Did Justinian Accuse Yahudi Interpreters of Hiding or Corrupting the Meaning from Ordinary People?
Novella 146, Ch. 1 · 553 CE
What the ancient record says
Yes, some of the strongest language in the law. He argues that allowing understandable translations would prevent interpreters who depended on people's lack of knowledge of Lashon Qanaʿan (Hebrew) from controlling what those people understood; a traditional translation represents him accusing interpreters of being able to corrupt the meaning because ordinary listeners could not detect it.
His argument: the people cannot understand the source language, therefore interpreters can control what the people believe it means; his solution was to allow the writings to be heard in understandable languages. Was the accusation proven?
No, we can prove Justinian made the accusation; we cannot automatically prove every Yahudi interpreter was actually corrupting the writings; an imperial accusation remains an accusation until independently demonstrated. Matters because his government claimed authority over textual access, interpretation, and who could control the meaning heard by a congregation.
His solution was not theologically neutral, he simultaneously expresses his own Christian interpretation.
Read it for yourself. Novella 146, Preface + Ch. 1.
Evidence strength: Directly proven, Justinian made the accusation. Not proven by the law, that every interpreter was guilty.