Mandarin Psalter now available online

(Orthodoxy in China) - This original lithographed edition was digitally photographed on November 22, 2011 at the library of Beijing Normal University. Digitization project coordinated by the Orthodox Brotherhood of Saints Apostles Peter and Paul in Hong Kong. The chopmark on the title page is stamped in Chinese: Beiping Furen University/Library Collection, and in English: Catholic University of Peiping, which operated under that name during the period 1925-1950 in Beijing before shortly thereafter relocating to Taipei, Taiwan.

Underwritten by the Orthodox Brotherhood of Saints Apostles Peter and Paul in Hong Kong, the electronic text of the Psalter as translated into Mandarin Chinese by Bp Innokenty of Beijing and published by the Russian Mission (Beiguan) in 1910 is now being made available at http://orthodox.cn/bible/psalter/1910/.

All modern Chinese liturgical translation being prepared for SS Peter & Paul parish in Hong Kong or for OFASC, that quotes or alludes to the Psalter are requested to be replaced with Bp Innokenty's translation. Harmonization of terminology with the liturgical and the psalter text can then be performed. For resolution of any internal inconsistency of terminology, Bp Innokenty's translation takes precedence. Revision of Bp Innokenty's translation of the psalter text itself may be proposed if a balanced improvement can be achieved across the areas of modern comprehension, readability, chantability and accuracy in meaning to the original Greek.

Bp Innokenty's translation of the Psalter is missing Ps 85:4 LXX which is now reconstructed using his translation of terminology and phrases of this verse that appeared in other parts of the Psalter, and the beginning verses of this Psalm which was originally mis-numbered is now fixed. To assist in finding where terms or phrases from this verse appear in other part of Psalter, unbound.biola.edu is used to search the Greek LXX and Russian Synodal versions. Two different translations of the word soul which appear twice within this verse is reconstructed following the precedent of the earlier 1879 Chinese Orthodox Psalter.

Volunteers are needed to proofread carefully the word document against the scanned page images, and submit any corrections to mitrophan@orthodox.cn.

with prayers
in memory of Bishop Alexander (Mileant)