« | Ecclesiastes 10 | » |
1 As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.
2 A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one.
3 You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street!
4 If your boss is angry at you, don't quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.
5 There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake
6 when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth.
7 I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes-- and princes walking like servants!
8 When you dig a well, you might fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake.
9 When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you. When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax.
10 Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.
11 If a snake bites before you charm it, what's the use of being a snake charmer?
12 Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words.
13 Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness;
14 they chatter on and on. No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future.
15 Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they can't even find their way home.
16 What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant, the land whose leaders feast in the morning.
17 Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader and whose leaders feast at the proper time to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.
18 Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.
19 A party gives laughter, wine gives happiness, and money gives everything!
20 Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts. And don't make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom. For a little bird might deliver your message and tell them what you said.
The New Living Translation (NLT)
The New Living Translation (NLT) is a modern English translation of the Bible that aims to make the Scriptures accessible and engaging for contemporary readers. First published in 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers, the NLT was conceived as an effort to create a translation that combines both accuracy and readability. Unlike many other translations that focus on a word-for-word rendering of the original texts, the NLT employs a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, also known as dynamic equivalence. This approach prioritizes conveying the meaning and message of the original texts in a way that is natural and understandable in modern English.
One of the defining features of the NLT is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators, a team of over 90 evangelical scholars, aimed to create a text that would be approachable for a wide audience, including those who may find traditional translations challenging to read. The NLT’s language is contemporary and conversational, making it particularly effective for public reading, teaching, and personal study. This emphasis on readability helps ensure that the profound messages of the Bible are easily grasped and retained by readers from various backgrounds and levels of biblical knowledge.
The NLT also incorporates a rich array of study aids designed to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These include book introductions, footnotes, cross-references, and explanatory notes that provide historical, cultural, and theological context. These features are particularly useful for readers who seek a deeper comprehension of the Scriptures and their application to modern life. The translation also includes clear and concise headings that help guide readers through the narrative and thematic structure of each book, making it easier to follow and comprehend the overall message.
Despite its many strengths, the New Living Translation has faced some criticism, particularly from those who favor more literal translations. Critics argue that the dynamic equivalence approach, while making the text more readable, can sometimes result in a loss of the precise nuances and literary qualities of the original languages. Some scholars believe that certain theological concepts might be oversimplified in the process of making the text more accessible. Nevertheless, the NLT remains one of the most popular and widely used translations today, valued for its readability, clarity, and ability to convey the timeless truths of the Bible in a way that resonates with contemporary readers.