List of Chinese Bible translations
This is list of the Bible translations to Chinese language.
Bible translations into Chinese began with unpublished manuscripts by individual Roman Catholic priests in the sixteenth century and individual Protestant missionaries in the early nineteenth century. The first complete translation to be published was that of Joshua Marshman in 1813, followed by that of Robert Morrison in 1823. A group of Protestant missionaries in Hong Kong in 1843 started a collaborative translation. The New Testament of their so-called "Delegates Version" was published in 1850 and the Old Testament in 1853. A translation of the Old Testament by Karl Gutzlaff, first published in 1840, was widely distributed and was used by the leaders of the Taiping Rebellion as the basis of their theological study.
The second half of the century saw the publication of Chinese Bibles in regional languages using romanization rather than Chinese characters, the first works printed in the regional language. The Classical Chinese of the Delegates Version could not be understood when read aloud, and towards the end of the century the national missionary body started a revision which used vernacular Chinese. The resulting Union Version, published in 1919, became the standard translation for Protestants and was adapted and published in different forms, including Braille. A Chinese New Version was published in 1992 and a Revised Chinese Union Version in the early twenty-first century.
The Studium Biblicum Version, now the standard Chinese Bible for Catholics, was started in the 1930s and published in 1968. Starting in the 1850s, there have been three Russian Orthodox translations.
Classical Chinese
- New Testament by Archimandrite Guri (Karpov) (新遺詔聖經), 1864
- New Testament by Bishop Innokenty (Figourovsky), 1910
- New Testament and Paraphrase of Psalms (John C. H. Wu and preface written by Pope Pius XII), 1946
Mandarin Chinese
Northern Mandarin
- New Testament of Robert Morrison (missionary) (馬禮遜; simplified Chinese: 马礼逊; pinyin: Mǎ Lǐxùn) 1813
- Old Testament (Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky), 1875 Internet Archive
- New Testament (Peking Committee), 1870
- New Testament of Griffith John (杨格非译本), 1887
- Romanized Vernacular Version New Testament, 1889
- Portions of New Testament for the Blind
- Chinese Union Version (和合本 Héhéběn), 1919 United Bible Societies (HK), Amity Printing Company (PRC)
- Studium Biblicum Version, Scotus Chinese Version (思高本 Sīgāoběn), 1968 Amity Printing Company (PRC)
- Today's Chinese Version (現代中文譯本 Xiandai zhongwen yiben), 1975, 1979 United Bible Societies (HK), Amity Printing Company (PRC)
- New Chinese Version (新译本 Xinyiben), Worldwide Bible Society (环球圣经会) 1992
- Chinese Living Bible (当代圣经 Dangdai Shengjing) New Testament translation of the International Bible Society 1998
- Pastoral Bible (Chinese) (牧灵圣经 Muling Shengjing) 1999 Amity Printing Company (PRC)
- Chinese New Living Translation (新普及译本 Xin puji yiben) Chinese Bible International (汉语圣经协会 Hanyu Shengjing Xiehui) 2006
- New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 2001. Read Online
- Chinese Standard Bible (CSB 中文标准译本 Zhongwen biaozhun yiben), New Testament, Global Bible Initiative and Holman Bible Publishers 2011
- Chinese NET Bible (NET圣经 中译本), 2011-2012
Southern Mandarin
- New Testament, 1856
Wu Chinese
Hankou dialect
- Book of Mark, 1921 using the Wangchao phonetic system.[1]
Suzhou dialect
- New Testament, 1881
Shanghai dialect
Character Colloquial Versions
- Isaiah-Daniel, 1886
- New Testament, 1870
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- New Testament, 1870
Ningbo dialect
- Ngô-he kyiu-cü yia-su kyi-toh-keh sing-iah shü: Te-tsiu tuwa; di-nyi-tʻao ing. London?. 1897. p. 559.
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Isaiah, 1870
- New Testament, 1850-1868 (Hudson Taylor, Frederick Foster Gough, Wang Laijun, others)
Hangzhou dialect
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- New Testament (parts of it), 1877 by the English Bible Society.
- Gospel of John, 1879 by the Anglican Missionary G.E. Moule
- Gospel of Matthew, 1880 by the English Bible Society.
Jinhua dialect
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Gospel of John, 1866
Wenzhou dialect
- Matthew-Acts, 1890
- "THE FOUR GOSPELS AND ACTS, IN WENCHOW." was published in 1894 under the title of "Chaò-chî Yi-sû Chī-tuh Sang Iah Sing Shī: Sz̀ fuh-iang tà sź-du ae-djüe fa üe-tsiu t'û", with the entire book in Wenzhou dialect.[2]
- Chaò-chî Yi-sû Chī-tuh Sang Iah Sing Shī: Sz̀ fuh-iang tà sź-du ae-djüe fa üe-tsiu t'û. Dà-ìang sing-shï whaỳi yiáng-ge. 1894. p. 564.
Taizhou (Zhejiang) dialect
- New Testament
Northern Min
Jian'ou dialect
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Gospel of Mark, 1898 by the English Bible Society.
- Gospel of Matthew, 1900 by the Methodist Episcopal Mission Press. Translated by Hugh S. and Minnie Phillips.[3]
Jianyang dialect
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Gospel of Mark, 1898 by the English Bible Society.
- Gospel of Matthew, 1900 by the Methodist Episcopal Mission Press. Translated by Hugh S. and Minnie Phillips of the American Bible Society.
Eastern Min
Fuzhou dialect
Character Colloquial Versions
- Old Testament, 1875–1884
- New Testament, 1856
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Gospel of John, 1886
- Gospel of John, 1889
- New Testament, after 1890
Southern Min
Amoy dialect
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Old Testament, 1852–1884
- New Testament, about 1853-1873
- Gospel of Matthew, for Blind, 1888
Shantou dialect
Character Colloquial Versions
- Genesis, 1879
- Ruth, 1875
- Matthew-1 Corinthians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians-Titus, Hebrews, 1 2 3 John, 1880–1884
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Genesis, 1888
- Jonah, 1888
- Gospel of Matthew, 1889
- Gospel of Mark, 1890
- Gospel of Luke, 1876
- Acts, 1889
- James, 1888
- British and Foreign Bible Society (1892). 'Kiʻu-tsʻu iâ-sou ki-tok kâi sin-ieh tshuân-tsu chien-kʻng Mʻa-thʻai k̈ʻau Sʻai-thû.'. SU-KAT-LÂN: TÃI ENG-KOK LÃI GŪA SIÀ-TSṲ-HŨE Ì N.: PRINTED FOR THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY BY BLACKIE & SON, LIMITED, GLASGOW.(MATHEW TO ACTS: SWATOW DIALECT)
Teochew dialect
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Kū-ieh sʻan-bʻu-zʻ̤u ê-kʻng tshûan-tsṳ ʻek-tsʻo tiê-chiu pʻeh-ūe. Swatow: printed for the British and foreign Bible society at the English presbyt. mission press. 1898.
11 Samuel. (Tie-chiu dialect.)
- New Testament, 1915 by English Presbyterian Missionary societies.
Hainan Junjiahua
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Gospel of Matthew, 1891
- Gospel of John, 1893
Xinghua (Puxian) Min
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Gospel of John, 1892 by the American Bible Society.
- Gospel of Mark, 1893
- Gospel of Matthew, 1894
- Acts, 1894
- Gospel of Luke, 1895
Gan Chinese
Shaowu dialect
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Book of James, 1891 by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
Jianning dialect
- Gospel of Matthew, 1896 by the American Bible Society.
- Gospel of John, 1897 by the Bible Society of Great Britain in London.
Hakka
Character Colloquial Versions
- Genesis and Exodus, 1886
- Psalms, 1890
- New Testament, 1883
- Old Testament and New Testament, 1930
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Das Evangelium des Matthaeus im Volksdialekte der Hakka-Chinesen, 1860 by Rudolf Lechler
- New Testament, 1860–1883
- New Testament (Bible Society in Taiwan), 1993 (with the Psalms); Proverbs 1995
Dingzhou dialect
- Gospel of Matthew (Romanised), 1919
Wujingfu Hakka dialect (五经富)
- New Testament, 1916
Swatow Hakka Dialect
- New Testament, 1924
Taiwan Siyen Hakka dialect
Yue Chinese (Cantonese)
Guangzhou dialect (Cantonese)
Translations into Cantonese include:
Character Colloquial Versions
- Cantonese Bible (New Cantonese Version). Hong Kong Bible Society. 2006. ISBN 9789622938854.
- The New Testament in English and Canton colloquial. Published by the American Bible Society. 1917.
- Genesis-Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Psalms, 1873–1888
- New Testament, 1872–1883
Romanized Vernacular Versions
- Gosepel of Luke, 1867
- Gospel of Mark, after 1890
Lianzhou dialect
- Gospel of Matthew, 1904 by the American Bible Society. Translated by the Missionary Eleanor Chesnut.
- Gospel of Mark, 1905
- Gospel of Luke, 1905
- Gospel of John, 1905
Yangcheng dialect
- Gospel of Matthew, 1862 by the American Presbyterian Church. Translated by Charles F. Preston.
- Gospel of John, 1862
- Gospel of Luke, 1867 by the English Bible Society. Translated by Wilhelm Lauis.
Notable Translations
- Robert Morrison. 耶酥基利士督我主救者新遺詔書 : 俱依本言譯出 (Ye Su Ji Li Shi Du Wo Zhu Jiu Zhe Xin Yi Zhao Shu : Ju Yi Ben Yan Yi Chu). Canton, 1813. New Testament. Google Book
- 遺詔全書, 1822
- 神天聖書, 1823–1824
- Lassar-Marshman Version (遺詔全書, 1822)
- Morrison-Milne Version (神天聖書, 1823-1824)
- Delegates Version (委辦譯本 or 代表譯本, 1854)
- Archimandrite Gury's New Testament (新遺詔聖經, 1864) and Psalms (聖詠經, 1879)
- Chinese Union Version (和合本), 1904–1919
- Chinese Union Version (和合本, 1919 and 文理和合, 1934)
- Studium Biblicum Version (思高譯本), 1935–1968
- New Testament and paraphrase of Psalms by John C. Wu (新經全集 and 聖詠譯義), 1946
- Studium Biblicum Version (思高譯本, 1968)
- Lü Zhenzhong's version of the Bible (呂振中譯本, 1970)
- Chinese Living Bible (當代聖經, 1974)
- Today's Chinese Version (現代中文譯本), Dangdai shenjing 1979
- New Chinese Version (聖經新譯本), 1993
- Pastoral Bible (Chinese) (牧靈聖經), 1991–1999
- New World Translation (聖經新世界譯本 漢語版), 2001
- Recovery Version (聖經恢復本), 2003
- Chinese Contemporary Bible (当代译本, 2010)
- Chinese Standard Bible (中文標準譯本, 2011)
- Chinese NET Bible NET聖經(中譯本), 2011-2012
- The New Testament in English and Mandarin. Tokyo: Fukuin. 1904. p. 664.
- American Bible Society (1885). The New Testament in English and Mandarin. Shanghai: American Presbyterian Mission Press. p. 666.
Notes
- ↑ An Encyclopaedia of Translation, David E. Pollard, p.67
- ↑ Chaò-chî Yi-sû Chī-tuh Sang Iah Sing Shī: Sz̀ fuh-iang tà sź-du ae-djüe fa üe-tsiu t'û. Dà-ìang sing-shï whaỳi yiáng-ge. 1894. p. 564.
- ↑ 《圣经》方言译本书目考录
References
- John R. Hykes. List of Translations of the Scriptures into the Chinese Language. (Yokohama, Japan: Fukuin Printing, 1915). Google Book (free download).
- Chen, Yiyi (2005). A Brief Survey of the History of Chinese Translations of the Hebrew Bible (PDF).