A letter from Jerome (390-404)

Translated letter:

The book of Esther is said by various transmitters to be corrupt, which taking it from the archives of the Hebrews, I copied very slowly word for word. The Vulgate edition gives the book with complicated folds of words, adding things which could be said and heard at the time, as is customary in scholarly disciplines having taken up a theme to contrive with what words it could whether one had suffered injury or inflicted it. You, however, o Paula and Eustochium, since you have been zealous to enter into Hebrew libraries and acknowledge the struggles of interpreters, when you hold the Hebrew book of Esther look at our translation of separate words so that you can recognize that I have increased nothing by adding but transmitted the Hebrew history to the Latin language with faithful testimony simply as it is in Hebrew. We do not pursue the praises of men nor do we fear their censure. For when our care is to please God, we do not deeply fear the threats of men, since God scatters the bones of those who want to please men [Ps.52:6] and according to the apostle those who are that sort can not be servants of Christ [Gal.1:10].

Original letter:

Librum Esther variis translatoribus constat esse vitiatum, quem ego de archivis Hebraeorum relevans, verbum e verbo pressius transtuli. Quem librum editio Vulgata laciniosis hinc inde verborum sinibus trahit: addens ea quae ex tempore dici poterant, et audiri, sicut solitum est scholaribus disciplinis sumpto themate, excogitare, quibus verbis uti potuit qui injuriam passus est, vel ille qui injuriam fecit. Vos autem, o Paula et Eustochium, quoniam et bibliothecas Heb. studuistis intrare, et interpretum certamina comprobastis, tenentes Esther Hebraicum librum, per singula verba nostram translationem aspicite, ut possitis agnoscere, me nihil etiam augmentasse addendo, sed fideli testimonio simpliciter sicut in Hebraeo habetur, historiam Hebraicam Latinae Linguae tradidisse. Nec affectamus laudes hominum, nec vituperationes expavescimus. Deo enim placere curantes, minas hominum penitus non timemus: quia Deus dissipat ossa eorum qui hominibus placere desiderant (Psalm. LII, 6), et secundum Apostolum, qui ejusmodi sunt, servi Christi esse non possunt (Gal. I, 10).

Historical context:

Jerome sends/dedicates his translation of Esther to Paula and Eustochium, and asks them to check his translation against the Hebrew text. Though Jerome says in his prologue to the translation of Joshua, which he did after the death of Paula, that he is now going to work on Judges, Ruth, and Esther, J.N.D.Kelly argues that he began Esther before her death, partly on the basis of this letter, Jerome, His Life, Writings, and Controversies, (New York: Harper and Row, 1975), 284.

Printed source:

Praefatio Hieronymi in Librum Esther, PL 28 c.1433-1436.

Date:

390-404