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Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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Tigris

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Tigr is a language spoken throughout Eastern Abyssinia, from the eastern banks of the River Tacazze to the Shoho country, which separates Abyssinia from the Red Sea. Consequently, the Tigr is spoken throughout five degrees of latitude, beginning three days journey from the Red Sea, and by a population amounting to about three millions. The characters of the Tigr alphabet are, like the Amharic, of Ethiopic origin, and the Tigr language itself is more closely related to the Ethiopic than the Amharic or any other dialect of Abyssinia. The first attempt to translate the New Test. into that language was made by an Englishman named Nathaniel Pearce about the year 1819. He had acquired varied and extensive information by constant wanderings through various countries, and had resided for fourteen years in Abyssinia. He translated Mark and John; but as, owing to his restless habits, he had never acquired skill in forming the Ethiopic characters, he was obliged to write his translation in Roman characters. His MS. is in the possession of the British and Foreign Bible Society; it has never been published, and its comparative value is still unascertained. In 1831 part of Luke was translated by Mr. Kugler, a missionary of the Church Missionary Society; and after his death the work was continued by Mr. Isenberg, of the same society, who, at his death, in 1863, left a revised manuscript copy of the four gospels. This MS. having been put into the hands of the Rev. Dr. Krapf, the colleague of the deceased in Abyssinia, an application was made at once to the committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society to have this translation printed. Dr. Krapf, who is well versed in the African languages, accompanied his application with a commendation of the character of Mr. Isenberg's translation. The committee consented to meet the expense of an edition of the four gospels, and thus for the first time a portion of the word of God was published in this vernacular in 1865. Since that time nothing further has been done towards completing the New Test. Bee Bible of Every Land, p. 60. (B. P.)