The New Testament
It’s the Rev James Stuart [also “Stewart”] who made the first translation of the New Testament into Scottish Gaelic. He was the minister in Killin in
Perthshire. The New Testament appeared in 1767.
James Stuart was born in 1700. That was in Glen Fin(g)las in the Trossachs. He started as minister in Killin in 1737.
He obtained praise from Samuel Johnson, the famous Englishman. Johnson wrote to the SSPCK –
Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge.
He criticized them. They hadn’t been willing to teach the scriptures to the Gaels in Gaelic. Johnson praised James Stuart for what he was doing as a
translator.
James Stuart died in 1789. That was twenty two years after the New Testament appeared. But when he died, there were still many copies of the book in
Church storage. That was in Edinburgh. They weren’t getting out to the Highlands.
James Stuart was buried in the graveyard in Killin. But he didn’t have a gravestone raised for him. A hundred years after his death, however, the
Gaelic Society of Perth raised a monument to him outside the church in Killin.
The SSPCK was wanting to use Gaelic to improve literacy in English. They promoted the translation[s] of the scriptures to Gaelic. In 1776, they decided
to produce the Old Testament in Gaelic. The Rev Dr Iain Stuart, minister in Luss [on Loch Lomondside], was involved in the project. He was a son of
James Stuart.
The Old Testament was completed in 1801. Eighteen thousand copies were printed. Finally, the entire Bible was in Gaelic
An Tiomnadh Nuadh
’S e An t-Urramach Seumas Stiùbhart a rinn a’ chiad eadar-theangachadh dhen Tiomnadh Nuadh gu Gàidhlig na h-Alba. B’ esan am ministear ann an Cill Fhinn
ann an Siorrachd Pheairt. Nochd an Tiomnadh Nuadh ann an seachd ceud deug, seasgad ’s a seachd (1767).
Rugadh Seumas Stiùbhart ann an seachd ceud deug (1700). Bha sin ann an Gleann Fhionnghlais anns na Tròiseachan. Thòisich e mar mhinistear ann an Cill
Fhinn ann an seachd ceud deug, trithead ’s a seachd (1737).
Fhuair e moladh bho Shomhairle MacIain, an Sasannach ainmeil. Sgrìobh MacIain don SSPCK – Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge.
Rinn e càineadh orra. Cha robh iad air a bhith deònach na sgriobtaran a theagasg do na Gàidheil ann an Gàidhlig. Mhol MacIain Seumas Stiùbhart airson na
bha e a’ dèanamh mar eadar-theangair.
Chaochail Seumas Stiùbhart ann an seachd ceud deug, ochdad ’s a naoi (1789). Bha sin dà bhliadhna fichead às dèidh don Tiomnadh Nuadh nochdadh. Ach nuair a
chaochail e, bha mòran lethbhreac dhen leabhar fhathast ann an stòras aig an Eaglais. Bha sin ann an Dùn Èideann. Cha robh iad a’ faighinn a-mach don
Ghàidhealtachd.
Chaidh Seumas Stiùbhart a thiodhlacadh anns a’ chladh ann an Cill Fhinn. Ach cha deach clach-uaighe a thogail dha. Ceud bliadhna às dèidh a bhàis, ge-tà,
thog Comunn Gàidhealach Pheairt carragh-cuimhne dha taobh a-muigh na h-eaglais ann an Cill Fhinn. Tha i ann fhathast.
Bha an SSPCK ag iarraidh a’ Ghàidhlig a chleachdadh airson litearrachd ann am Beurla dhèanamh nas fheàrr. Thug iad taic do dh’eadar-theangachaidhean de na
sgriobtaran gu Gàidhlig. Ann an seachd ceud deug, seachdad ’s a sia (1776) cho-dhùin iad an Seann Tiomnadh a dhèanamh ann an Gàidhlig. Bha an t-Oll Urr
Iain Stiùbhart, ministear ann an Lus, an sàs anns a’ phròiseict. B’ esan mac Sheumais Stiùbhairt.
Chaidh crìoch a chur air an t-Seann Tiomnadh ann an ochd ceud deug ’s a h-aon (1801). Chaidh ochd mìle deug lethbhreac a chlò-bhualadh. Mu dheireadh thall,
bha am Bìoball air fad ann an Gàidhlig.
