ON ENGLISHING THE T.

ARGU,M S

I feel deeply honoured in having been invited to contribute to

the present volume of essays in honour of rny esteemed colleague
and dear friend, Professor Alejandro Diez Macho, M.S,C. It is now
over thirty years since I first rnade his acquaintance and our asso-
ciation has grown ever closer over the past quarter of a century.
I was a student in Rorne wíth the young Juan Arias in the mid-1950s
when Fr Alejandro was having Codex Neofiti 1 of the Vatican Líb-
rary examined for the second time, an examinatíon which . would
lead in 1956 to the identification of the manuscript for what it
really was - a complete text of the Palestinian Targum of the Pen-
tateuch. I had the p1easure of being present at the Oxford Vetus
Testamentum Congress in 1959 when Professor Diez Macho spoke
of the newly-identified work, of its antiquity, and its relationships
with the other targums. The association grew closer still from 1961
onwards, when Professor Alejandro supplíed me with photocopies
of the newly-found text of the Palestinian Targum for use in the
preparation of rny doctoral dissertation on the New Testament and
the Palestinian Targum to the Pentateuch. Duríng the summer of
1963 I had the good fortune of being able to use his personal libra-
ry at his residence, Misioneros del Sagrado Corazón, Rosellón, Bar-
celona.
I have had since then many occasions to experience his help
and kindness and his readiness to give advice and information in
any way he could. He was unsparing in his help. His unspoken mot-
to could have been that of the author of the Book of Wisdom:
quam sine fictione didici et sine invidia communico ...
" ... what I have learnt with pure intention, I now share without
grudging ... ".

The project of which I here write would scarcely have been

possible without the labours of Professor Alejandro Diez Macho
over the past decades. It gave me great pleasure to write it for
inclusion in a volume originally planned to honour him on the
occasion of his Seventieth Birthday, and to dedícate it to him as
a token of gratitude for ali the advice and help he had given me
over the years. Now that God has seen fit to call him to his eter-
448 M. MCNAMARA

nal reward before this celebration here on earth, · I dedicate ít to

his memory - to the memory of one who will always remain an
example to be followed in his dedication to the truth, and to him
who was the Way, the Truth and the Life.

I. LATIN TRASLATIONS OF THE TARGUMS

The Aramaic texts of the targums were first presented to Euro-

pean scholars in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and almost
always accompanied by Latin translations. This was principally
through the great Polyglot Bibles, one of the glories of Spanish
scholarship. Since later targumíc scholarship was heavily dependent
on these texts and translations I feel justified in listing them here.
The first Polyglot Bible, the Complutensian (1514-15-17) contai-
ned (in volume 1) the Targum of Onkelos, together with a Latin
translation, generally attributed to Alphonso de Zamora, a convert
from Judaism. The next Polyglot, the Antwerp Polyglot or the Bi-
blia Regia (Amtwerp 1569-1572), in 8 volumes, edited by Arias Mon-
tano, had the following targums, accompanied by Latin translatíons:
In vol 1 the Latin translation of the Complutensian Polyglot was
reproduced, but with emendations by Arias Montano. Volumes 2
and 4 contained the Targums of the Prophets, including Ruth
(vol. 2) and Lamentations (vol. 4) together with Latin translations
commissioned from three Jewish converts, but principally by Al-
phonso de Zamora. Volume 3 contained the Targums of the Hagio-
grapha: Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Koheleth and Song of Songs,
together with Latin translations. It was once believed that the La-
tin translations of the Targums of the Hagiographa were by Alphon-
so de Zamora. Although Arias de Montano had commissioned such
translations from Alphonso, it does not appear that he published
them. The Latin translations of the Hagiographa prínted in the
Antwerp Polyglot seem to have been made by Arias himself. The
Aramaic Targums texts prepared by Alphonso together with the
Latin translations are still extant and are being edited by Fr Luis
Diez Merino, C.P. - Fr. Alejandro's nephew.
The Paris Polyglot {1629-1645) is essentially the same as the
Antwerp edition, apart from the inclusion of the Samaritan Tar-
gum which had been brought to Europe in the meantime. The Lon-
don (also called the Walton) Polyglot {1645-1657) reproduces from
the Antwerp Polyglot the following Latin translations: Onkelos (in
volume 1), Targum Jonathan of the Former Prophets (ín volume 2),
the Targums of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Koheleth, Song of Bongs,
Targum Jonathan of the Latter Prophets, Targum Lamentations
(in volume 3). For Targum Ruth (vol. 2) the Walton Polyglot has
 ON ENGLISHING THE TARGUMS 449

a translation by Johannes Mercer, and for Targum Sheni of Esther

(vol. 2) a translation by Francis Taylor. In volume 4 we have the
Pa1estinian Targum of Pseudo-J onathan and the Fragment Targum
together with Latin translations by Anthony Chevalier, and the
'Targum Rishon of the Book of Esther with the translation of Fran-
cis Taylor (whose translation of Targum .Sheni is printed in vo-
lume 2). ·
Other Latin translations of individual targums or groups of
targums were also made duríng the sixteenth and seventeenth cen-
turíes, Since they are not easily accessible to scholars they need
not 'detain us here. (They are listed in Bernard Grossfeld, A Biblio-
graphy o/ Targurn Literature, 1972, nos. 747-823). Walton's Polyglot
has for long provided the most convenient Latin translation of the
Aramaic targum texts known in the mid-seventeenth century. It is
still the only available translatlon of a number of the targums
of whích vernacular renderings have not as yet been provided.

II. VERNACULAR TARGUM TRANSLATIONS

Translation of the targums into the European vernaculars has

been haphazard - possibly an indication that interest in them lay
chíeñy among scholars who freely used Latin. The vernacular
translations seem to have been confined to those targums with a
broader religious appeal.
There have been a number of translations of the Targum of
Canticles into Jewísh-Spanish or Ladino, pubished at such various
centres as Salonica (A.O. 1600), Venice (1619), Amsterdam (1724,
176'6).
The favourite targum for translation into Yiddish or German,
on . the other hand, was the Targum Sheni, the Second Targum of
1
li Esther. Yiddish translations of it were published at Prague •(1680),
Amsterdam (1711, republished 1732), Amsterdam {1663, selections) ,
Amsterdam {1722, together wíth translations of the other Megílloth:
Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes), at Wilna (1872, wíth
translations of Targums Canticles, Ruth and Ecclesiastes), at Kro-
toshin (1845,).
A German translation of Targum Sheni by Abraham Salzbach
was published in 1920 {Frankfurt on Main). In 1878 (Berlin), as
part of his commentary of the Book of Esther, Paulus Cassel pu-
blished a German translation of Targum Sheni. There is a German
translatíon of Onkelos, Génesis, in the work Aramaia. Die Targu-
mim 'zum Pentateuch. l. Abteilung: Onkelos by Moritz Altschueler,
Wilhelm Newmann and August Wünsche (Víenna 1906). A Dutch
29
450 M. MCNAMARA

translation of Targum Sheni by E. David was publíshed at Amster-

dam in 1856.
An Italian translatíon of the Targum of Canticles was publíshed
at Beneventum in 1682. In recent times a noteworthy new Italian
translation of this same Targum has been published, together with
an introduction and commentary: Il Cantico dei Cantici. Antica
interpretazione ebraica a cura di Umbert Neri (Roma, Oítta nuova
editrice 1976).
A French translation of Targum Canticles by Mordecai Ven-
ture was published in Paris in 1807 and another by Paul Vulliaud in
1925. In our own day, thanks principally to the involvement of
Fr Rogert Le Déaut in targumíc studies, we have had French
translations of Codex Neofiti in the editio princeps of this work, of
Targum Chronícles by R. Le Déaut and J. Robert, and finally R. Le
Déaut's masterly translation of the Palestinian Targums of the Pen-
tateuch (Neoñti and Pseudo-Jonathan) in four volumes in the Sour-
ces Chrétiennes series. -

III. ENGLISH TRANSLATION QIF THE TARGUMS

English has fared consíderably better than other languages in

the matter of translation of the targums. John Gill published a
translation of Targum Canticles as part of his work, Exposition of
the Book ot Solomon's Song {2nd edition, London 1751). In 1861
(London), Christian David Ginsburg publíshed a translation of
chapter 1 of this same targum in his Commentary on the Song.
That same year the same author published an English translation
of Targum Koheleth as part of his commentary on that book (Co-
heleth, London 18'61). By far the best known of all English transla-
tions of the targums is that of John W. Etheridge: The Targum of
Onkelos and Jonathan Ben Uzziel on the Pentateuch with the Frag-
ments of the Jerusalem Targum (2 volumes, London 1862, 1865).
This was republished by Ktav Publíshíng House, New York 1968
(2 volumes in 1), but without any prolegomenon or addition. In
1871 in a small volume Christian W. H. Pauli publíshed a full
translation of Targum Isaiah: The Chaldee Paraphrase of the Pro-
phet Isaiah (London 1871). A little later Oliver T. Crane published
translations of the Targums of Ruth and Jonah: The Targums on
the Books ot Ruth and Jonah. Literally translated from the Chaldee
(New York 1886). In 1888 an English translation of Paul S. Oassel's
German commentary on Esther was published, together with
an English translation by A. Bernstein of Cassel's German transla-
lation of the Targum Sheni of Esther (An Explanatory Commentary
on Esther, Edinburgh, 1888, pp. 263-344). In 1893 Albert W. Greenup
 ON EN GLISH ING TH E .TARGUM S 451

published an English translatíon of 'I'argum Lamentations {The

Targum on the Book of Lamentations, translated, Sheffield 1893).
As a part of the work Translations from Hebrew and Aramaic, Her-
man Gollancz published a translation of the Targum of the Song
of Songs (London 1908, pp. 15-90). In the periodical "Studia Orien-
talia" (Helsinki), volume 2, 19·28, pp. 88-104, Aapeli Saarisalo publísh-
ed an English translation of the Targum of Ruth. In 1949 John
Stenning, in The Targum oj Isaiah, {Oxford), published an edition
of the Aramaic text, based on Yemenite manuscripts, together with
an English translation.
The renewed ínterest in the targums in recent years has lead
to new editions of the Aramaic texts and to new translations. In
his important study, The Targums and Rabbinic Literature (Cam-
bridge 1969) John Bowker presents a new translation of selected
chapters of the Pseudo-Jonathan Targum of Genesis. Etan Levine
of the University of Haifa has edited a number of the texts of the
Targums, together with Englísh translations, introductions and notes.
In 1973 the Biblical Institute Press, Rome, published his work:
The Aramaic Version of Ruih, in which he published the Aramaic
Targum of Ruth from the Vatican Codex Urbinas Ebr l. In 1975
the Academic Press, Jerusalem, published a further work of his:
The Aramaic Version of Jonah. The following year, from the Her-
mon Press, New York carne The Aramaic Version of Lamentations.
Then in 1978, from the Sepher-Hermon Press, New York, carne The
Aramaic Version of Qohelet
In 1973 under the title The Targums of the Five Megilloth (New
York: Hermon) Bernard · Grossf.eld brought together previously
published English translations of these targums - translations al-
ready noted above: of the Targum of Ruth by A. Saarisalo {1928), of
Lamentations by A. W. Greenup {1893), of Ecclesiastes by C. D.
Ginsburg (1861), of Esther (Targum Sheni) by P. S. Cassel and
A. Bernstein {18i88), and of Canticles by H. Gollancz {1908). The
texts are reproduced without change and the whole collection is
provided with a brief introduction by the editor.
During the decade 1968-1978, as part of the editio princeps,
English translations of the Palestinian Targum of the Pentateuch
as found in Codex Neofiti 1 were publíshed, versions made by Fr
Michael Maher, M.S.C. and the present writer.
While the situation regardíng English translations of the tar-
gums was better than was the case for other European languages,
it fell far behind that of other branches of Jewish literature for
which there were good modern translations, for instance Canon
Herbert Danby's translation of the Mishnah (Oxford 1933), the Son-
cino translation of the Babylonian Talmud, under the editorship
of I. Epstein {London 1935-1952), the Soncino translation of the
452 M. MCNAMARA

Midrash Rabba, under the editorship of H. Freedman -and Maurice

stmon {London, Jerusalem, New York, 1939; 31961),; Jacob Neusner's
translation of the Tosefta {New York 1977-1981) and of the Pales-
tinian Talmud (Chicago 1982).
The present wríter was interested in brínging out a translation
of the Palestinian Targums of the Pentateuch during the 1970s, in
conjunction with the publication of the translations in the editio
prínceps of Codex Neofiti. The work that finally saw the light of
day under the title, Targum and Testament. Aramaic Paraphrases
of the Hebrew Bible: A light on the Neu: Testament (Irish Univer-
sity Press, Shannon, Ireland, 1972) was originally íntended as an in-
troduction to such a translation of füe Palestinian Pentateuch
'Targums. The plan, however, did not come to fruition due to lack
of interest on the part of publishers.

IV. THE MICHAEL GLAZIER INC. TARGUM TRANSLATION PROJECT

Michael Glazier has his publishing house at Wilmington, De-

laware, U.S.A. In recent years he has become ever more íncreasíngly
involved in the publication of theological works. On the completion
of a majar series of commentaríes on the New Testament {New
Testament Message. A Biblical-Theological Commentary, 22 volu-
mes), under the editorship of Wilfrid Harrington O.P. and Donald
Senior, C.P. he commenced plans for a similar series on the Old
Testament {in 23 volumes) in 1979, and very kindly invited the
present writer to act as ca-editor for the series with Carroll Stuhl-
mueller, C.P.
In autumn 1980 I had occasion to discuss with Michael Glazier
the possibility of publishing English translations of sorne of the
Targums, for instance the Palestinian Targums of the Pentateuch.
He showed keen interest in the project and expressed his belief
that we should meet to discuss it in greater detail. Since I was
teaching at John Carroll University, Cleveland, Ohio, duríng the
first semester of the school year 1980-81, we arranged to meet at
his home in Wilmington during the Thanksgiving Day vacation {No-
vember 2•6 1980). He was very enthusiastic about the project, but
believed it should contain a translation of the entire targumic cor-
pus, not just of a tew targums. It was also agreed that an editorial
board be set up and that this would present a concrete plan to him
by the end of January 1981.
For the obvious reason of convenience, the Editorial Board
was based in Dublin. It consisted of Professor Kevin Cathcart, De-
'partment of Semitic Languages, University College, Dublin, Fr. Mich-
.ael Maher, M.S.C. and the present writer. The plan it forwarded
 ON EN GLISH IN G TH E TARGU M S 453

tn January 1981 was agreed to. The task that was now to be con-
fronted was to bríng together a team of translators and to draw up
guidelines for the contributors. During its planning the Editorial
Board was fortunate in having access to the advíce of Daniel Har-
ríngton, S.J. and of Bernard Grossfeld. I also had the opportunity
of discussing matters concerning editions and manuscripts of the
targums, of the targums of the Ketubhim in particular, with Roger
Le Déaut and with Alejandro Díez Macho duríng the Summer of
1982, when Professor Díez Macho gave me the latest ínformation
concerning the targum project of the Biblia Polyglotta Matritensia,
and put me in contact with Fr Luis Diez Merino, C.P.

V. CONTRIBUTORS IN THE MICHAEL GLAZIER

TARGUM TRASLATION PROJECT

The Publisher and Editorial Board were fortunate in being

able to enlist a distinguished panel of translators for the project.
Most of them had already been active for quite sorne time in the
fleld of targumic studies. There are others we would have liked to
have with us, but who for one reason or another were unable to
take part.
The final arrangement was that a team of seventeen was brought
together to translate the entire corpus of targumic writings tradi-
tionally known to us, that is excluding the recently discovered tar-
gum texts from Qumran, and the texts of the .Samaritan Targum.
The contributors are the foUowing introduced in accord with the
canonical order of the books to be translated.
The Onkelos Targum for all five books is being translated by
Professor Bernard Grossfeld, Department of Hebrew Studies, Uni-
versity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, U.S.A. Professor Grossfeld is well
known to students of targumic studies through his many contribu-
tions in this branch of learning. He has given us the extremely va-
luable two-volume work, A Bibliography of Targum Literature (1972,
1977). He has examined, among other things, the manner in which
such key-words of the Hebrew Scriptures as PQD etc. have been
translated in the targums and other early versions, As already not-
ed, he has brought together earlier English renderings of the Tar-
gum of the Megilloth. He has also published A Critical Commentary
on Targum Neofiti 1 to Genesis (Ktav Publishing House 1981). To-
gether with Moses Aberbach he has edited the Aramaic text of
Onkelos, Genesis 49, together with translation and analytical com-
mentary {Targum Onqelos on Genesis 49, Scholars Press, for the
SBL; 1976). With M. Aberbach as co-author he has later given us
the major work, Targum Onkelos to Genesis (Ktav 1982) containing
454 M. MCNAMARA

the Aramaic text, modern English traslation and critica! commen-

tary.
The Palestinian Targums of the Pentateuch are beíng translat-
ed and annotated by Fr Michael Maher, M.S.C. and the present
writer, M. Maher attending to Pseudo-Jonathan and the latter to
the remaining texts (Neoñti, Fragments Targums, Geniza Fragments).
Both of us have cooperated in the English translatíon of Neofiti for
the editio princeps of this work.
Daniel Harrington, S.J. is attending to the translation of the
Targum of the Earlier Prophets. Anthony Saldarini is cooperating
with him in the annotation and in the identificátion of sources and
parallels. Daniel Harrington needs no íntroduction to the Englísh-
speaking biblical world. He is well known and much appreciated
through his competent edítorshíp of New Testaments Abstracts,
his extremely useful introductions to both the Old and the New
Testaments, and through other writings besides. As Aramaic scholar
he is co-editor, with J. A. Fitzmyer of the work, A Manual oj Pa-
lestinian Aramaic Texts {Second Century B.C. - Second Century
A.D.) {Rome: Biblical Institute Press 1978).
Dr. Bruce Chilton, of the Department of Biblical Studies, Uni-
versity of .Sheffield, England, is attending to the translation, and
annotation of the Targum of Isaiah. Dr. Chilton has already studied
this targum in depth, with regard to its orígín, proveníence and
theology and has published the results of his researches in a num-
ber of studies, e.g. The Glory of Israel: The Theology and Prove-
nience of the Isaiah Targum (Journal for the Study of the Old Tes-
tament, Supplement Series 23, Sheffield 1982); A Galilean Rabbi
and His Bible. Jesus' Use of the Interpreted Scripture of His Time
(Michael Glazier, Inc. 1984). He has also published a number of
essays on targumic topics.
The Targum of Jeremiah has been translated, introduced and
annotated by Dr C. T. R. Hayward of the Department of Theology,
University of Durham, England. Dr. Hayward wíll be known in the
field of Targum studies through his monograph: Divine Name and
Presence: The Memra (Allenheld, Osnan, Totowa, New Jersey 1981).
This is a revision of his Oxford doctoral dissertation (1975): "The
Use and Religious Significance of the Term M emra in Targum Neo!
fiti 1 in the Light of the other Targumim". He ha also published
essays and reviewed books on Memra and other targumic themes,
Dr Samson H. Levey, Hebrew Union College. Jewish Institute
of Religion, Los Angeles, has translated the Targum of Bzekiel.
Targumic scholars will be acquainted with Dr Levey's book, The
Messiah: An Aramaic Interpretation. The Messianic Exegesis of the
Targum {Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cin-
cinnati 1974), and will appreciate the quality of his rendering of
 ON ENGLISH IN G TH E TARGUM S 455

the targumic texts. Dr Levey has had a special interest in the Tar-
gum of Ezekiel and has written on the suject in the Hebrew Union
College Annual, vol. 46, 1975 (pp. 139-158). He had earlier done a
dissertation on the Targum of Ruth: "The Targum to the Book
of Ruth: its linguistic and exegetical character. Together with a
Discussion of the Date, a Study of the Sources and a Idiomatic
English translation": Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati 1934).
The Targum o/ the Minor Prophets is being translated by Pro-
ressor Kevin Cathcart, Department of Semitic Languages, Univer-
sity College, Dublin {Hosea-Micah) and Dr Robert P. Gordon, Di-
vinity School, Cambridge, England (Nahum-Malachi). Dr Gordon
has done his doctoral dissertation (Glasgow) on the theme: "'I:ar-
gum Jonathan to the Minor Prophets, from Nahum to Malachi", and
has published essays on targumic topics in various journals. Profes-
sor Gathcart is preparing a commentary on the Minor prophets
for the series "The New International Critica! Commentary".
Professor Max Wilcox, Department of Biblical Studies, Univer-
sity College of North Wales, Bangor, Wales, has agreed to under-
take the translation and annotation of the Targum o/ Psalms. Pro-
fessor Wilcox is best known through his work, The Semitisms o/
Acts (Oxford, 1965), but has also written essays on targumic ques-
tions.
Sr Celine Mangan, O.P. of the Department of Semitic Langua-
ges, University College, Dublín, is translating the Targum o/ Job
and Dr John Healey, who teaches Syriac at the School of Oriental
Studies, Durham, England, is translating the Targum o/ Proverbs.
Dr Derek R. G. Beattie of the Queen's University of Belfast,
Northern Ireland, has translated the Targum o/ Ruth. Dr Beattie
has been interested in this targum for sorne time and has done
his doctoral dissertation at St Andrews, Scotland (1972) on the
theme: "Jewish Exegesis of the Book of Ruth". The first part of
the dissertation studies the manner in which the book of Ruth
was understood in midrashic literature: the Targum of Ruth, Ruth
Rabba, Ruth Zuta, the Talmulds. His dissertation has been publish-
ed under the above title in The Journal for the Study o/ the Old
Testament. Supplement Series 2 {1977).
Dr Philip S. Alexander, Department of Near Eastern Studies,
the University of Manchester, England, is translating the Targums
o/ Canticles and of Lamentations. These targums have in common
that they are extant in both a long and a short recension. Dr. Alex-
ander has done his doctoral dissertation {Oxford) on the theme:
"The Toponomy of the Targumim with Special Reference to the
Table of the Nations and the Boundaries of the Holy Land". It is
to be published in revised form by the Clarendon Press, Oxford,
under the title: Early Jewish Geographical Lore. Dr Alexander is
 456 M. MCNAMARA

busy in the field of Jewish studies in a variety of ways, and conti-

. nues to contribute to targumíc studies through book reviews and
Iearned essays.
The Targum of Ecclesiastes (Koheleth) is beíng translated by
Rabbi Peter S. Knobel, Beth Emet, The Free Synagogue, Evan-
ston, Illinois, U.S.A. He has done his doctoral dissertation on
his targum (Yale University, 1976): "Targum Qoheleth: A Lin-
guistic and Exegetical Inquiry". The dissertation contains a cri-
tica! editíon of the targum, together with an analysis of the linguis-
tic and exegetical materials whích bear on the date and place of
origin of the composition.
Together with his interest in Targum Onkelos and his publi-
cations in this field, Professor Bernard Grossfeld has also been
active in the area of the Targums of Esther. He has only recently
published the Aramaíc text of the First Targum of Esther, together
with an English translation and a commentary: The First Targum
of Esther according to the MS Paris Hebreui 110 of the Bibliotheque
Nationale {New York, Sepher-Hermon Press 1983). As well as. this
he has also published another work, Concordance to the First Tar-
gum to the Book of Esther {Chico, CA., Scholars Press 1984), a
concordance based on the París MS 110. He is translating the Tar-
gums of Esther far this series.
Professor J. Stanley Mcivor, The Union Theological College,
Department of Old Testament, Belfast, is translating the Targums
of Chronicles. This is a work in which he has, been ínterested for
a number of years.

VI. TRASLATION AND CRITICAL EDITIONS

The aim of the project of which we are speaking is to present

an English translation, not an edition of the Aramaíc text. The
translator's attention is drawn to the fact that he or she is to attend
to the Aramaic text to be rendered into English, to ascertain whether
it has been critically edited, what the liklihood is of arriving at the
original form of the Aramaíc rendering from the extant manu-
scripts, and such like.
It could be argued that the time is not yet ripe far an English
translation by reason of the unsatisfactory state of the critica! work
done on the Aramaic text of the Targums. While there is a certain
substance in such an observation, partículary with regard to the
targums of the Ketubhim, the problem should not be exaggerated.
I believe that sufficient work has already been done on the texts
to permit such a translation project to go ahead, and that in cases
where the available editions are not quite in accord with the canons
 ON ENGLISH ING TH E TARGUM S 457

of textual criticism, the translation project itself will only help to-
wards the production of the crítical editions we would all like to
see published.
A review of the situation concerning the text of the targums
seems in order at this point. With regard to Onkelos, the fact that
ít enjoyed official status within Judaism argues towards a faithful
transmission of íts consonantal text, both wíthin Eastern and Wes-
tern Judaism. The quest for Babylonian manuscripts has more to
do with the vocalisation tradition than with the fidelity of the
consonantal text. The translator has the editions of Alexander
Sperber and A. Berliner to go on. And in any event since in our
case the translator is himself so much in touch with Onkelos studies,
we have no need to worry in this regard.
The basic critica! work has already been done with regard to
the various Palestinian Targums of the Pentateuch. We have the
editio prínceps of all five books of the Pentateuch of Codex Neo-
fiti 1 from Professor Alejandro Díez Macho himself. Michael Klein
has given us a critica! edition of the texts of the Fragment Targums,
and under the direction of Professor Alejandro Díez Macho we
already have the critica! edition of all the Palestinian Targum texts
for the books of Exodus to Deuteronomy in the Biblia Polyglotta
Matritensia (Series IV, L 2-5, Madrid, C.S.I.C. 1980, 198'0, 1977, 1980).
With regard to the Targum of the Prophets the situation is si-
milar to that of Onkelos: its official status has made for an esta-
blished text and a rather faithful transmission - at least as regards
the consonantal text. The different punctuatíon between Babylo-
nian and Western traditions does not affect this consonantal text.
Once again, the translators have the editions of Alexander Sperber,
wíth its apparatuses, to go on, and together with this the edition
of Paul De Lagarde should they so desire. They are sufficiently
au fait with the questions involved to handle any problem that may
arise.
With regards to the Targums of the Ketubhim the situation is
quite different, as all will agree. But even here chaos does not alto-
gether reign. The text of Targum Job has been critically edited by
Francisco Javier Fernández Vallina as a doctoral dissertation under
the direction of Alejandro Díez Macho at the Universidad Complu-
tense of Madrid (1981), and is available from Editorial of the
same university. The translator of Targum Koheleth, Dr Knobel,
produced a critica! edition of the Targum as his doctor-al disserta-
tion (Yale 197,6) and Professor Grossfeld has published an edition
of Targum I of Esther, and also a concordance of the targum from
the basic text he edited. The shorter texts of Targums Canticles
and Lamentations have been edited {by Raphael H. Melamed and
A. van der Heide respectively). Sufficient editions of Targum Ruth
458 M. MCNAMARA

have been made to permit the perceptive translator to get a fair

idea of the textual situation. All known manuscripts of Targum
Chronicles have been published. From these the translator can
arrive at his own conclusions conoerning the original reading, if
such can be reconstructed. The translator of Targum Psalms is
fully aware of the problem, and for thís reason is working very
much with the manuscripts in the course of his translation. There
remains the Targum of Proverbs, on which very little work has
been done. But it appears that Paul De Lagarde's text in Hagiogra-
pha chaldaice (Leipzig 1872, reprint 1967) is sufficient to go on.
Thus, while any translation of the Targums of the Ketubhim
must by reason of the lack of really critica! editions remain provi-
sional, it is to be hoped that the work done on these wrítíngs in
the present translation project will contribute to a deeper under-
standing of these Targums and of the problems involved in recon-
structing their original form, their -transmission and the present
textual state.

VII. FORMAT, GUIDELINES AND DEADLINES

After much consultation the publisher decided on a large for-

mat for the volumes of this particular series, the text space per
page being 14 by 22 cm. While it is recognised, that because of the
nature of the case one targum will differ from another, the norm
is that for each targum there will be an apparatus and notes, both
at the bottom of the pages - the apparatus on the left, the notes
on the rigth hand (uneven number) pages. The apparatus is intend-
ed to contain indications on the relationship between the English
translation and the Aramaic original, variant MSS readings, emen-
dations and such like. The notes to the text are expected to pay
attention to a variety on matters. The introductions are expected
to contain all the information believed necessary and useful for the
understanding of the particular targum or group of targums, e.g.
the use made of a particular biblical book in Jewish liturgy, early
citations of the particular targum, number and nature of known
manuscripts of the particular targum, nature of the Aramaic of
the targum (whether "official", Palestinian or "mixed"), nature of
the Aramaic paraphrase and its relation to the Hebrew text, rela-
tion of the targumic paraphrase to Jewish exegesis as lmown from
other sources, theological concepts and teaching of the targum(s)
in question, probable date and place of composition of the targum
in question, editions of the Aramaic text of the targum, indications
of earlier translations, when avaílable, particularly those in English,
 ON EN GLIS H IN G TH E TAR G U M S 459

principles governing the author's English translatíon, a bibliography

of writings (partícularly in English) on the individual targum.
Deadlines were agreed on between the publisher and the indi-
vidual contributors, the latest agreed date is April 1986; the majo-
rity are for late 1984 or 19r85. Viewing the situation as matters now
stand, it looks as if all translations of the Targums of the Prophets
will be edited and with the publisher by the end of 1985, and may
very well be published before the end of that year. It looks likely
that all targums of the Pentateuch should be edited by the end of
1986 and the the entire project may well be completed and in print
by the end of 1987.
The number of volumes will be in the region of 16 or 17, dís-
tributed as follows: Vol. 1-5: Palestinian Targums of the Pentat-
euch; .6-7: Targum of Onkelos; 8-12: Targums of the Prophets
(Former Prophets; Isaiah: Jeremiah; Ezekiel; Minor Prophets);
4 or 5 volumes for the Targums of the Hagiographa, with 1 volume
for Targum Psalms, 1 vol. for the Targums of Esther and 2 or 3
for the others, to be arranged in accord with the extent of the trans-
lation, notes etc. far the individual Targums.

VIII. TRANSLATION: TECHNIQUES AND PROBLEMS

The title of the present essay has been ínspíred by that of the
book which Ronald Knox wrote after he had completed his tran-
slation of the Bíble, the Vulgate Clementine Bible, into English: On
Englishing the Bible (London, 1949). The first chapter of this work
is headed: "Thoughts on Bible Translation". Bible translation has
for sorne time now become a highly developed art, one on which
much has been written - at least in English. Under the auspices of
the United Bible Societies eight volumes on "Helps for translators"
have been published by E. J. Brill, Leiden. The first (1960) is on
Old Testament Translation Problems, the last on The Theory and
Practice of Translation (1969).
The principles governing translation of targums into the ver-
nacular must differ from those employed rendering the Bible, in
that in the case of the targums we are rendering translatíons, not
original compositions. Ideally, the translator of a targum should
get within the mind of the original Aramaic translator of the He-
brew Bcriptures, ascertain what his or their understanding of the
canonical text was and seek to reproduce this as faithfully as pos-
sible in an acceptable form of the modern translator's vernacular.
The translator will need to have a command of Aramaic and He-
brew, sufficient to permit one to determine what is good Aramaic
usage and what mere "translation" Aramaíc, a calque on the Hebrew.
460 M. MCNAMARA

What is no more than clumsy Aramaic should in sorne way (be it,
in text or in annotation) be conveyed in the modern vernacular
translation, just as it should in a rendering of Aquila's Greek
version.
In recent years the art of translating the targums has been
gradually refined, although much more study will be necessary be-
fare we can speak of a really acceptable "'I1heory and Practice of
Translating the Targums". It would be good if those actually in-
volved in such translations wrote more on the problems involved.
Through a study of these pro blems we rnay reach a better under-
standing of the minds of the targumists. All that can be done in
this present essay is to note a few of the problerns encountered in
targurn translation.
One concerns the rnanner in which the divine narne is to be
rendered. Often in targurn manuscrípts this is represented by a
nurnber of Yods- be it two or three or four. Sorne prefer to ren-
der it by "Yahweh"; thus for instance Professor Alejandro Diez
Macho and Roger Le Déaut in the editio princeps of Neofiti. In
Targum Chronicles R. Le Déaut and J. Robert reproduce it as
YHWH (without vowels) as does Etan Levine in his translation of
Targurn Larnentations. Since Jews would not pronounce, and in
fact did not write it, the altérnate practice of rendering as "the
Lord" seerns preferable.
The tendency now is to lea ve such technical terrns as M emra,
Shekinta (Shekinah), Dibbura, Dibbera untranslated, with an ex·
planation in a footnote or glossary. To this list Michael Klein has
added 'Iqar {Yeqara), norrnally rendered "Glory".
It would be good to retain in the translation the concept and
terrn "debt" in the rneaning of "sin", since this is very frequent
in the targums; see also the Pater Noster: "Forgive us our debts ... ".
However, it rnakes for arnbiguities or rnisunderstandings, since
current English has quite a different meaning for "debts". For
this reason, it seerns better translate the Aramaíc as "sin" or sorne
such term and indicate the literal meaning of the Aramaíc terrn
in a note or glossary.
Sorne recent essays have treated of the meaning and proper
rendering of the Aramaic and targurnic terrns qdm and mn qdm,
(literally "befare" and "from befare"), very comrnonly used in the
targurns. Actions are done "befare God", the kíng, etc., yet the in-
tention is not the avoídance of anthropornorphisrn. An awareness
of Ararnaic usage permits ut to render mn qdm other than as as
"from befo re". It is often best rendered símply as "befo re", or
even as "from". However, ít is also found to render the Hebrew
mpny (literally: "from before"), in the sense of "because of", e.g.
Gen 27:46; 3,6:7; Isa ln:22 and in the phrase "because" (mpny) of
 ON ENGLISH IN G TH E TAR GUM S 461

their evil doings", in J·er 7: 12, 9:6 etc. Neither Aramaic lexica or
grammars register any such meaning as "because of" for mn qdm,
which consequently seems to be no more than a calque on the
Hebrew. If we translate as "because" a note should indicate the
problem involved.
Examples of this kind could be multiplied. I believe they should
be studied systematically, as should many other translation pecu-
liarities in the targums. They provide the evidence that will lead
us beyond our problems to an awareness of the Targumists' own
theory and practice of translation. After all, the provision of criti-
ca! Aramaíc text of the targums and of carefully prepared trans-
lations is in one sense only the begínning of a journey into the
minds and thought patterns of those who long ago undertook the
task of attempting to transfer the message of the divine oracles of
Scripture ínto the vernaculars of theír own day.

MARTIN McNAMARA MSC