Studium Biblicum Version
Encyclopedia
The Studium Biblicum Version (sīgāoběn 思高本) is the predominant Chinese language
translation of the Bible used by Chinese Catholics. It is considered by many to be the Chinese Catholic Bible.
The Studium Biblicum Version was translated by the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum
Hong Kong (a bible society
not affiliated with the United Bible Societies
), also known as the Studium Biblicum O.F.M. Translation originally started in 1935 as a personal effort by a Franciscan Friar, the Venerable Gabriele Allegra
, but translation work was halted due to World War II
, and part of the finished translations were lost due to the war. The bible society was formed in 1945 when more translators joined the translation work, and the whole bible was completed in 1968. The translation was mostly based on the original Hebrew
, Aramaic
, and Greek
manuscripts, but occasionally on an unidentified existing translation for “difficult passages”. Postulations by modern scholars were deliberately avoided, but the Greek manuscript edited by the Protestant scholars Aland, Black, Metzger, and Wikgren was used as a reference as an ecumenical
gesture.
The Studium Biblicum Version is considered by many, including some Protestants, to be very faithful to the original manuscripts.
Like many Catholic bibles, this translation includes numerous footnotes. The bible also includes several appendices.
The language of the Studium Biblicum Version is standard modern written Chinese
, though some of the wordings may appear unnatural in Mandarin but still used in Cantonese
(and might be considered unnatural by some precisely because some people do not expect such forms to be written). Standard transliterations are mostly used where they exist; in other cases, a transliteration based on Mandarin is used.
The Studium Biblicum Version uses standard Chinese punctuation, with the exception that the proper name mark
and book title mark are both typeset on the right side instead of the currently-standard left. Among the old-style typography used are the use of sans serif type
for emphasis
(mostly chapter and section headings), and typesetting most punctuation marks as if they were ruby
.
Verse numbers are typeset on the right-hand side of the first word of each verse as ruby.
Notes are typeset as footnote
s; however, because it is typeset vertically, the footnotes appear on the far left side of the spread, instead of the bottom of the page.
Typesetting the proper name and book title marks on the right causes clashes with verse numbers and most punctuation marks. When clashes occur, the proper name or book title mark that causes the clash are omitted for the character with the clash; this typographic treatment causes parts of some proper names or book titles to be unmarked.
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
translation of the Bible used by Chinese Catholics. It is considered by many to be the Chinese Catholic Bible.
The Studium Biblicum Version was translated by the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum
Studium Biblicum Franciscanum
Studium Biblicum Franciscanum is a Franciscan academic society based in Jerusalem and Hong Kong.They publish the theological journal Liber annuus ISSN 0081-8933 in Latin...
Hong Kong (a bible society
Bible society
A Bible society is a non-profit organization devoted to translating, publishing, distributing the Bible at affordable costs and advocating its credibility and trustworthiness in contemporary cultural life...
not affiliated with the United Bible Societies
United Bible Societies
The United Bible Societies is a worldwide association of Bible societies. In 1946 delegates from 13 countries formed the UBS, as an effort to coordinate the activities of the bible societies. The first headquarters were London and in Geneva...
), also known as the Studium Biblicum O.F.M. Translation originally started in 1935 as a personal effort by a Franciscan Friar, the Venerable Gabriele Allegra
Gabriele Allegra
Gabriele Allegra was a Franciscan Friar and scripture scholar. He is best known for performing the first complete translation of the Catholic Bible into the Chinese language. His Studium Biblicum Translation is often considered the definitive Chinese Bible among Catholics...
, but translation work was halted due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and part of the finished translations were lost due to the war. The bible society was formed in 1945 when more translators joined the translation work, and the whole bible was completed in 1968. The translation was mostly based on the original Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, Aramaic
Aramaic language
Aramaic is a group of languages belonging to the Afroasiatic language phylum. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic family, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic subfamily,...
, and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
manuscripts, but occasionally on an unidentified existing translation for “difficult passages”. Postulations by modern scholars were deliberately avoided, but the Greek manuscript edited by the Protestant scholars Aland, Black, Metzger, and Wikgren was used as a reference as an ecumenical
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
gesture.
The Studium Biblicum Version is considered by many, including some Protestants, to be very faithful to the original manuscripts.
Like many Catholic bibles, this translation includes numerous footnotes. The bible also includes several appendices.
The language of the Studium Biblicum Version is standard modern written Chinese
Vernacular Chinese
Written Vernacular Chinese refers to forms of written Chinese based on the vernacular language, in contrast to Classical Chinese, the written standard used from the Spring and Autumn Period to the early twentieth century...
, though some of the wordings may appear unnatural in Mandarin but still used in Cantonese
Standard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
(and might be considered unnatural by some precisely because some people do not expect such forms to be written). Standard transliterations are mostly used where they exist; in other cases, a transliteration based on Mandarin is used.
Typography of the Studium Biblicum Version
Text in the Studium Biblicum Version is typeset vertically from right to left. The typography is generally modern, with a small number of archaisms.The Studium Biblicum Version uses standard Chinese punctuation, with the exception that the proper name mark
Proper name mark
In Chinese writing, a proper name mark is an underline used to mark proper names, such as the names of people, places, dynasties, organizations...
and book title mark are both typeset on the right side instead of the currently-standard left. Among the old-style typography used are the use of sans serif type
Japanese gothic typeface
Sans-serif typefaces are a type style characterised by strokes of even thickness, reduced curves, and lack of decorations, akin to sans serif styles in Western typography...
for emphasis
Emphasis (typography)
In typography, emphasis is the exaggeration of words in a text with a font in a different style from the rest of the text—to emphasize them.- Methods and use :...
(mostly chapter and section headings), and typesetting most punctuation marks as if they were ruby
Ruby character
are small, annotative glosses that can be placed above or to the right of a Chinese character when writing languages with logographic characters such as Chinese or Japanese to show the pronunciation...
.
Verse numbers are typeset on the right-hand side of the first word of each verse as ruby.
Notes are typeset as footnote
Footnote
A note is a string of text placed at the bottom of a page in a book or document or at the end of a text. The note can provide an author's comments on the main text or citations of a reference work in support of the text, or both...
s; however, because it is typeset vertically, the footnotes appear on the far left side of the spread, instead of the bottom of the page.
Typesetting the proper name and book title marks on the right causes clashes with verse numbers and most punctuation marks. When clashes occur, the proper name or book title mark that causes the clash are omitted for the character with the clash; this typographic treatment causes parts of some proper names or book titles to be unmarked.
Online versions
As the Studium Biblicum version is not in the public domain, permission to create online versions of this translation is granted on a case-by-case basis. Online versions include those hosted on the web sites of the Chinese Regional Bishop’s Conference and the Wah Yan BibleNet.See also
- The VenerableVenerableThe Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...
Gabriele AllegraGabriele AllegraGabriele Allegra was a Franciscan Friar and scripture scholar. He is best known for performing the first complete translation of the Catholic Bible into the Chinese language. His Studium Biblicum Translation is often considered the definitive Chinese Bible among Catholics... - Chinese Bible TranslationsChinese Bible TranslationsChinese Bible translations mean all works on translating whole or parts of the Bible into the many dialects of Chinese language. The creation of Chinese Bible Translations began in the nineteenth century, but availability only became widespread in the early twentieth century.-Catholic translation...
- Chinese Union VersionChinese Union VersionThe Chinese Union Version is the predominant Chinese language translation of the Bible used by Chinese Protestants. It is considered by many to be the Chinese Protestant’s Bible....
- Pastoral BiblePastoral Bible (Chinese)The Chinese Pastoral Bible is the Chinese edition of the Christian Community Bible. Work on the translation began in 1991, took 5 years to finish, and the completed translation was published in 1999...
- Today's Chinese VersionToday's Chinese VersionThe Today's Chinese Version is a recent translation of the Bible into modern Chinese. The New Testament was first published in 1975 and the entire bible was published in 1979. It is produced to the Bible Society and uses simple, easy to read Chinese.TCV is published in two different versions to...