Przekłady tekstów biblijnych na kaszubski. Historia. Stan aktualny. Perspektywy

Abstract

This paper discusses translations of biblical passages into Kashubian that originated in Evangelical circles between the 16th and 21st centuries. Although the tradition of translation dates back to the 16th century, a translation of the entire Bible, or at least of one complete biblical book, from that time has not been preserved. Presumably it never existed. The oldest translations of biblical texts into Kashubian were generally based on the German language. The first printed book with texts in Kashubian was Simon Krofey’s „Hymnal”, published in Gdańsk in 1586. It included eleven works he called Psalms and a range of short passages originating both from the Old Testament and the New Testament. A translation of „The Small Catechism of Martin Luther” came out approximately half a century later, and like Krofey’s „Hymnal”, it included many biblical passages. However, the biggest collection of biblical texts which has survived dates from the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. These texts are found in the „Smoldzinian Perikopes”, which had lessons and gospel passages for all Sundays and church holidays. Before the „Smoldzinian Perikopes”, many shorter passages of older translations of biblical texts were only occasional translations of biblical passages that were incorporated into other religious texts. The „Smoldzinian Perikopes” was first intended and methodical translation of biblical texts into Kashubian. Research on these translations demonstates that, while the translators did not translate the original texts, but rather German translations of the original texts, their translations are nevertheless characterised by a high degree of faithfulness to the thought of the original texts. The texts are also marked by the translators’ dedication to accuracy and making the texts both easily comprehensible and literarily beautiful. Contemporary Translations of biblical texts into Kashubian include translations done during the second half of the XXth century from the Catholic perspective which exists in Gdańsk and Pomerania. Among these translations are those of A. Nagel from 1973 (Mk 4,3-20), of Rev. F. Grucza from 1992 (four „Gospels”), of E. Gołąbek from 1993 („The New Testament”) and 1999 („The Book of Psalms” ) and translations of my authorship from 2001 (The Gospel according to St. Mark) 2003 (Mt 1–2; Łk 1–2; J 1,1-14), 2007 (The Gospel according to St. John), 2009 (The Gospel according to St. Matthew), 2010 („The Gospel according to St. Luke”). In 2010 my translation of the four gospels was published as a single book („Ewanielie na kaszebsczi tołmaczone”) and from 2011to 2013, about thirty Psalms were translated by from Hebrew to Kashubian. The translation of F. Grucza is done from Latin, of Gołąbek from Polish and mine are from Greek and Hebrew.