This is a non-exhaustive list of Malay language and Malay dialect translations of Christian Scriptures through the centuries. I am still trying to find some references to even earlier translations of Scripture portions, particularly those translated by the Roman Catholics as part of their catechisms :
| Year | Translation Notes | Sample Text (John 1:1) |
| 1629 | Ruyl's Translation High Malay 1629 : Matthew (R) 1638 : Mark (R) Translation by Albert Cornelisson Ruyl | N/A Surviving copies in the possession of the Wurttembergische Landesbibliothek, Stuttgart, Germany and the British Museum, London, UK |
| 1646 | Van Hasel's Translation High Malay 1646 : Luke & John (R) Translation by Jan Van Hasel | N/A Surviving copies in the possession of the libraries of the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands and the University of Cambridge, UK |
| 1651 | Van Hasel & Heurnius' Translation High Malay 1651 : 4 Gospels & Acts (R) 1652 : Psalms (R) Translation by Jan Van Hasel & Justus Heurnius | N/A Surviving copies in the possession of the libraries of the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands and the University of Cambridge, UK |
| 1662 | Brouwerius' Translation High Malay 1662 : Revelations (R) 1668 : New Testament (R) Translation by Daniel Brouwerius | N/A |
| 1677 | de Lange's Translation Low Malay (Maluku Dialect) 1677 : OT & NT (R) Translation by Simon de Lange | N/A |
| 1727 | Valentyn's Revision Low Malay (Maluku Dialect) 1727 : OT & NT (R) Revision of Simon de Lange's translation by Francois Valentyn | N/A |
| 1731 | Leijdecker's Translation High Malay 1731 : New Testament (R) 1733 : Old Testament (R) 1733 : Complete Bible (R) 1758 : Complete Bible (J) Translation by Melchior Leijdecker | Pada mulanya 'adalah Kalimat dan Kalimat 'adalah sama 'Allah, dan 'Allah 'adalah Kalimat. |
| 1817 | Penang / Hutching's Revision High Malay 1817 : New Testament (R) 1821 : Old Testament (R) Revision of Leijdecker's New Testament by Robert Hutchings | N/A |
| 1821 | Thomsen's Revision High Malay 1821 : Matthew (R) 1832 : 4 Gospels & Acts (R) Revision of Leijdecker's New Testament by Claudius Thomsen, Robert Burns & Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir (Munsyi Abdullah) | N/A |
| 1835 | Emde's Revision Low Malay (Surabaya Dialect) 1835 : New Testament (R) 1835 : Psalms (R) Revision of Leijdecker's New Testament by Johannes Emde | N/A |
| 1852 | Keasberry's Translation High Malay 1852 : New Testament (R) 1856 : New Testament (J) Expansion and revision of Thomsen's Revision of Leijdecker's NT by Robert Keasberry & Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir (Munsyi Abdullah) | N/A |
| 1861 | Klinkert's Translation Low Malay (Semarang Dialect) 1861 : 4 Gospels (R) 1863 : New Testament (R) 1949 : Latest Edition (R) Translation by Hillebrandus Cornelius Klinkert | Maka pada moelanja Kalam itoe ada, maka Kalam itoe beserta dengan Allah, dan Kalam itoelah Allah. |
| 1868 | Klinkert's Translation High Malay 1868 : Matthew (R) 1870 : New Testament (R) 1879 : Old Testament (R) 1879 : Complete Bible (R) Translation by Hillebrandus Cornelius Klinkert | Bahwa pada moela pertama adalah Kalam, maka Kalam itoe dengan Aallah dan Kalam itoelah allah. |
| 1877 | Roskott's Translation Low Malay (Ambon Dialect) 1877 : New Testament (R) 1931 : John (Reprint) (R) Translation by Bernhard N. J. Roskott | Pada permula; an adalah Logos, dan Logos adalah ber-sama-sama dengan Allah, dan Allah adalah Logos itu. |
| 1897 | Shellabear's Translation Standard Malay 1897 : Matthew (J) 1910 : New Testament (J) 1912 : Old Testament (J) 1912 : Whole Bible (J) 1929 : Whole Bible (Malaya) (R) 1929 : Whole Bible (Indies) (R) Translation by William Girdlestone Shellabear | Maka pada mulanya ada Perkataan itu, dan Perkataan itu beserta dengan Allah, dan Perkataan itu Allah adanya. |
| 1913 | Baba Malay Translation Baba Malay 1913 : New Testament (R) Translation by William Girdlestone Shellabear | Mula-mula ada perkata’an itu, dan perkata’an itu ada sama-sama Allah, dan perkata’an itu pula Allah. |
| 1938 | Bode's Translation Standard Malay 1938 : New Testament (R) Translation by Werner August Bode | Maka pada awal pertama adalah Firman, dan Firman itu bersama-sama dengan Allah, dan Firman itulah juga Allah. |
| 1958 | Alkitab Terjemahan Lama Standard Malay 1958 : Whole Bible (R) Klinkert's translation of the Old Testament and Bode's translation of the New Testament was published in a single volume as the Alkitab. Today this version is known as the Alkitab Terjemahan Lama (Old Translation). | Maka pada awal pertama adalah Firman, dan Firman itu bersama-sama dengan Allah, dan Firman itulah juga Allah. |
| 1964 | Alkitab Ende Indonesian Malay 1964 : New Testament (R) 1968 : Old Testament (R) 1968 : Whole Bible (R) Translation by J. Bouma (SVD) & Cletus Groenen (OFM) based on Roman Catholic texts | Pada awal mula Sabda ada, dan Sabda itu ada pada Allah, dan Sabda itu adalah Allah, |
| 1971 | Alkitab Terjemahan Baru Indonesian Malay 1971 : New Testament (R) 1974 : Old Testament (R) 1974 : Whole Bible (R) Translation by Indonesian Bible Society | Pada mulanya adalah Firman; Firman itu bersama-sama dengan Allah dan Firman itu adalah Allah. |
| 1974 | Today's Malay Version Malaysian Malay 1974 : New Testament (R) 1987 : Old Testament (R) 1987 : Whole Bible (R) Translation by Bible Society of Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei (Dynamic Equivalence) | Sebelum dunia ini diciptakan, Firman sudah ada. Firman itu bersama-sama Allah, dan Firman itu sama dengan Allah. |
| 1976 | Firman Allah Yang Hidup Indonesian Malay 1976 : New Testament (R) 1989 : Old Testament (R) 1989 : Whole Bible (R) Translation by Kalam Hidup based on The Living Bible paraphrase (Dynamic Equivalence) | Sebelum segala sesuatu ada, Kristus sudah ada bersama dengan Allah. |
| 1977 | Alkitab Kabar Baik Indonesian Malay 1977 : New Testament (R) 1985 : Old Testament (R) 1985 : Whole Bible (R) Translation by Indonesian Bible Society (Dynamic Equivalence) | Pada mulanya, sebelum dunia dijadikan, Sabda sudah ada. Sabda ada bersama Allah dan Sabda sama dengan Allah. |
| 1996 | Today's Malay Version (Revision) Malaysian Malay 1996 : Whole Bible (R) Translation by Bible Society of Malaysia (Dynamic Equivalence) | Sebelum dunia ini diciptakan, Firman sudah ada. Firman itu bersama-sama Allah, dan Firman itu sama dengan Allah. |
| 2000 | Kitab Suci Injil Indonesian Malay 2000 : New Testament (R) Revision of Shellabear's Translation by Indonesian Bible Society | Kalam telah ada dari mulanya. Kalam itu bersama-sama dengan Allah, dan Kalam itu adalah Allah. |
| 2002 | Kitab Suci Komunitas Kristiani Indonesian Malay 2002 : New Testament (R) 2002 : Old Testament (R) 2002 : Whole Bible (R) Translation by Yayasan OBOR based on Roman Catholic texts | Pada awal mula Sabda itu ada dan Sabda itu ada pada Allah dan Sabda itu adalah Allah; |
Note
(R) : Romanised text
(J) : Jawi text
I'll try to work on a historical flowchart later based on the information I have on hand. The information above were sourced from the following resources :
- The Indonesian Language: Its History and Role in Modern Society
Sneddon, James M.; University of New South Wales Press; 2004; ISBN 0868405981 - The History of Christianity in India from the Commencement of the Christian Era: Volume 1
& Volume 2
(Facsimile Reprint)
Hough, James; Adamant Media Corporation; 2001; ISBN 1402175531 & 1402175523 - Mengenal Alkitab Anda
Soesilo, Daud H; Jakarta: Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia; 2001; ISBN 9794633720 - Alkitab dan Komunikasi
Tomatala, Yakob; Jakarta: Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia; 2001; ISBN 9794635723 - Alkitab: Dari Mana Datangnya?
Cermat, H.L.; Bandung : Lembaga Literatur Baptis - Mengikuti Jejak Leijdecker Jilid 1 & 2
Swellengrebel, J.L.; Jakarta: Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia; 2006; ISBN 9794638811 - Yayasan Lembaga SABDA
http://ylsa.sabda.org/
Posted by Bob K on December 29, 2007 9:15 PM
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Comments (2)
tomatoinc said:
nicely researched post. :)
Posted on December 30, 2007 9:23 AM
Bob K said:
Thanks. The Bible Society of Malaysia has also been serialising excerpts of Dr Daud Soesilo's paper; Malay Bible Translation: What's In Store For Malaysian Churches; in their newsletter Word@Work. You should be able to get past issues by contacting them at the link above.
I have also been informed that the BSM is also planning to start on a "formal equivalence" translation of the Bible in Malay. This is way overdue considering that the last version translated using the "formal equivalence" method for Malay as used in the Malay peninsular was W.G. Shellabear's translation in 1912.
Posted on December 31, 2007 10:34 PM