Conclusion Of Learning The Languages Of Asia

When 25-year-old Robert Morrison arrived in China in 1807, he undertook the extremely difficult task of translating the Bible into Chinese, one of the most complex written languages. He had only a limited knowledge of Chinese, which he had started studying just two years earlier. Morrison also had to contend with Chinese law, which sought to maintain China's isolation. The Chinese people were prohibited, under penalty of death, to teach the language to foreigners. For a foreigner to translate the Bible into Chinese was a capital offense.

Undaunted but cautious, Morrison continued studying the language, learning it rapidly. Within two years he obtained a job as a translator for the East India Company. During the day, he worked for the company, but in secret and under constant threat of detection, he worked on translating the Bible. In 1814, seven years after he arrived in China, he had the Christian Greek Scriptures ready for printing. Five years later, with the help of William Milne, he completed the Hebrew Scriptures.

It was an enormous achievement -the Bible could now, "speak" in the language used by more people than any other in the world. Thanks to capable translators, translations into other Asian languages followed. Today portions of the Bible are available in over 500 of the languages of Asia.

Why did men such as Tyndale, Moffat, Judson and Morrison labor for years-some even risking their lives-to translate a book for people they did not know and, in some cases, for people who did not have a written language? Certainly not for glory or financial gain. They believed that the Bible is God's Word and that it should "speak" to people-all people-in their own language.

Whether you feel that the Bible is the Word of God or not, perhaps you would agree that the kind of self-sacrificing spirit displayed by those devoted translators is all too rare in today's world. Is not a book that inspires such unselfishness worth investigating?

Next time: What The Book Contains

A Book For All People, 1997

Note: To all my readers, I am sorry that I have not been able to blog everyday. There are very good reasons for me not being able to do this everyday, as I would like. This computer is in a clubhouse/also connected to the office of our small transit buses for the elderly and low income people. The manager of this place sometimes has to go to pick someone up or what-have-you, and no one is allowed to stay in the building while they are gone. Also, they are closed on training days, weekends and holidays, and whenever they deem best to be closed. Here in this city,that is pretty much how some businesses are. So, you see, I h do not have much control as to when I can do a blog. So, until I can either save enough money (which is hard on my very limited income), or move back to Colorado from whence I came from, which I plan to do as soon as I can save up some money to do so. I will) So, please be patient with me. I am indeed very, very sorry. Also the rest of the senior housing units use this computer as well. As it is only one computer for everyone. Thank you.