Ferrar Merricmac Fenton, (1832–1920) an English businessman, who believed that his commercial experience was a divine Preparation to fit him to be a competent translator of the Bible, finished his complete version in 1903 (parts from 1882 onwards). Though it´s today considered as quite an oddity, it was reprinted until 1944. He believed he was the only man who has ever applied real mental and literal criticism to the Sacred Scriptures and that he had discovered "the Hebrew laws of Syllabic verse": His Gen. 1:1 rendering »By Periods God created that which produced the Solar Systems…« (Gen 1:1, 4th ed. only) became famous in its genre. It is a curious work in several ways, containing peculiarities such as the use of e. g. ´Ever–living´ for ´the Lord`. Though its influence has been but slight, it should be noted as one of the pioneer modern translations made by a single–hand. (Put together from various sources) The Photo below shows Ferrar Fenton "at work on his translation" and is presented as such in the 1935 edition.
For sample verses from the translation by Ferrar Fenton, click here
Paul's Epistles
Title: St. Paul's Epistles in Modern English. Translated direct from the original Greek texts, with the Apostle's own division of the subject matter restored. By Ferrar Fenton, of Batley, Yorkshire. All Rights Reserved.
Date: 1884
Publisher: DeWitt C. Lent: New York, Elliot Stock: London
Contents: Paul's Epistles
References: Chamberlin 34-2, 563-4; Herbert 2036; Taliaferro CN00132, Taliaferro-EELBV 7680
Images: Cover, Title page
New Testament
Title: The New Testament in Modern English. Being the New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Newly Translated direct from the accurate Greek Text of Drs. Westcott and Hort, by Ferrar Fenton, M.R.A.S., Member of the Cambrian Archæological Association. With some critical notes. Second Edition of the Gospels, and Sixth of St. Paul's Epistles, translated afresh. Copyrighted in England and United States of America. Entered at Stationers' Hall.
Date: 1900 (date supplied by Herbert 2098)
Publisher: Published for the translator by Horace Marshal and Son, and S.W. Partridge and Co.: London
Contents: New Testament
References: Chamberlin 34-2, Herbert 2098, Taliaferro CN00132. Taliaferro-EELBV 7680.105.
Images: Cover, Title page
Title: The New Testament in Modern English. Being the New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Newly Translated direct from the accurate Greek Text of Drs. Westcott and Hort, by Ferrar Fenton, M.R.A.S., M.C.A.A. with some critical notes. Fourth Edition of the Gospels, and Eighth of St. Paul's Epistles, translated afresh. Entered at Stationers Hall.
Date: 1906
Publisher: S.W. Partridge and Co.: London. Sold by Henry Frowde, New York
Contents: New Testament
Facsimile: Google books has a facsimile of the 1905 edition here.
References: Chamberlin p. 34-2, Herbert see 2098, Taliaferro CN00132, Taliaferro-EELBV 7680.105.
Images: Cover, Title page
Complete Bible (4° 1906)
Title: The Complete Bible / The Holy Bible in Modern English / Containing the Complete / Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments / Translated into English Direct From the Original / Hebrew, Chaldee and Greek Languages / by / Ferrar Fenton, F.R.A.S., M.C.A.A. / With Introductions and Critical Notes
Date: 1906. Fourth Edition
Publisher: London E. C., England (U.K.): Messrs. S. W. Partridge & Co.
Contents: PB in five sections according to the Hebrew canon • Table of contents • Editorial Note to the 4th ed. • The Translator´s Introductory Note upon the Complete Bible • Royal and Imperial Permission • A Note to my Inquiring Friends / Explanatory Note (London, 1904)
Language:
References:
Images: cover; title
Location: Collection Bibelarchiv–Birnbaum (www.bibelpedia.com). Karlsruhe, Baden. Germany
Comments: Clothbound small octavo, thread stitching; Sect. I: XXIV & 214 pp. Sect. II: XIV & 187 pp (incl. Press Notes). Sect III: XVI & 246 pp: Sect. IV: (6) & 346 pp; Sect. V: (8) & 256 pp (=1317 pp). All 5 vols are separately titled and introduced. Scripture text in double, poetic text in single column, colometric printed. Footnotes and few cross-references applied where required. The NT–section dates 1905. John´s Gospel preceeds Matthew in the otherwise traditional order. Farrar Fenton remarks in his Preface to the NT as to the translation, dated London, 1903:
»… the New Testament has been translated afresh from the excellent Greek Text of Drs. Westcott and Hort. (…) The present issue thus constitutes a fresh translation entirely founded upon Drs. Westcott and Hort´s critically accurate Greek Text, and with all weak or faulty renderings corrected. To it the Translator has added critical notes, to passages seeming to require them, and he hopes they may be of use to his readers.«
Complete Bible (5° 1913)
Title: The Holy Bible in Modern English Containing the Complete Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments Translated into English Direct From the Original Hebrew, Chaldee and Greek by Ferrar Fenton, F.R.A.S., M.C.A.A.
Date: 1913
Publisher: S. W. Partridge and Co.: London
Contents: Bible
References: Chamberlin 34-2; Herbert 2108, 2116, 2117, 2128, 2129, Taliaferro CN00132, Taliaferro-EELBV 7680.130.
Images: Cover, Title page
Comments: This particular edition appears to be the four separate portions of the Old Testament (Herbert 2108, 2116, 2117, and 2129) bound together in one volume with the New Testament.
Complete Bible (5°/10°, 1935)
Title: The Holy Bible in Modern English / Containing the Complete / Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments / Translated into English Direct From the Original / Hebrew, Chaldee and Greek Languages / by / Ferrar Fenton, F.R.A.S., M.C.A.A. / With Introductions and Critical Notes
Date: 1931. Reprinted 1933 and 1935 (for the OT). Tenth Edition, revised (no date, for the NT)
Publisher: London W.1, England (U.K.): A. & C. Black. – New York N.Y. (U.S.A.): Oxford University Press
Contents: PB in five sections according to the Hebrew canon • Frontispiece with Photo of Author (see above) • The Translator´s Introductory Note upon the Complete Bible (1906) • Dedication • Introductory Note the the Complete Bible in Modern English (1910). Note to my Inquiring Friends / Explanatory Note (London, 1910) • Editorial Note to the 5th Ed. (1906) • Contents.
Language:
References:
Images: cover; title
Location: Collection Bibelarchiv–Birnbaum (www.bibelpedia.com). Karlsruhe, Baden. Germany
Comments: Clothbound small octavo, thread stitching; XVIII pp preceeding Section I 214 pp. Sect. II: VIII & 187 pp. Sect III: XVI & 246 pp: Sect. IV: (4) & 346 pp; Sect. V: (6) & 256 pp (=1301 pp). All 5 vols are separately titled and introduced. Scripture text in double, poetic text in single column, colometric printed. Footnotes and few cross-references applied where required. The NT–section dates 1905. John´s Gospel preceeds Matthew in the otherwise traditional order. Farrar Fenton remarks in his Preface to the NT, ninth ed. as to the translation, dated London, 1905:
»… the portion of this work, however, together with the other books comprised in the NT, has been translated afresh from the excellent Greek Text of Drs. Westcott and Hort. (…) To these eminent scholars the Translator desires to express his indebtedness; as also to the late Bishops Wordsworth and Bloomfield, Professor Alford, and others. (…) Special mention must be made of the critical examination made by an accomplished Finnish gentleman, who has compared the whole with the Original Texts of Professor Tischendorf and others, besides personally assisting in the English composition. (…)«
Open pages of 1935 / 5° resp. 10° ed.