The book of mormon is now published in more than 80 languages, with selections available in another 25 languages. That is the reason so many saints have come to love the book in their native languages. Mason allred and mark ashurstmcgee discuss the various historical accounts of the book of mormon translation process, including accounts of joseph smith using a. It is claimed that each sentence and word in the 1830 book of mormon had supposedly come directly from god. Afrikaans, the latest edition in the exhibit, was released in 1972. Many additional german editions of the book of mormon were printed over the next century. Seer stones and the translation of the book of mormon.
The book of mormon is another testament of jesus christ. Another testament of jesus christ and is a companion to the bible. Even if you arent a mormon, you may find the book of mormon a valuable tool for learning to read in a new language. Im currently using it to learn portuguese, and ive discovered even people who arent mormon are using the book as a valuable tool.
These tables show all the versions of the book of mormon that have been translated. After the prophet joseph smiths original translation of the book of mormon from the gold plates into english in 1829 and the return of those plates to the angel moroni, no translations from english into other languages appeared until the 1850s. Since 1830, some 18 million copies have been printed throughout the world by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Portions of the book have been translated into another 20 languages. A second translation, published in 1957, was made by tatsui sato, whose family was the first to be baptized in the country following the 1924 closure of the japanese mission.
By 1900, translations of the book of mormon were published in ten languages. The full book is currently being translated in 1 languages, and published online incrementally. This video was reuploaded to fix the title and mistakes in the credits. Translations of the book of mormon in alphabetical order afrikaans online, gospel library mobile app, pdf. While the translation of the book of mormon may come directly from god, this does not preclude the role that joseph would play in adapting the language of the book of mormon to a cultural and linguistic framework that would both establish that the text was authentic and inspired while also communicating the book s message clearly. Languages with lds materials international resources for latter. Lds materials include scriptures, books, magazines, pamphlets, family. Selections from the book of mormon in simplified characters were released in 1983 and the full book in 2001 and was the 62nd language. Easily some of the most beloved and popular books in recent memory, the harry potter series by j. As of 2015, the book of mormon has been translated into 110 different languages spoken by over 76 percent of the worlds population, truly. Here are a few languages the book of mormon is translated into that you may not have known about. In 2005, the entire book of mormon was translated into 74 languages. Translation into additional languages continues to move forward as missionaries take the gospel to still more areas of the world. The language of the book of mormon exhibits features typical of a translation from an ancient near eastern text as well as the stamp of nineteenthcentury english and the style of the king james version kjv of the bible.
Brigham believed that the translation of the book of mormon was a miracle, but not that it was an infallible translation that could never be changed. Translating the book of mormon is an enormous task requiring literally years of patient. Rowling has charmed and captivated millions of fans around the world. Translation of the book of mormon language study edition russianenglish. That the language of the book of mormon should resemble that of the kjv seems only natural, since in the time of the prophet joseph smith, the kjv was the most widely read book in america and formed the standard of religious language for most englishspeaking people see cwhn 8.
Albanian online, gospel library mobile app, pdf, mobile feature phone. Language availability of latterday saint scriptures. Deseret english and hebrew selections were previously published, but these are out of print. We want it to be an opportunity to share with others and let people know all the languages the book of mormon is in, luke said. Receiving translations of the book of mormon, the churchs signature scripture, for the first time will be speakers of burmese, georgian, navajo. It may be surprising, therefore, to learn that the small plates of nephi 1 nephi through words of mormon almost certainly came last in the translation process, after the completion of the large plates of nephi mosiah through moroni and the title. That the language of the book of mormon should resemble that of the kjv seems only natural. But what does any of this have to do with the book of mormon. Today, all or part of the book of mormon has been translated into 109 languages. Book of mormon language the encyclopedia of mormonism. How many languages has the book of mormon been translated. About 3 million people speak aymara in peru, bolivia, argentina, and chile.
To guard against these risks, the first presidency and council of the twelve give close personal supervision to the translation of scriptures from english into other languages and have not authorized efforts to express the doctrinal content of the book of mormon in familiar or modern english. Sam gamgee, an employee from the church translation department, explained that this new translation sparks from an uptick in investigators from middle earth. Most readers of the book of mormon naturally assume that joseph smith translated its books beginning in 1 nephi 1. Translating church materials into additional languages. Translation of the book of mormon into foreign languages. Translating the book of mormon is an enormous task requiring literally years of patient, prayerful effort.
Today, all or part of the book of mormon has been translated into 112 languages. This claim, as well as all claims to historical authenticity of the book of mormon, are rejected by nonlatter day saint historians and scientists. The year 1981 saw the publication of this scripture into still more languages. Book of mormon written in modernday english grace for grace. Since joseph smith published the first english edition of the book of mormon in 1830. To every nation, kindred, tongue, and people religious studies. Englishspeaking readers of the series, however, may take for granted the intense and sometimes frustrating task of translating the series into other languages. The only thing i know about the mormon religion is that you have authentic, ancient scripture in the book of mormon, that your church was begun by a living and true prophet of god, and that all of the world should embrace the book of mormon as scripture. Its a sacred book of scripture translated into over a hundred languages all over the world.
The book of mormon has been translated in its entirety into 97 languages. Includes audio recordings in english, japanese, korean, portuguese, and spanish. Unless otherwise indicated, the translation was financed and the resulting text published by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church. Book of mormon translations book of mormon central. In 2007, a new updated triple combination with the book of mormon, doctrine and covenants and pearl of great price, along with additional study aids, like footnotes throughout, maps, a topical guide and pictures. Translating the book of mormon religious studies center. How many languages has the book of mormon been translated into. What translating harry potter reveals about the book of mormon. One of the ways this has been brought to pass is through the translation of the book of mormon into numerous foreign languages. Peterson wrote an excellent article in which he cites witnesses to the book of mormon translation process, giving modern readers insight into what eyewitnesses saw regarding how joseph smith translated the book of mormon. There are three language study editions of the book of mormon. The miraculous translation of the book of mormon into. It wasnt until the third edition of the japanese book of mormon, published in 1995, that a full colloquial style translation was made available. Approximately 114 of those languages are each spoken by more than 1 million people.
The record was translated from reformed egyptian into english through the gift and power of god. What this means is that the original translation of the book of mormon was unlike typical translations today which rely on the translators knowledge of languages. Catalan, russian, icelandic, niuean, quechuabolivia, cuna, romanian, polish, and hebrew. Chinese translation of the book of mormon deseret news. The book of mormon is published in 107 languages, and many of them are available in multiple formats online. The exact process by which that power was manifest through joseph smith is only fully known to the lord and the prophet. Were the plates sometimes not in the room while joseph was translating them. You will feel your faith in jesus christ increase and his love for you as you read and discover his teachings throughout the text. Features translations for most major world languages. Translation of the book of mormon religionwiki fandom. By its own terms, the book of mormon is a translation of an ancient book. Dynamically equivalent translation and the book of mormon. The book of mormon contains a prophecy that the lord god shall commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth 2 nephi 30. How many languages has the book of mormon been translated into and how many copies have been distributed in the years since it was first.
Includes search capability and simple navigation, including swiping gestures to navigate between chapters. The language used by the indigenous people in the andes and altiplano regions of south america. Mormon scriptures to be translated into 34 additional languages. Classifications and estimates vary, but there are approximately 3,500 languages spoken in todays world. The display will also feature the stories behind book of. For this step in the translation of the book of mormon into english, we would need to choose between accepting a more modern version of english as the target language and accepting a nonnative speaker of an earlier version of english as the editor.
The 22 languages in which the book of mormon is now in print make it available to some 40 percent of the worlds population. The translators of the book of mormon deseret news. It is the meaning that is most important in the book of mormon, not the words. Joseph smith was not fluent in reformed egyptian, the original language of the book of mormon. What do we know about the method used to translate the book of mormon.
Two people look at the many translations of the bible and book of mormon in the north visitors center on temple square during the sunday morning session of the 175th semiannual general conference of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints in salt lake city sunday, october 2, 2005. Many readers of the book of mormon naturally assume that joseph smith translated its books in the order that we find them today, that is, beginning with title page, and. How does the unusual translation sequence of the book of. Book of mormon translation by joseph smith book of. According to most adherents of the latter day saint movement, the book of mormon is a 19thcentury translation of a record of ancient inhabitants of the american continent, which was written in a script which the book refers to as reformed egyptian. Much can be known about the coming forth of the english text of the book of mormon through a careful study of statements.
Much can be known about the coming forth of the english text of the book of mormon through a careful study of statements made by joseph smith, his scribes, and others closely associated with the translation of. Includes translations for most major world languages. The first nonenglish translation of the book of mormon was the danish edition in 1851. Translations of the book of mormon into other languages have sometimes been miraculous, in their own small way. Matthews and benjmins translation method is particularly interesting for book of mormon translation theories, since some of the biggest issues in discussions of book of mormon translation are. Language availability of latterday saint scriptures scripture tools. Unable to provide them with church materials in their language, the church has felt inspired to flood middle earth with the book of mormon.
At least portions of the book of mormon have been translated into 111 languages, from danish 1851, welsh 1852 and hawaiian 1855,3 to pohnpeian, sesotho, and tshiluba, announced in 2017. The book of mormon is a sacred volume of scripture, a second testament and witness of jesus christ, the redeemer of the world. The first german edition and the second printing of the french translation were published side by side, because those were the two main languages spoken in hamburg. Receiving translations of the book of mormon, the churchs signature scripture, for the first time will be speakers of burmese, georgian, navajo, the micronesian language of pohnpeian, and african tribal dialects including efik, sesotho and tshiluba. How does god help translate the book of mormon into other. The book of mormon and linguistic evolution deseret news. In march 1830, 5,000 copies of the book of mormon were printed in the e. Separate copies of each language translation were also printed. Truly, this important witness of jesus christ is beginning to cover the earth.
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