Don calls for review of Efik Bible translation

Ini Billie, Uyo

Professor of French and Translation Studies, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Prof. Effiong Ekpenyong, has advocated the revision of Bible versions wrongly translated.

Ekpenyong, who urged the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno to sponsor the revision of the Efik King James Version of the Bible, said the review would rid it of inherent mistranslations.

Speaking at the weekend during the 91st Inaugural Lecture of the University titled, “The Imperative of Translation After Babel, The Bible/Translation Interface and Application”, Ekpenyong noted that some mis-translations in the Efik Bible versions have negatively affected the target audience.

“There are some mistranslations in the Efik Bible versions we have considered, which in turn have negatively affected what the target audience has read over the years.

“The Lecture has provided the basis for that conclusion by pointing out the errors which usually put off many a reader of the Efik Bibles.

“Luckily, the Lecture has a solution to every mids-translation mentioned in it and those not mentioned and has showcased the benefits of Translation Studies to the millions of readers of the Efik Bible versions and other languages of the world.

“We most respectively call upon our dear state Governor, a Christian, a reader of the Holy Bible in Efik, a lover of God and in his ‘ARISE’ spirit to make himself a King James of our time courtesy of whom the World has the Holy Bible which is named after him, because he made use of his good offices, and directed that translation be done from the original tongues into English.

“I humbly request that the Governor make use of his good offices to assist in a comprehensive revision of the present KJV-based Efik Bible to rid it of the mistranslation that is there currently,” he stated.

Appreciating the efforts of early translators, Ekpenyong noted that despite their shortcomings, their seminal translation had yielded positive results for those who have read the Bible.

He urged Bible readers of any language to note that the gospel of Jesus Christ offers salvation and eternal life to those who live by its precepts and warned that it also contains God’s judgement and wrath against those who ignore it.

“Let me appreciate the early translation for translating the Bible into the Efik language. Apart from the shortcomings pointed out and those not pointed out, their seminal translation has yielded positive results in those that have read the Bible, thanks to translation.

“Remember, it shall be opened and applied on Judgement Day in the language you understand. The time to escape divine judgement as seen in the Bible is now,” he warned.