"This Bible is for the Government of the People, by the People, and for the People."-John Wycliffe, General Prologue to the first English translation of the Bible, 1384
Editor's note: The version I quoted here is probably incorrect in one small detail: I don't believe "government" was capitalized in the original. I don't believe he was speaking of it as a noun.
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Some things never change ... and shouldn't be.
ReplyDeleteLincoln was obviously very familiar with Wycliffe's Bible or at least the sentiments described within, when he made that particular allusion in his Gettysburg address. See? I'm not the only guy who uses quotes for public edification!
DeleteWycliffe's Bible wasn't the first translated into English. There is one much earlier--found in the Bodlian library--from around the mid 800's, with Genesis and Exodus, at least, translated into the English spoken before the Norman invasion in the eleventh century.
ReplyDeleteThat quibble aside...Wycliffe was murdered for his translation. Seems that neither the clergy nor the crown wanted the common people able to read the bible for themselves.
Britannica calls it the first complete English translation of the Bible. Not only was he murdered, but later they dug up his bones and burned them. Maybe he should have translated "How to win friends and influence people" first?
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