Both a linguistic and a missionary project
If the Arabic version of the Bible translated in the first half of the 19th century has been rated truthful, worthy of comparison with the greatest literary works, nay with the Quran, according to some, it is because it resulted from a long-drawn effort and was well resourced. Smith and Van Dyck undertook the translation only after investigating the region's culture, history, language, religion, economy, anthropology and its sociological climate. As for Bustani and Yaziji, they were working towards the restoration and renewal of Arabic seeking to provide it with a firm foundation for they were both aware that it could become the basis of a shared identity in a multi-confessional, multi-communal society. In his report to the American Board of Commissioners For Foreign Missions (A.B.C.F.M) in 1834, Smith offered a detailed justification for the reference works, Hebrew grammars, lexicons, commentaries as well as existing Arabic and other versions of the Bible chosen for critical and analytical support. Next, he detailed the three phases of the translation methodology:
The original documents in Hebrew, Syriac and Greek were to be translated into Arabic by Butrus al-Bustani who had the better mastery of the terminology, standard formulae in Christian literature and theology and their phraseology. To save time, Smith may also translate some passages but he then passed them on to Bustani to ensure overall consistency.
The proposed translation was checked by Smith, not only in terms of accessibility and theology but also phraseology in relation to the collected reference works.
The Arabic translation went to Nasif Yazidji who adjusted the grammar and phraseology whilst upholding the overall consistency; all observations were submitted to Smith and they took up with each other points that would at times be discussed at length.
The strategy favoured by Smith sought to achieve an exact account of the original documents, close adherence to sentence structure and in so far as possible to terminology, bearing in mind that he also aimed at approachability with regard to classical Arabic used here for the purpose of its revival. Smith was aware of the constraints this approach entailed but thanks to his native Arabic-speaking collaborators, he succeeded in completing the 12 first chapters of Matthew's Gospel with the rest of the New Testament requiring some modifying in the view of the American Mission. Smith also completed the translation of Genesis and Exodus, barring the two last chapters, then the first version of the other Pentateuch books which he sent to the ABCFM for scrutiny in 1854 before being overcome by illness; he died in Beirut on 11 January 1857, aged 56. Cornelius Van Dyck succeeded Smith, shouldering the responsibility for the completion of the translation project as well as the running of the American press in Beirut.
He adopted his predecessor's approach though he did not have with Bustani and Yaziji the trusting relationship that Smith had enjoyed. Besides he did not know what to do with the as yet unpublished translations for which Smith had refused to take responsibility.
Thus, over and above the parts of the Bible yet to be translated, he had to check the translations of the New Testament that had not been validated. To that end he turned to a new assistant in the person of Ysuf al-Asir[1], a Beirut mufti chosen for his in-depth knowledge of Arabic. The work required several more years. On 22 August 1864, the Arabic translation of the Bible was complete. It was published in its integrity in 1867, the time it took Van Dyck to get to the United States in order to have the electrotypes[2] produced, which would make a large print run possible. In the 1868 American Mission's annual report, Van Dyck indicated that a great many good quality books of all kinds were being printed in Arabic thanks to the opening by the American Mission of more than thirty Protestant schools as well as new print works. Meanwhile ten editions of forty thousand copies of the translated Bible were soon in circulation. The accuracy of the interpretation of idiomatic formulae, the high quality of the style and the print quality (owed to Smiths specific efforts) make this version far superior to those that came before . None of the century's literary work surpasses its significance, not even the project led by another member of the Bustani clan to translate the Iliad, and it is acknowledged by a large number of specialists as one of the very best translations of the Bible ever achieved.
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