Translation history of the Torah and comparative examination of Turkish translations

This dissertation examines modern Turkish translations of the Torah made by Jews and Christians. In the study, the differences between Turkish translations of the Torah are presented by focusing on the old and new Holy Bible translations published by the Bible Society, owned by the Christians, and the Tora and Aftara translation made by a group of Jewish translators under the editorship of Moşe Farsi. The latter work is of particular importance for being the first Jewish Turkish translation of the Torah as well as including a translated compilation of commentaries on the Torah. On the other hand, The first Turkish Torah translation made in Ottoman Turkish by Ali Ufkî Bey, being the main source of the Bible Society translations, is also used to indicate the transformation of expressions over time. Apart from these a Christian translation of an Old Testament commentary (Kutsal Kitap Bugün Konuşuyor), published by Haberci Yayınları, is also given occasional references to see the differences between Jewish and Christian commentaries. Accordingly, the first part of the thesis provides a brief survey of the history of the Torah translations from antiquity to the modern period. The second part, focusing on the Turkish translations of the Torah, examines the interpretations made by the translators of different religious backgrounds, especially in the context of theological passages and expressions. In this context, the study proceeds on topics such as loyalty to the original text, compatibility with the original language, translation of the sacred language, and usage of modern language. In conclusion it is argued that there are certain differences between the Turkish translations of theTorah, depending on the translators' religious backgrounds and beliefs.