Do you use your own Bible translation with the Liturgy of the Hours?

[Russ_of_Tokyo]

A few people have mentioned that they use their own Bibles for the Psalms and/or Canticles instead of the ones in the breviary. I’m curious how widespread this is.

All who do so, please chime in here. Which Bible do you use, and why?

And I hope this will not get dragged down into an argument over “Prayer of the Church” vs. private devotions, which has been thoroughly discussed in other threads.

 

[OraLabora]

Sort of.

I do the LOTH in French and Latin. I used French for the Office of Readings. I used the two-year cycle like the abbey I’m associated with. The French liturgical committee has not translated all of the readings for the 2-year cycle into the Liturgical version of the Bible. Therefore I, and the abbey, uses the Jerusalem Bible for the readings. Fortunately Solesmes has collected these all into a 2-year lectionary for convenience.

So while I didn’t pick the translation, it’s not the “official” Bible translation for the liturgy.

The 1-year cycle, the one in the 4-volume LOTH, is from the Liturgical Bible. When I used those readings (such when traveling so I only have to bring one book), then I use the “official” translation.

 

[CalCatholic]

I do, I have never been a big fan of the 1963 Grail Psalms. I am currently using the 1970 NAB for the Psalms and Gospel canticles (Zechariah and Mary). The LOTH books that I am using already use the 1970 NAB for the other NT readings. I read everything else out of the LOTH book. I will also rotate translations around using the RSV-2CE and others (Jerusalem, REB, etc.) for this purpose. I have been praying the LOTH for 9 years, and changing translations around keeps it fresh for me! I am not a priest or a deacon, so I am not bound by any rules in praying the LOTH.

 

[OraLabora]

I am not a priest or a deacon, so I am not bound by any rules in praying the LOTH.

Well actually you are if you want to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, and not just a private devotion. Liturgy is the public prayer of the Church. Not being bound means you’re not obligated to pray it, but it doesn’t mean it retains its liturgical character if you alter it beyond what is permitted by the rubrics and General Instructions.

 

[CalCatholic]

Well actually you are if you want to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, and not just a private devotion. Liturgy is the public prayer of the Church. Not being bound means you’re not obligated to pray it, but it doesn’t mean it retains its liturgical character if you alter it beyond what is permitted by the rubrics and General Instructions.

I use it as a private prayer devotion in the morning and evening.

 

[Russ_of_Tokyo]

I was hoping we would not go down this well-travelled road, but it didn’t take long, did it?

Anyway, I sometimes try different ways of doing morning and evening prayer including using only the breviary in the local language (Japanese) to be entire kosher.

But lately for all the Bible parts, I have been using a compact RSV-CE which is my main Bible above all others mainly because of the handy size and decent translation. I can read all the Psalm verses even when the breviary skips the difficult ones and I find I can empathize with the sentiment behind them in light of all the horrible killings of Christians and destruction of churches in the news.

Flipping through my own familiar Bible brings a sense of intimacy. I also use the same Bible with the two year lectionary, so it gets a good workout every day.

Anyway, I was just wondering how widespread this is.

 

[DaveBj]

When I do the LOTH, I use the RSV-CE translation (which I have printed on 3"x5" cards) for the morning and evening canticles, simply because I prefer that translation over the one in the book, which I find insipid. And yes, I know that makes it a private devotion, not the official LOTH. If I were doing it in a group, I would use what everyone else is using, but when I’m by myself, I don’t care. My devotions are between me and the Boss.

 

[CalCatholic]

When I do the LOTH, I use the RSV-CE translation (which I have printed on 3"x5" cards) for the morning and evening canticles, simply because I prefer that translation over the one in the book, which I find insipid. And yes, I know that makes it a private devotion, not the official LOTH. If I were doing it in a group, I would use what everyone else is using, but when I’m by myself, I don’t care. My devotions are between me and the Boss.

Exactly