The Palestinian Talmud on Translating the Scriptural Reading

R. Samuel bar R. Isaac went to a synagogue. A man stood up to translate while leaning on a pillar. He [R. Samuel] said to him, “This is forbidden to you; just as it was given in trembling and fear, so we have to treat it in trembling and fear.” R. Haggai said: R. Samuel bar R. Isaac went to a synagogue. He saw Huna standing up translating without putting up another person in his stead. He said to him, “This is forbidden to you; just as it was given by an agent, so we have to treat it by an agent.” R. Judah bar Pazi went and turned it into a question: I was standing between the Eternal and you at that time to tell you the Eternal’s word (Deuteronomy 5:5). R. Haggai said: R. Samuel bar R. Isaac went to a synagogue. He saw a teacher delivering the translation from a book. He said to him, “This is forbidden to you; matters which were said orally, orally, matters which were said in writing, in writing.” [ . . . ]

It was stated: Two should not read in the Torah and one translate. R. Zeira said: Because of the benediction. But was it not stated: Not two shall translate and one read? Could you say: Because of the benediction? But because [not] two voices enter one ear. It was stated: Two read in the Torah, but not two read in Prophets. R. Ulla said: There are readers for the Torah; there are no readers in Prophets.

It was stated: One reads in the Torah and one translates. Not one reads and two translate, nor two read and one translates, nor two read and two translate. But in Prophets, one reads and one translates, [or one reads] and two translate; not two read and one translates, nor two read and two translate. In the Esther scroll, one reads and one translates, one reads and two translate; two read and one translates, or two read and two translate. Does translation obstruct? R. Yosi said: Since we are seeing that rabbis come on fast days and read but do not translate, this implies that the translation is not obstructing. R. Jonah said: Even though you are saying that the translation is not obstructing, if he makes an error, one corrects him.