The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Should I get a copy of Young's Literal Translation?

Studies Books
#1

Yeah, I know I should get a .pdf but I like having physical Bibles… I already have an ESV and NRSV; a bit more and I’m gonna start collecting them. :laughing: But, anyway, after some thinking I began to wonder if I’d want to actually read my common Bible in YLT.

Either this one or this one. Seems like no hardcover versions of the red one? :neutral_face:

Also, I’m more concerned with the Old Testament right now than the New. For the New, I think I’d get ALT or something, because YLT is just outdated at this point.

So if any of you own a YLT copy or read YLT in general:

  • how accurate would you say it is? From what I understand, it was written in like in 1900’s. Did it get revised ever since? I’ve read in some reviews that some words are not properly translated, but I am not sure of the significance. Overall, though, it seemed to be a trustworthy translation most of the time and in line with, say, ESV, and looking at Hebrew/Greek it seems rather close, too.
  • does it translate the Old Testament from the Septuagint or the Masoretic Texts? I am still not sure about that one. Protestants believe the Masoretic texts are better than the Septugiant iirc, but the Orthodox/Catholics think otherwise. Does it have all those “Apocryphal” books, or is it a purely Protestant Bible? I guess I always have my dad’s Russian Orthodox Bible…
  • does it have any inherent bias? Did anyone ever speak out against this translation? Who was Robert Young? (my fundamentalist ETC friend seems to think YLT is good)
  • does it have headings? I hate headings. I hate headings.
  • does it have cross references? (i.e., this verse is quoting from here as well as this verse is repeated in a different Gospel stuff).
  • more of a vanity question: if you own a copy, how well are the paperback or hardcover books done? All the ESV Bibles I’ve seen are done in a manner that they fold way too much. How pretty are they? Do you have the white or red (or if there are other colors)? How is the font/text positioning?

EDIT

#2

I recommend taking a look at What Bible Translation do you use? sorry would give better answer but my lunch break should’ve finished 5 minutes ago…

#3

Hi Bird

I have a YLT (the original, not the modern one) and as far as I can tell it pretty much does what it says on the tin. Young *always *translates aion and aionios as age or age-during, so straightaway he’s a great guy in my book!

It isn’t the easiest book to read, as the language is a bit archaic, and it doesn’t really ‘flow’ as well as some modern translations.

I’m at work at the moment, so I can’t have a look, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have headings or cross-references. It’s just the plain, no frills text.

Hope this is of some help at least!

Shalom

Johnny

#4

There are sometimes issues with translating something completely literally, especially when you come to hyperbole or too many or not enough words getting in the way of clarity. But every style has its strengths and weaknesses, as long as you keep that in mind.