Most authoritative Old Testament language?

[Aethel]

We have several Old Testament versions with differences in variation:

Hebrew (Masoretic text, used by the Jews)
Greek (Septuagint text, used by Eastern Church and early Church)
Vulgate (translation of a Hebrew text with Greek influence, used by Rome since 4th century)
Peschitta (used by Syriac Church, version of Aramaic)
Samaritan version (used by Samaritans - there's apparently 900 Samaritans still in Israel)


Obviously the lattermost two are not gonna be as authorative as the first three, but for Catholics, is the Vulgate the most authoritative? And why?

Is there any value in learning Greek or Hebrew and reading the Old Testament in those languages?

[Michael Wilson]

Biblical Scholars learn the ancient Hebrew; Greek and Aramaic; because the oldest copies are in these languages. The Vulgate has authority in the Church, because of the sources that St. Jerome used; some of which were lost for a long time, such as the Hexapla; it has what is termed "juridical authority"; it can be used to settle questions on doctrine and quoted as a reliable source. But Catholics scholars are encouraged to use the other versions in order to approach as much as possible the original text.

[KreKre]

It's the Sixto-Clementine Vulgate. It was translated by Saint Jerome, and approved by popes Sixtus V and Clement VIII. All three men were great authorities on the matter (even though Clement disagreed with Sixtus), so this particular version of the Bible has great authority, too.

[Stubborn]

The Council of Trent:

DECREE CONCERNING THE EDITION, AND THE USE, OF THE SACRED BOOKS

Moreover, the same sacred and holy Synod,--considering that no small utility may
accrue to the Church of God, if it be made known which out of all the Latin editions,
now in circulation, of the sacred books, is to be held as authentic,--ordains and
declares, that the said old and vulgate edition, which, by the lengthened usage of so
many years, has been approved of in the Church, be, in public lectures, disputations,
sermons and expositions, held as authentic; and that no one is to dare, or presume to
reject it under any pretext whatever.