Complutensian Polyglot Bible

Greek (Septuagint)

The Greek text printed here is the Septuagint — the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures made by Jewish scholars, traditionally dating to the 3rd–2nd centuries BCE. It was the Bible of early Christians and remains canonical in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The interlinear Latin underneath each line gives a word-for-word translation.

Chapter 1.

A

Hebrews 11:3; Psalm 32; Jeremiah 10:12.

In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.
interlinear: In the beginning God made heaven and earth.
But the earth was invisible and unformed, and darkness was
interlinear: But the earth was invisible and unformed, and darkness was
upon the deep. And the spirit of God was borne
interlinear: upon the deep; and the spirit of God was borne
upon the water. And God said, "Let there be light," and there
interlinear: upon the water. And God said, "Let there be light," and
was light. And God saw the light, that it was good. And
interlinear: light was made. And God saw the light, that it was good. And
God divided between the light and between the
interlinear: God divided between the light and between
darkness. And God called the light Day, and the dark-
interlinear: the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the dark-
ness he called Night. And there was evening, and there was
interlinear: ness he called Night. And evening was made, and
morning, the first day. And God said, "Let there be a firmament in
interlinear: morning was made: the first day. And God said, "Let a firmament be made in
the midst of the water, and let it divide between water
interlinear: the midst of the water, and let it divide between water
and water." And God made the firmament, and
interlinear: and water." And God made the firmament, and
God divided between the water which was under the
interlinear: God divided between the water which was beneath
firmament, and between the water which was above
interlinear: the firmament, and between the water which was above
the firmament. And God called the firmament
interlinear: the firmament. And God called the firmament
heaven. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and
interlinear: heaven. And God saw that it was good. And evening was made, and
morning, the second day. And God said, "Let the water
interlinear: morning was made: the second day. And God said, "Let
which is under the heaven be gathered together into one
interlinear: the water which is under heaven be gathered into one
gathering, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. And the
interlinear: gathering. And let the dry land appear." And it was so. And
water which was under the heaven was gathered together into their gather-
interlinear: the water which was under heaven was gathered into
ings, and the dry land appeared. And God called the dry
interlinear: its gatherings, and the dry land appeared. And God called the dry
land, earth. And the collections of the waters he called
interlinear: land, earth. And the collections of the waters he called
seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, "Let the earth
interlinear: seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, "Let the earth

B

bring forth grass — herb bearing seed according to
interlinear: sprout forth the grass of hay, sowing seed according to
kind and according to likeness — and a fruit-bearing tree making
interlinear: kind and according to likeness — and a fruit-bearing tree making
fruit, whose seed is in itself according to kind upon
interlinear: fruit, whose own seed is in itself according to kind upon
the earth." And it was so. And the earth brought forth
interlinear: the earth." And it was so. And the earth brought forth
grass — herb bearing seed according to kind and according to
interlinear: the grass of hay, sowing seed according to kind and according to
likeness — and a fruit-bearing tree making fruit, whose
interlinear: likeness — a fruit-bearing tree making fruit, whose
seed was in itself according to kind upon the earth. And
interlinear: seed was in itself, according to kind, upon the earth. And
God saw that it was good.
interlinear: God saw that it was good.

Latin (Vulgate)

St. Jerome's Latin Vulgate translation, made in the late 4th century CE and the official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church. This is the central column of the Polyglot page.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ° Now the earth was formless and empty; ° and darkness was upon the face of the deep; ° and the spirit of God moved over the waters. ° And God said, "Let there be light." And there was light. And God saw the light that it was good; ° and he divided the light from the darkness; ° and he called the light Day; ° and the darkness Night. And evening and morning were made, the first day. ° God also said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters; ° and let it divide the waters from the waters." ° And God made a firmament, dividing the waters which were under the firmament from those which were above the firmament. And it was so. ° And God called the firmament heaven; ° and evening and morning were made, the second day. ° God also said, "Let the waters that are under the heaven be gathered together into one place; ° and let the dry land appear." ° And it was so. ° And God called the dry land earth; and the gathering of the waters he called seas. ° And God saw that it was good; ° and he said, "Let the earth bring forth green herb, and such as may seed; ° and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth." ° And it was so. ° And the earth brought forth the green herb, and such as yields seed after its kind; and the tree that bears fruit, ° having each one its seed according to its own species. ° And God saw that it was good.

Hebrew

The Hebrew text here is the Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew Bible as preserved and annotated by Jewish scholars called the Masoretes. The marginal notes beside the Hebrew column give the root forms of key Hebrew verbs, serving as a mini-lexicon for readers learning the language.

Chapter 1.

Hebrew root: head/beginning

Hebrew roots: "to be," "waste/void," "emptiness"

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Hebrew root: to be dark

Hebrew roots: deep/abyss; wind/spirit

And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God was hovering over the
Hebrew root: to hover/flutter

Hebrew roots: to say; to be/become

face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be
light!" And there was light. And God saw the
Hebrew root: to see

Hebrew root: to divide/separate

light, that it was good; and God divided between
the light and between the darkness. And God
Hebrew root: to call/name

called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was
evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of
Hebrew root: to spread/stamp out (from which "firmament" derives)

Hebrew root: to divide/separate

the waters, and let it divide between water and water." And God made the firmament,
Hebrew root: to make/do

and it divided between the waters which were below
the firmament and between the waters which were above
the firmament; and it was so. And God called
the firmament heaven; and there was evening and there was
Hebrew root: sky/heaven (related to "there")

morning, the second day. And God said,
"Let the waters below the heavens be gathered to
Hebrew root: to gather/hope

Hebrew root: to appear/be seen

one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was
so. And God called the dry land earth;
Hebrew root: to call/name

Hebrew root: to gather (as in a collection/pool)

and the gathered waters he called seas. And God
saw that it was good. And God said,
"Let the earth sprout vegetation — herb seeding
Hebrew roots: to sprout; to sow/seed

Hebrew roots: to make/do; to bear fruit

seed; fruit tree making fruit after its kind,
whose seed is in it upon the earth." And it was
so. And the earth brought forth vegetation — herb
Hebrew root: to go out/bring forth

seeding seed after its kind; and tree making
fruit whose seed is in it after its kind. And God saw

Aramaic (Targum)

Translation of the Targum (Chaldean)
The Targum is an ancient Aramaic translation and paraphrase of the Hebrew scriptures, produced for Jewish communities who no longer spoke Hebrew as a daily language. This is the Targum Onkelos, the most authoritative Aramaic Targum of the Torah. "Chaldean" was the Renaissance scholars' term for the Aramaic language.

In the beginning the Lord created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was desolate and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and a wind from before the Lord was blowing upon the face of the waters. And the Lord said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And the Lord saw the light, that it was good. And the Lord separated between the light and between the darkness. And the Lord called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And the Lord said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide between water and water." And the Lord made the firmament, and separated between the waters which were below the firmament and between the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And the Lord called the firmament heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And the Lord said, "Let the waters beneath the heavens be gathered to one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. And the Lord called the dry land earth, and the place of gathering of the waters he called seas. And the Lord saw that it was good. And the Lord said, "Let the earth put forth a sprouting of herb whose offspring is seed-bearing, and fruit trees making fruits after their kind, whose offspring of seed is within it upon the earth." And it was so. And the earth brought forth a sprouting of herb whose offspring is seed-bearing after its kind, and a tree making fruits whose offspring of seed is within it after its kind. And the Lord saw that it was good.

Latin Translation of the Targum

Interpretation of the Targum (Chaldean)

Original Aramaic roots: Aramaic roots glossed in margin: "was desolate"; "empty"

"to breathe/blow"; "to create"

"middle/midst"

"to gather"; "earth/land"

"above"

"to gather"; "evening"

"good"

"to sprout"; "vegetation"; "to bear fruit"

"to go out/bring forth"; "to sprout"

"to sow/seed"

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Chapter 1. Now the earth was desolate and empty; and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God breathed upon the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good. And God divided between the light and between the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide between waters and waters." And God made the firmament, and divided between the waters which were below the firmament and between the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, "Let the waters which are under the heaven be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. And God called the dry land earth, and the place of gathering of the waters he called seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, "Let the earth sprout forth a sprouting of herb whose offspring of seed is seed-bearing, and fruit-bearing trees making fruit after their kind, whose offspring of seed is within it upon the earth." And it was so. And the earth produced a sprouting of herb whose offspring of seed is seed-bearing after its kind, and a tree making fruit whose offspring of seed is within it after its kind. And God saw…