Folia Theologica 9. (1998)
György Benyik: Hungarian Bible Translation
244 GY. BENYIK THE BLIND’S BIBLE. The first Hungarian texts for the blind were made before World War I for Mrs. Frommer. In 1934 some Biblical books were written in Braille. In 1960 the work was still in progress, and following the commission of Cardinal László Lékai the Catholics also joined the work initiated by Protestants, making a Braille version of the St. Stephen Company’s translation. As the result of the work of Lajos Uerge, Miklós Jakab, Erzsébet Rácz, the New Testament was published in 1960. JEROM BIBLE COMPANY, New Testament translation (1966) was made from the Vulgate. Old Testament is being translated. Summary If we look back upon the history of translations we may say that the birth of early Hungarian Bible translations was motivated by the Biblical interest of some heretical movements and by some canons’ personal indulgence in literature. Later the Erasmian interest, the program of Reformation and Counter-Reformation led to best translations. At the time of development of church education and bourgeois mentality and at the birth of national literature and Jewish emancipation movement there were translators who took the translation and commentary of the Bible as a relevant part of Hungarian Literature and Theology. Even recently Catholics, Calvinists, Lutherans, Jews have translated the Scriptures separately, though an ecumenical version, or at least a translation acceptable by all denominations would be needed. A report about the birth of such work would make the most beautiful chapter of this study, but unfortunately we still have to wait for that.
