La traduction des livres sacrés entre l’identité linguistique et la langue liturgique

Abstract EN

The three heavenly revealed religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) have their authoritative books; namely, the divine scriptures, such as the Old Testament of the Jews and the New Testament of the Christians as well as the Glorious Quran of the Muslims.

Each of these books has its original language in which it was revealed with a specific linguistic model and societal identity.

It is almost impossible to think of Judaism without thinking of Hebrew or to think of the Quran without thinking of Arabic.

What we have today of the sacred scriptures of the Jews and the Christians is just translations of what had been revealed in Hebrew or in Greek.

Only the Quran is an exception as its original form is saved.

Translating these books raises questions about their linguistic identity and about their sacredness.

Is it possible to use translations in religious rites and ceremonies? Evidently, the translation of sacred scriptures is not an easy work.

It is not a mere rendering some human thoughts into other languages.

It is the word of God.

Any change in forms leads to changes in contents.

It is impossible to translate the original texts of these three religions into other parallel languages exactly.

Simply, the ubiquity of various interpretations of verses forms a strong reason for that, let alone the sanctity of the texts as the word of God.

As such, the sacred text has its independent identity in terms of linguistic form, content, and meaning apart from any further interpretations or readings.

This Transdisciplinary study attempts to answer some questions: What is the original language of the Bible and the Quran? Is the Catholic Bible identical with the Protestant and Jewish Bibles? Do followers of three religions allow translations of their sacred books? Do translations of these books depend on original texts or on other translations? Do the followers of these religions tolerate translations in ceremonial rites and acts of worship?