time of which translation there be many copies yet extant as witnesses berot al das much about that time even in our king richard the second days john travisa translated them into english and many english bibles in written hand are yet to be seen with diverse translated as it is very probable in that age so the syrian translation of the new testament is in most learned men's libraries of wid min stadius his setting fourth and the salter in arabic is with many of augustinus nebiansis setting fourth so postal affirmeth that in his travel he saw the gospels in the ethiopian tongue and ambrose thesius of the indians which he testifyeth to have been set fourth by potkin and syrian characters so that to have the scriptures in the mother tongue is not a quaint conceit lately taken up either by the lord cromwell in england or by the lord radavel in polliny or by the lord agnadius in the emperors dominion brought upon and put in practice of old even from the first times of the conversion of any nation no doubt because it was esteemed most profitable to cause faith to grow in men's hearts the sooner and to make them to be able to say with the words of the psalms as we have heard so we have seen psalm 48 8 of our chief adversaries that the scriptures should be divulged in the mother tongue etc now the church of rome would seem at the length to bear a motherly affection towards her children and to allow them the scriptures in their mother tongue but indeed it is a gift not deserving to be called a gift an unprofitable gift they must first get a license in writing before they may use them and to get that they must approve themselves to their confessor that is to be such as are if not frozen in the draggs yet soured with the leaven of their superstition how be it it seemed too much to clement the 8th that there should be any license granted to have them in the vulgar tongue and therefore he overruleth and frustrated the grant of Pius IV see the observation set forth by clement his authority upon the 4 rule of Pius IV his making in the index lib prohib page 15 verse 5 so much are they afraid of the light of the scripture lusifuge scripturarrum as tertullian speaketh that they will not trust the people with it no not as it is set forth by their own sworn men no not with the license of their own bishops and inquisitors yea so unwilling they are to communicate the scriptures to the people's understanding in any sort that they are not ashamed to confess that we forced them to translate it into English against their wills this seemeth to argue a bad cause or a bad conscience or both sure we are that it is not he that hath the good gold that is afraid to bring it to the touchstone but he that hath the counterfeit tertullian de riser carnes neither is it the true man that shuneth the light but the malifactor lest his deeds should be reproved John 3 20 neither is it the plain dealing merchant that is unwilling to have the weights or the meatyard brought in place but he that useth deceit but we will let them alone for this fault and return to translation the speeches and reasons both of our brethren and of our adversaries against this work many men's mouths have been open a good while and yet are not stopped with speeches about the translation so long in hand or rather perusals of translations made before and ask what may be the reason what the necessity of the employment hath the church been deceived say they all this while hath her sweet bread been mingled with leaven her silver with dross her wine with water her milk with lime black dae gypsum molly misgitur sayeth s urni s urin 3 lib cap 19 we hoped that we had been in the right way that we had the oracles of God delivered unto us and that though all the world had caused to be offended and to complain yet that we had none hath the nurse holding out the breast and nothing but wind in it hath the bread been delivered by the fathers of the church and the same proved to be lapidosis as Seneca speaketh what is it to handle the word of God deceitfully if this be not thus certain brethren also the adversaries of Judah and Jerusalem like sand ballad in Nehemiah mock as we hear both the work and the work men saying what do these weak Jews etc will they make the stones whole again out of the heaps of dust which are burnt although they build yet if a fox go up we shall even break down their stony wall Nehemiah 4.3 was their translation good before why do they now mend it was it not good why then was it obtruded to the people yea why did the Catholics meaning Popish Romanists always go in Jeopardy for refusing to go to hear it nay if it must be translated into English Catholics are ignorant they have learning and they know when a thing is well they can manum de tabula we will answer them both briefly and the former being brethren thus with esterome damnimus vetris minime said post priorim studia endomo domini quote pulsums laboramus esterome apologue adverse rufine that is do we condemn the ancient in no case but after the endeavors of them that were before us we take the best pains we can in the house of God as if he said being provoked by the example of the learned men that lived before my time I have thought at my duty to assay whether my talent in the knowledge of the tongues may be profitable in any measure to God's church lest I should seem to labored in them in vain and lest I should be thought to condemn although ancient above that which was in them thus esterome may be thought to speak a satisfaction to our brethren and to the same effect say we that we are so far off from condemning any of their labors that travailed before us in this kind either in this land or beyond sea either in King Henry's time or King Edwards if there were any translation or correction of a translation in his time or Queen Elizabeth's of ever-renowned memory that we acknowledge them to have been raised up of God for the building and furnishing of his church and that they deserve to be had of us and of posterity and everlasting remembrance the judgment of Aristotle is worthy and well known if Timothyus had not been we had not had much sweet music but if Furnius, Timothyus his master had not been we had not had Timothyus therefore blessed be they and most honored be their name that break the ice and give onset upon that which helpeth forward to the saving of souls now what can be more available there too than to deliver God's book unto God's people and a tongue which they understand since of a hidden treasure and of a fountain that is sealed there is no prophet as Ptolemy Philadelph wrote to the rabbis or masters of the Jews as witnesses epiphanias as epiphan loco ante sitato and as as Augustine sayeth a man had rather be with his dog than with a stranger whose tongue is strange unto him as Augustine lived 19 Deceville day C7 yet for all that as nothing is begun and perfected at the same time and the later thoughts are thought to be the wiser so if we building upon their foundation that went before us and being hoping by their labors do endeavor to make that better which they left so good no man we are sure hath caused to mislike us they we persuade ourselves if they were alive would thank us the vintage of abienzer that strike the stroke yet the gleaning of grapes of Ephraim was not to be despised see judges 8 too Joe ash the king of Israel did not satisfy himself till he had smitten the ground three times and yet he offended the prophet for giving over then 2 Kings 13 18 through 19 Aquila of whom we speak before translated the Bible as carefully and as skillfully as he could and yet he thought good to go over it again and then it got the credit with the Jews to be called accurately done as Saint Jerome witnesses as Jerome and Ezek cap 3 how many books of profane learning have been gone over again and again by the same translators by others of one in the same book of Aristotle's ethics there are not so few as 6 or 7 several translations now if this cost may be bestowed upon the gourd which afforded us a little shade in which today flourishes but tomorrow is cut down what may we bestow and a what ought we not to bestow upon the vine the fruit whereof make it glad the conscience of man and the stem whereof abideth forever and this is the word of God which we translate what is the chaff to the wheat say at the Lord in Jeremiah 23 28 tante vitrium quanti verum mar gar etum sayeth Tertullian Tertull ad martyr if a toy of glass be of that reckoning with us how ought we to value the true pearl Jerome ad salvan therefore let no man's eye be evil because his majesties is good neither let any be grieved that we have a prince that seeketh the increase of the spiritual wealth of Israel let sand ballots and Tobias do so which therefore do bear their just reproof but let us rather bless God from the ground of our heart for working this religious care in him to have the translations of the Bible maturely considered of and examined for by this means it cometh to pass that whatsoever is sound already and all the sound for substance in one and the worst of ours far better than their authentic vulgar the same will shine as gold more brightly being rubbed and polished also if anything be halting or superfluous or not so agreeable to the original the same may be corrected and the truth set in place and what can the king command to be done that will bring him more true honor than this and wherein could they that have been set a work to prove their duty to the king yea their obedience to God and love to his saints more than by yielding their service and all that is within them for the furnishing of the work but besides all this they were the principal motives of it and therefore ought least to quarrel it for the very historical truth is that upon the important petitions of the Puritans at his majesties coming to the crown the conference at Hampton court having been appointed for hearing their complaints when by force of reason they were put from other grounds they had recourse at the last to this shift that they could not with good conscience subscribe to the communion book since it maintained the Bible as it was their translated which was as they said a most corrupted translation and although this was judged to be but a very poor and shift yet even hereupon did his majesty begin to think himself of the good that might ensue by a new translation and presently after gave order for this translation which is now presented unto thee thus much to satisfy our scrupulous brethren an answer to the imputations of our adversaries now to the latter we answer that we do not deny may we affirm in a vow that the very meanest translation of the Bible in English set forth by men of our profession for we have seen none of theirs of the whole Bible as yet containeth the word of God nay is the word of God as the king's speech which he uttereth in parliament being translated into French Dutch Italian and Latin is still the king's speech though it be not interpreted by this nor peradventure so fitly for phrase nor so expressly for sense everywhere for it is confessed that things are to take their denomination of the greater part and a natural man could say verum ubi multa netent in Carmine, non ego pausis offendor, maculus etc. a man may be counted a virtuous man though he have made many slips in his life else there were none virtuous for in many things we offend all James 3,2 also a comely man and lovely though he have some warts upon his hand, yea not only freckles upon his face but also scars, no cause therefore why the word translated should be denied to be the word or forbidden to be current not withstanding that some imperfections and blemishes are included in the setting forth of it for whatever was perfect under the sun were apostles or apostolic men that is men endued with an extraordinary measure of God's spirit and privileged with the privilege of infallibility had not their hand the Romanists therefore and refusing to hear and daring to burn the word translated did no less than despite the spirit of grace from whom originally it proceeded and whose sense and meaning as well as man's weakness would enable it did express judge by an example or two Plutarch that after that Rome had been burnt by the Gauls they fell soon to build it again but doing it in haste they did not cast the streets nor proportion the houses in such comely fashion as had been most slightly and convenient Plutarch in Camelot was Cataline therefore an honest man or a good patriot that sought to bring it to a combustion or Nero a good prince that did indeed set it on fire so by the story of Ezra and the prophecy of Haggai it may be gathered that the temple built by Zerubbabel after the return from Babylon was by no means to be compared to the former built by Solomon for they that remembered the former wept when they considered the latter Ezra 312 not withstanding might this latter either have been appored and forsaken by the Jews or profaned by the Greeks the like we are to think of translations the translation of the 70 dissenteth from the original in many places neither doth it come near it for perspicuity gravity majesty yet which of the apostles did condemn it condemn it nay they used it as it is apparent and as Saint Jerome and most learned men do confess which they would not have done nor by their example of using it so grace and commend it to the church if it had been unworthy of the appellation and name of the word of God and whereas they urge for their second defense of their vilifying and abusing of the English Bibles or some pieces thereof which they meet with for that heretics for sooth were the authors of the translations heretics they call us by the same right that they call themselves Catholics both being wrong we marvel what divinity taught them so we are sure Tertullian was of another mind ex personus pro Bamos Fidem and ex Fide personus Tertull de prescript contra heresis do we try men's faith by their persons we should try their persons by their faith also as Augustine was of another mind for he lighting upon certain rules made by taekanius adonatist for the better understanding of the word was not a shame to make use of them yay to insert them into his own book with giving commendation to them so far forth as they were worthy to be commended as is to be seen in S. Augustine's third book the Doctrina Cristiana S. August 3 the docked Christ Cap 30 to be short origin in the whole church of God for certain hundred years were of another mind for they were so far from trading under foot much more from burning the translation of Aquila a prosolite that is one that had turned Jew of Sematicus and Theodotian both Ebianites that is most vile heretics that they joined together with the Hebrew original and the translation of the 17 as hath been before signified out of Epiphanius and set them forth openly to be considered of and perused by all but we weary the unlearned who need not know so much and trouble the learned who know it already end of section two section three of the preface of the King James version of the Bible this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Sam Stinson section three yet before we end we must answer third Cavill an objection of theirs against us for altering and amending our translations so often wherein truly they deal hardly and strangely with us for to whom ever was it imputed for a fault by such as were wise to go over that which he had done into amended where he saw cause. St. Augustine was not afraid to exhort S. Jerome to a Palanodia or recantation S. August 9 and doth even glory that he seeeth his infirmities S. August 8 if we be sons of the truth we must consider what it speaketh and trample upon our own credit yea and upon other men's too if either be any way and hindrance to it this to the cause then to the persons we say that of all men they ought to be most silent in this case for what varieties have they and what alterations have they made not only of their service books portesses and breviaries but also of their latin translation the service books supposed to be made by S. Ambrose Ephysium Ambrosianum was a great while in special use and request but Pope Hadrian calling a council with the aid of Charles the Emperor and commanded it, yea burnt it and commanded the service book of S. Gregory universally to be used Durand lived five cap too well, Ephysium Gregoronium gets by this means to be in credit but doth it continue without change or altering no, the very Roman service was of two fashions the new fashion and the old the one used in one church the other in another between an Pamelius a Romanist his preface before Micrologus the same Pamelius reported out Redulfis de Rivo that about the year of our lord 1277 Pope Nicholas the third removed out of the churches of Rome the more ancient books of service and brought into the use the missiles of the friars Minerites and commanded them to be observed there in so much that about later when the above named Redulfis happened to be at Rome he found all the books to be new of the new stamp neither were there this chopping and changing in the more ancient times only but also of late Pius Quintus himself confesseth that every bishopric almost had a peculiar kind of service most unlike to that which others had which moved him to abolish all other breviaries though never so ancient privileged and published by bishops in their diocese and to establish and ratify that only which was of his own setting forth in the year 1568 now when the father of their church who gladly would heal the sore of the daughter of his people softly and slightly and make the best of it findeth so great fault with them for their odds and jarring we hope the children have no great cause to vaunt of their uniformity but the difference that appeareth between our translations and are often correcting of them is the thing that we are specially charged with let us see therefore whether they themselves be without fault this way if it be to be counted a fault to correct and whether they be fit men to throw stones at us oh tandem my or parkas and son a minority they that are less sound themselves ought not to object infirmities to others if we should tell them that vala stapolensis erasmus and vivis found fault with their vulgar translation and consequently wished the same to be mended or a new one to be made they would answer per adventure that we produced their enemies for witnesses against them all be it they were in no other sort enemies than as as paul was to the galatians for telling them the truth galatians for sixteen and it were to be wished that they had dared to tell it them plainlier and oftener but what will they say to this that pope leo the tenth allowed erasmus translation of the new testament so much different from the vulgar by his apostolic letter and bull that the same leo exhorted pagnein to translate the whole bible and bear whatsoever charges was necessary for the work for the forgiveness surely as the apostle reasoneth to the hebrus that if the former law and testament had been sufficient there had been no need of the latter hebrus seven eleven and eight seven so we may say that if the old vulgar had been at all points allowable to small purpose had labor and charges been undergone about framing of a new if they say it was one pope's private opinion and that he consulted himself then we are able to go further with them and to avert that more of their chief men of all sorts even their own trend champions paiva and vega and their own inquisitors hyronimus ab olestro and their own bishop is adorius clarius and their own cardinal thomas avio kaitan do either make new translations themselves or follow new ones of other men's thinking or note the vulgar interpreter for halting none of them fear to descend from him nor yet to accept against him and call they this and uniform tenor of text and judgment about the text so many of their worthies disclaiming the now received conceit nay we will yet come nearer the quick doth not their paris addition differ from the lovain and hententious his from them both and yet all of them allowed by authority nay doth not six disquintus confess that certain Catholics he meaneth certain have his own side were in such an humor of translating the scriptures into latin that satan taking occasion by them though they thought of no such matter did strive what he could out of so uncertain and manifold a variety of translations so to mingle all things that nothing might seem to be left certain in them etc. six dis five prophet fixa biblius nay further did not the same six dis ordain by an inviolable decree and that with the council and consent of his cardinals that the latin addition of the old and new testament which the council of Trent would have to be authentic is the same without controversy which he then set forth being diligently corrected and printed in the printing house of Vatican thus six dis in his preface before his bible and yet clement the 8th his immediate successor published another addition of the bible containing in it infinite differences from that of six dis and many of them weighty and material and yet this must be authentic by all means what is to have the faith of our glorious lord jesus christ with yay or nay if this be not again what is sweet harmony and consent if this be therefore as demartus of Corinth advised a great king before he talked of the dissensions of the greecians to compose his domestic broils for at that time his queen and his son and air were at deadly feud with him so all the while that our adversaries do make so many and so various additions themselves and do jar so much about the worth and authority of them they can with no show of equity challenge us for changing and correcting the purpose of the translators with their number furniture care et cetera but it is high time to leave them and to show in brief what we proposed to ourselves and what course we held in this our perusal and survey of the bible truly good christian reader we never thought from the beginning that we should need to make a new translation nor yet to make of a bad one a good one for then the imputation of Sixtus had been true in some sort that our people had been fed with gall of dragons instead of wine with way instead of milk but to make a good one better or out of many good ones one principal good one not justly to be accepted against that half been our endeavor that our mark to that purpose there were many chosen that were greater in other men's eyes than in their own and that sought the truth rather than their own praise again they came or were thought to come to the work not exorcendi causa as one sayeth but exorcitati that is learn it not to learn for the chief overseer and note greek letters omitted under his majesty to whom not only we but also our whole church was much bound knew by his wisdom which thing also nazian zen taught so long ago that it is a preposterous order to teach first and to learn after yay that note greek letters omitted to learn and practice together is neither commendable for the workmen nor safe for the work idem in apologet therefore such were thought upon as could say modestly with saint Jerome et hebraeum sermonem et parte didisimus et in latino penae abipsis in cune abulis etc detriti sumus both we have learned the hebrou tongue in part and in the latin we have been exorcised almost from very cradle estero maketh no mention of the greek tongue wherein yet he did excel because he translated not the old testament out of greek but out of hebrou and in what sort did these assemble in the trust of their own knowledge or of their sharpness of wit of deepness of judgment as it were in an arm of flesh et no hand they trusted in him that had the key of david opening and no man shutting they prayed to the lord the father of our lord to the effect that s augustine did oh let thy scriptures be my pure delight let me not be deceived in them neither let me deceive by them s aug lib 2 confess cap 2 in this confidence and with this devotion did they assemble together not too many lest one should another and yet many lest many things happily might escape them if you ask what they had before them truly it was the hebrou text of the old testament the greek of the new these are the two golden pipes or rather conduits where through the olive branches empty themselves into the gold saint augustine calleth them precedent or original tongues s august 3 doctrc 3 et cetera saint gerome fountains esterome ad sunium et fratelle the same saint gerome affirmeth esterome ad lucinium dist nainut verum and gratian hath not spared to put into his decree that as the credit of the old books he meneth of the old testament is to be tried by the hebrou volumes so of the new by the greek tongue he meneth by the original greek if truth be tried by these tongues then whence should a translation be made but out of them these tongues therefore the scriptures we say and those tongues we set before us to translate being the tongues wherein god was pleased to speak to his church by the prophets and the apostles neither did we run over the work with that posting haste that the septuagint did if that be true which is reported of them that they finished it in 72 days josephus antiquities live 12 neither were we barred or hindered from going over it again having once done it like esterome if that be true which himself reported that he could no sooner write anything but presently it was caught from him and published and he could not have leave to mend it esterome ad pammac pro liber adverse iovinium whether to be short were we the first that fell in hand with translating the scripture into english and consequently destitute a former helps as it is written of origin that he was the first in a manner that put his hand to write commentaries upon the scriptures sapphic in elect and therefore no marvel if he overshot himself many times none of these things the work hath not been huddled up in 72 days but hath cost the work men as light as it seemeth the pains of twice 7 times 72 days and more matters of such weight and consequence are to be speeded with maturity for in a business of movement a man fearth not the blame of convenient slackness eschristastem in 2 theses cap 2 neither did we think much to consult the translators or commentators caldee, hebrew, syrian, greek or latin nor the spanish, french, italian or dutch neither did we disdain to revise that which we had done and to bring back to the anvil that which we had hammered but having and using as great helps as were needful and fearing no reproach for slowness nor coveting praise for expedition we have at length through the good hand of the lord upon us brought the work to that pass that you see reasons moving us to set diversity of senses in the margin where there is great probability for each some per adventure would have no variety of senses to be set in the margin less the authority of the scriptures for deciding of controversies by that show of uncertainty should somewhat be shaken but we hold their judgment not to be sound in this point for though whatsoever things are necessary as christis them sayeth as christis in 2th s cap 2 and as s augustine in those things that are plainly set down in the scriptures all such matters are found that concern faith, hope and charity s aug 2 ded docked christ cap 9 yet for all that it cannot be dissembled that partly to exercise and wet our wits partly to wean the curious from the loathing of them for their plainness partly also to stir up our devotion to crave the assistance of God's spirit by prayer and lastly that we might be forward to seek aid of our brethren by conference and never scorn those that be not in all respects so complete as they should be being to seek in many things ourselves it hath pleased God in his divine providence here and there to scatter words and sentences of that difficulty and doubtfulness not in doctrinal points that concern salvation for in such it hath been vouched that the scriptures are plain but in matters of less moment that fearfulness would better beseem us than confidence and if we will resolve upon modesty with s augustine though not in this same case altogether yet upon the same ground melius est debitari de oculitis quam litigare de insertis s auguli s de genes ad litter cap 5 it is better to make doubt of those things which are secret than to strive about those things that are uncertain there be many words in the scriptures which be never found there but once having neither brother or neighbor as the Hebrews speak so that we cannot be hoping by conference of places again there be many rare names of certain birds, beasts, and precious stones etc concerning the Hebrews themselves are so divided among themselves for judgment that they may seem to have defined this or that rather because they would say something than because they were sure of that which they said as estero somewhere sayeth of the Septuagint now in such a case doth not a margin do well to admonish the reader to seek further and not to conclude or dogmatize upon this or that peremptorily for as it is a fault of incredulity to doubt of those things that are evident so to determine of such things as the spirit of God hath left even in the judgment of the judicious questionable can be no less than presumption therefore as s augustin sayeth that variety of translations is profitable for the finding out of the sense of the scriptures s aug to the doctor christian cap 14 so diversity of signification and sense in the margin where the text is no so clear must needs do good, yea is necessary as we are persuaded we know that Sixtus Quintus expressly forbiddeth that any variety of readings of their vulgar edition should be put in the margin Sixtus 5 Pref Bibli which though it be not altogether the same thing that we have in hand yet it looketh that way, but we think he hath not all of his own side his favorers for this conceit, they that are wise had rather have their judgments at liberty in differences of readings than to be captivated to one when it may be the other if they were sure that their high priest had all lost shut up in his breast as Paul II bragged Platt in Paulo Secundo and that he were as free from error by special privilege as the dictators of Rome were made by law inviolable it were another matter then his word were an oracle his opinion a decision but the eyes of the world are now open, God be thanked and have been a great while they find that he is subject to the same affections and infirmities that others be, that his skin is penetrable and therefore so much as he proveth not as much as he claimeth they grant and embrace reasons inducing us not to stand curiously upon an identity of phrasing another things we think good to admonish the of gentle reader that we have not tied ourselves to an uniformity of phrasing or to an identity of words as some peradventure would wish that we had done because they observe that some alerted men somewhere have been as exact as they could that way truly that we might not vary from the sense of that which we had translated before if the word signified that same in both places for there be some words that be not the same sense everywhere we were especially careful and made a conscience according to our duty but that we should express the same notion in the same particular word as for example if we translate the Hebrew or Greek word once by means never to call it intent if one were journeying never traveling if one were think never suppose if one were pain never ache if one were joy never gladness etc thus to mince the matter we thought to savor more of curiosity than wisdom and that rather it would breed scorn in the atheist then bring profit to the godly reader for is the kingdom of God to become words or syllables why should we be in bondage to them if we may be free use one precisely when we may use another no less fit as commodiously a godly father in the primitive time showed himself greatly moved that one of newfangledness called note Greek omitted but was a dispute over the word for a bed Niceph, Callist, Lib 8, Cap 42 though the difference be little or none and another report that he was much abused for turning Q. Curbita to which reading the people had been used into Hedera, Esther Oman for Ioni C. S. Og epis 10 now if this happens in better times and upon so small occasions we might justly fear hard censure if generally we should make verbal and unnecessary changes we might also be charged by scoffers with some unequal dealing towards a great number of good English words for as it is written of a certain great philosopher that he should say that those logs were happy that were made images to be worshiped for their fellows as good as they lay for blocks behind the fire so if we should say as it were unto certain words stand up higher have a place in the Bible always in the Holy Spirit yet ye hence be banished forever we might be taxed per adventure with S. James his words namely to be partial in ourselves in judges of evil thoughts ad here unto that niceness in words was always counted the next step to trifling and so was to be curious about names too also that we cannot follow a better pattern for elocution than God himself therefore may be using diverse words in his holy writ and indifferently for one thing in nature see Eusebius Lee 12 X Platon we if we will not be superstitious may use the same liberty in our English versions out of Hebrew and Greek for that copy or store that he hath given us lastly we have on the one side avoided the scrupulousity of the Puritans who leave the old ecclesiastical words and we take them to other as when they put washing for baptism and congregation instead of church as also on the other side we have shunned the obscurity of the papists and their asimes to Nike rational holocausts prepu say pasque and a number of such like whereof their late translation is full and that of purpose to darken the sense that since they must translate the Bible yet by the language thereof it may be kept from being understood but we desire that the scriptures may speak like itself as in the language of Canaan that it may be understood even of the very vulgar many other things we might give the warning of gentle reader if we had not exceeded the measure of a preface already it remaineth that we commend thee to God and to the spirit of his grace which is able to build further in his gore think he removeeth the scales from our eyes the veil from our hearts opening our wits that we may understand his words enlarging our hearts yet correcting our affections that we may love it to the end ye are brought unto fountains of living water which ye did not do not cast earth into them with the Philistines neither prefer broken pits before them in their graves Genesis 26 15 Jeremiah 2 13 others have labored and you may enter into their labors O receive not so great things in vain, O despise not so great salvation be not like swine to tread under foot so precious things neither yet like dogs to tear and abuse holy things say not to our Saviour with the Gurgisites Matthew 8 34 neither yet with Esau sell your birthright for a mess of potage Hebrews 12 16 if light be come into the world love not darkness more than light if food if clothing be offered go not naked, starve not yourselves remember the advice of Nazian zine it is a grievous thing or dangerous to neglect a great fare and to seek to make markets afterwards also the encouragement of Eschristus then it is altogether impossible that he that is sober and watchful should at any time be neglected Eschristus in epist Ad Rome 14 Oral 26 lastly the admonition and menacing of Esch Augustine they that despise God's will inviting them shall feel God's will taking Esch Auguste ad Artic Sibi falso object Artic 16 it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Hebrews 10 31 but a blessed thing it is and will bring us to everlasting blessedness in the end when God speaketh unto us to harken when he saideth his word before us to read it when he stretches out his hand in calleth to answer here am I here we are to do thy will oh God the Lord worketh care and conscience in us to know him and serve him that we may be acknowledged of him at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with the Holy Ghost be all praise and thanksgiving Amen End of section 3 and also the end of the preface