A
Atreyu
Guest
I thought it could be handy to have a list of how the different translations of the Bible render the passage of Exodus 21:22.
Vulgate (5th century):
si rixati fuerint viri et percusserit quis mulierem praegnantem et abortivum quidem fecerit sed ipsa vixerit subiacebit damno quantum expetierit maritus mulieris et arbitri iudicarint
The operative word is “abortivum” which means “premature birth”.
KJV (1611):
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) (1752):
If men quarrel, and one strike a woman with child and she miscarry indeed, but live herself: he shall be answerable for so much damage as the woman’s husband shall require, and as arbiters shall award.
English Revised Version (1885):
And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
American Standard Version (1901):
And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow; he shall be surely fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
Revised Standard Version (1952):
When men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no harm follows, the one who hurt her shall be fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
New American Bible (1970):
When men have a fight and hurt a pregnant woman, so that she suffers a miscarriage, but no further injury, the guilty one shall be fined as much as the woman’s husband demands of him, and he shall pay in the presence of the judges.
New American Standard Bible (1971):
If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall (N)pay as the judges decide.
New International Version (1978):
If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely [e] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
The footnote says: " she has a miscarriage".
New Jerusalem Bible (1985):
If people, when brawling, hurt a pregnant woman and she suffers a miscarriage but no further harm is done, the person responsible will pay compensation as fixed by the woman’s master, paying as much as the judges decide.
I can’t manage to find an online version of the original 1609 version of the Douay-Rheims, nor can I find a version of the Septuagint. Anyway, this is a list of what I feel to be the Bibles that most Catholics would feel are important. Note that it is only in the Challoner Bible and modern translations, that the passage explicitly limits the lex talionis punishment to the woman alone. The other versions - including (importantly) the Vulgate - state that the child is born prematurely or that the woman’s fruit comes out. There is no indication from these passages, that the lex talionis punishment is to apply to the woman alone - and not the child.
Vulgate (5th century):
si rixati fuerint viri et percusserit quis mulierem praegnantem et abortivum quidem fecerit sed ipsa vixerit subiacebit damno quantum expetierit maritus mulieris et arbitri iudicarint
The operative word is “abortivum” which means “premature birth”.
KJV (1611):
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) (1752):
If men quarrel, and one strike a woman with child and she miscarry indeed, but live herself: he shall be answerable for so much damage as the woman’s husband shall require, and as arbiters shall award.
English Revised Version (1885):
And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
American Standard Version (1901):
And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow; he shall be surely fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
Revised Standard Version (1952):
When men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no harm follows, the one who hurt her shall be fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
New American Bible (1970):
When men have a fight and hurt a pregnant woman, so that she suffers a miscarriage, but no further injury, the guilty one shall be fined as much as the woman’s husband demands of him, and he shall pay in the presence of the judges.
New American Standard Bible (1971):
If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall (N)pay as the judges decide.
New International Version (1978):
If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely [e] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
The footnote says: " she has a miscarriage".
New Jerusalem Bible (1985):
If people, when brawling, hurt a pregnant woman and she suffers a miscarriage but no further harm is done, the person responsible will pay compensation as fixed by the woman’s master, paying as much as the judges decide.
I can’t manage to find an online version of the original 1609 version of the Douay-Rheims, nor can I find a version of the Septuagint. Anyway, this is a list of what I feel to be the Bibles that most Catholics would feel are important. Note that it is only in the Challoner Bible and modern translations, that the passage explicitly limits the lex talionis punishment to the woman alone. The other versions - including (importantly) the Vulgate - state that the child is born prematurely or that the woman’s fruit comes out. There is no indication from these passages, that the lex talionis punishment is to apply to the woman alone - and not the child.