The fathers depart from it.
The fathers depart from it.
§ 516. (V) If that Latin version had been considered authentic in the early Church, then the Latin Church and the theologians of it would surely have accepted it as authentic as soon as it had been published, and they would have departed from it neither in public use nor in their writings. But the latter cannot be said, because: (1) In his preface to Joshua, Jerome says, “At my time there have been as many versions as books.” In De doctr. Christ., bk. 2, c. 11, Augustine writes: “Those who have translated the Scriptures into Latin cannot be counted.”
(2) Platina reports: “Some years after Christ, that Vulgate version finally held some authority in the Church” (Vita Damasi).
(3) In their writings, the Latin fathers quote many passages differently from what they are in the Vulgate version. Erasmus, Praefat. Hilarii: “The translation that Hilary uses is different from that which we now accept commonly. Moreover, because Cyprian has his own translation that is different from all the others, and Augustine has his own, and Ambrose has his own, and Hilary has his own, and Tertullian has his own, it is apparent that they all never did have a common translation.”
We can prove this by many examples, such as: [a] Tertullian. The Vulgate has Alter alterius onera portate [“Carry one another’s burdens”] (Gal. 6:2). Tertullian quotes it this way: Onera vestra invicem sufferte [“Bear your burdens mutually”] (Contra Marcion., bk. 5, c. 4). The Vulgate has Prudentiam prudentium reprobabo [“I shall censure the prudence of the prudent”] (1 Cor. 1:19). Tertullian quotes it as follows: Irritamfaciam [“I shall make useless”] (Adv. Marc., bk. 5, c. 5). The Vulgate has Non erubesco evangelium [“I do not blush at the Gospel”] (Rom. 1:16). Tertullian quotes it: Non me pudet evangelii [“I am not ashamed of the Gospel”] (bk. 5, c. 13).
[b] Cyprian. The Vulgate has Cujus ego non sum dignus portare calceamenta [“whose sandals I am not worthy to carry”] (Matt. 3:11). Cyprian cites it: Non sum idoneus [“I am not fit”] (Ad Quirinum, bk. 1, no. 12). The Vulgate has Quia visitavit et fecit redemtionem plebi suae [“for He has visited and made redemption for His people”] (Luke 1:68). Cyprian quotes it: Quia prospexit redemtionem populo suo [“He has provided redemption for His people”] (Ad Quirinum, bk. 2, no. 7). In John 1:1, the Vulgate reads: In principio erat verbum [“In the beginning was the Word”]. Cyprian cites it: In principio erat sermo [“In the beginning was the Word”] (op. cit., bk. 2, no. 6). The Vulgate has: An divitias bonitatis ejus et patientiae et longanimitatis contemnis? [“Or do you despise the riches of His kindness and patience and forbearance?”] (Rom. 2:4). Cyprian cites it: An numquid opulentiam bonitatis ejus et sustinentiam et patientiam contemnis? [“Or do you really despise the wealth of His kindness and endurance and patience?”] (bk. 3, no. 35). The Vulgate reads: Omne debitum dimisi tibi, quoniam rogasti me [“I dismissed all that debt for you because you asked me”] (Matt. 18:32). The Roman clergy at the time of Cyprian, Epistle 31, cites it this way: Donavi tibi omne debitum, quia rogasti me [“I forgave you all that debt because you asked me”].
[c] Arnobius. The Vulgate has: Filioli, novissima hora est [“My sons, it is the last hour”] (1 John 2:18). Arnobius, on Psalm 67, quotes it: Pueri, novissima hora est [“Boys, it is the last hour”]. The Vulgate has: Ecce Satanas expetivit vos, ut cribraret sicut triticum. Ego autem rogavi pro te. [“Behold, Satan has asked for you, to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you”] (Luke 22:31-32). Arnobius, on Psalm 106, quotes this as: Satanas expetivit, ut ventilet. Ego autem intercessi. [“Satan has asked to winnow, but I have interceded.”]
[d] Hilary. The Vulgate has: In quo judicio judicaveritis, judicabimini [“With whatever judgment you judge you will be judged”] (Matt. 7:2). On that passage of Matthew, Hilary quotes it: Judicabitur de vobis [“The judgment will be pronounced about you”]. The Vulgate reads: arundinem vento agitatam [“a reed agitated by the wind”] (Matt. 11:7). Hilary (on Matthew) reads it: vento quassatam [“shaken by the wind”]. The Vulgate has: Extendens manum exemit gladium suum et percutiens servum principis sacerdotum amputavit auriculam ejus [“stretching out his hand he drew his sword, and striking the slave of the high priest, he amputated his ear”] (Matt. 26:51). Hilary (on Matthew) reads it: Gladium exserens servo principis sacerdotum aurem abscidit [“Unsheathing his sword, he cut off the ear of the slave of the high priest”].
[e] Ambrose. In Luke 1:42 the Vulgate has: inter mulieres [“among women”]. In his commentary, Ambrose reads it: in mulieribus [“among women”]. The Vulgate has: fiat mihi [“Let it be to me”] (Luke 1:[38]). Ambrose reads it: contingat mihi [“Let it happen to me”]. The Vulgate has: quid induamini [“what you shall put on”] (Luke 12:22). Ambrose reads it: quid vestiamini [“with what you will be clothed”].
[f] We can prove the same thing in the case of Augustine with many examples.
[g] Indeed, not even at the time of Pope Gregory, who lived more than two hundred years after Jerome (whom they make the author of this translation), could that edition alone prevail, not even in the Roman Church herself, as is evident from the preface of Gregory on Job, c. 5.