Biblia, tai esti: Wissas Szwentas Rásztas, Séno ir Naujo Testamento [...] d. Mertino Luteraus [...] nu kellu mokytoju Lietuwoj lietuwiszkay perstattytas, ir antrą kartą iszspaustas

The first translations of the Bible contributed to the formation of European languages and their written tradition. The Reformation was a humanist educational movement: the advocates of reform considered the native language to be a basic element of a nation’s identity and a suitable way to address God. The second full Lithuanian edition of the Bible, prepared by Adam Friedrich Schimmelphennig (1699–1763), a poet, translator and nurturer of Lithuanian writing, was published in Königsberg in 1755. After studying at Königsberg University, Schimmelphennig served as parish priest at Papelkiai until the end of his life. He was one of the first writers of secular poetry in Lithuanian. The edition of the Bible prepared by Schimmelphennig contains the valuable Lithuanian preface in verse ‘Could not but Praise the Dawning of Divine Grace on Lithuania’, consisting of 192 lines, in which the author summarises the development of Lithuanian writing from the first Lithuanian book to the middle of the 18th century.

Text authors Rolandas Gustaitis and Algimantas Muzikevičius.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album ARS LIBRI (2022). Compiler Algimantas Muzikevičius, text authors Algimantas Muzikevičius, Rolandas Gustaitis

The first translations of the Bible contributed to the formation of European languages and their written tradition. The Reformation was a humanist educational movement: the advocates of reform considered the native language to be a basic element of a nation’s identity and a suitable way to address God. The second full Lithuanian edition of the Bible, prepared by Adam Friedrich Schimmelphennig (1699–1763), a poet, translator and nurturer of Lithuanian writing, was published in Königsberg in 1755. After studying at Königsberg University, Schimmelphennig served as parish priest at Papelkiai until the end of his life. He was one of the first writers of secular poetry in Lithuanian. The edition of the Bible prepared by Schimmelphennig contains the valuable Lithuanian preface in verse ‘Could not but Praise the Dawning of Divine Grace on Lithuania’, consisting of 192 lines, in which the author summarises the development of Lithuanian writing from the first Lithuanian book to the middle of the 18th century.

Text authors Rolandas Gustaitis and Algimantas Muzikevičius.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album ARS LIBRI (2022). Compiler Algimantas Muzikevičius, text authors Algimantas Muzikevičius, Rolandas Gustaitis