The End of Moffatt

For the past month I have been starting my day reading Proverbs from the translation by James Moffatt.  I have had it on my shelf for years and thought it was time to crack the cover.  I probably got it in a yard sale and after reading the Introduction and Proverbs, it will probably go back to the yard sale.

The first reason I won’t bother with it again is that it seems more of a paraphrase than a translation.  I am not a child or a new believer.  Years ago I found the original Living Bible very useful for those special situations.  I don’t usually find them helpful now.  I don’t remember any rampant heresy, but it always seemed a little bit off to me.

The second reason is that reading the Introduction allowed me to get into the head of the translator.  He was a scholar and an academic.  In his own way he tried to be humble but there is something about education which often confuses the thinking.  I would consider him unassumingly arrogant.  As I looked through the book, I found that he had rearranged the chapters in some books.  There may be some scholarly reason for that.  Fine.  Share your wisdom at the next meeting of University Professors.  But don’t try to confuse us ordinary folks with issues that do nothing to strengthen our faith.

It was worth a read through but I would not recommend you spend the time looking for a copy.