The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

114 The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context
1980s advice and encouragement came from Dr John J. Collins and Fr
Daniel Harrington. The two co-editors, Professor Kevin Cathcart and
Fr Michael Maher devoted many hours in putting together the initial
plan, in drawing up the guidelines and preparing the volumes for the
press. The editors are especially grateful to the advice and help
received from our consultants, Professor Bernard Grossfeld, Daniel
Harrington, and in the initial stages Professor Alejandro Diez Macho
(who died in 1984). A special word of gratitude is due to Professor
Bernard Grossfeld. We requested him to join the project as consulting
editor on 25 April 1981; he replied on 11 May. Since then he has
taken a most active part in the project through his help and advice on
the many occasions in which he has been approached. He has also
contributed five volumes to the series—four on Targum Onqelos and
one on the Targums of Esther. In 1982 I met and discussed the project
with Professor Martin Hengel, Professor Alejandro Diez Macho,
Dr Josep Ribera and Dr Luis Diez Merino.
The project has been an interconfessional effort. Three of the 18
contributors are Jewish, but these have produced over one third of the
works—seven of the projected 20 volumes. It brings together scholars
from Ireland, Great Britain and from three Continents. Nine of the 18
contributors are Irish, two are English, five from the USA, one from
Australia and one from Canada.
In Ireland the project gave rise to a Targum seminar, which, over
seven years, provided an opportunity for interested scholars from
Belfast and Dublin to come together and discuss Targumic issues.
Between 1982 and 1989 17 meetings were held.
There are many ways in which the volumes in the project could
have been produced differently. Some criticisms will be made of
individual volumes and of the entire project. Some disappointment has
been expressed that no Aramaic text accompanies the translations. The
omission was deliberate. Inclusion of the Aramaic would have
increased the price, and have introduced copyright problems in the
case of texts critically edited, as well as being of doubtful value if
inferior editions of Aramaic texts were reproduced.
Many lessons are learned from actual translation and books have
been written out of such undertakings. 28 Similar works could be
28. A few need be mentioned here: B.F. Westcott, Some Lessons of the Revised
Version of the New Testament (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1898); R. Knox, On
Englishing the Bible (London, 1949); A.R. Hulst, Old Testament Translation