« | Job 12 | » |
1 Then Job replied and said:
2 No doubt you are the intelligent folk, and with you wisdom shall die!
3 But I have intelligence as well as you; for who does not know such things as these?
4 I have become the sport of my neighbors: "The one whom God answers when he calls upon him, The just, the perfect man," is a laughing-stock;
5 The undisturbed esteem my downfall a disgrace such as awaits unsteady feet;
6 Yet the tents of robbers are prosperous, and those who provoke God are secure.
7 But now ask the beasts to teach you, and the birds of the air to tell you;
8 Or the reptiles on earth to instruct you, and the fish of the sea to inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of God has done this?
10 In his hand is the soul of every living thing, and the life breath of all mankind.
11 Does not the ear judge words as the mouth tastes food?
12 So with old age is wisdom, and with length of days understanding.
13 With him are wisdom and might; his are counsel and understanding.
14 If he breaks a thing down, there is no rebuilding; if he imprisons a man, there is no release.
15 He holds back the waters and there is drought; he sends them forth and they overwhelm the land.
16 With him are strength and prudence; the misled and the misleaders are his.
17 He sends counselors away barefoot, and of judges he makes fools.
18 He loosens the bonds imposed by kings and leaves but a waistcloth to bind the king's own loins.
19 and lets their never-failing waters flow away.
20 He silences the trusted adviser, and takes discretion from the aged.
21 He breaks down the barriers of the streams
22 The recesses of the darkness he discloses, and brings the gloom forth to the light.
23 He makes nations great and he destroys them; he spreads peoples abroad and he abandons them.
24 He takes understanding from the leaders of the land,
25 till they grope in the darkness without light; he makes them stagger like drunken men.
The New American Standard Updated Version (NASU)
The New American Standard Updated Version (NASU) is a highly respected English translation of the Bible known for its rigorous adherence to the original languages of Scripture. First published in 1995 by the Lockman Foundation, the NASU is an update of the New American Standard Bible (NASB), which was originally completed in 1971. The NASU seeks to improve upon the NASB by enhancing readability and modernizing the language while maintaining the translation’s reputation for being one of the most literal translations available. This makes the NASU a preferred choice for serious Bible study, preaching, and teaching.
A key feature of the NASU is its commitment to formal equivalence, or a word-for-word translation philosophy. The translators aimed to produce a text that is as close as possible to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. This approach ensures that the NASU captures the precise meaning and structure of the original texts, providing readers with a highly accurate and reliable representation of the Scriptures. The use of formal equivalence makes the NASU particularly valuable for those who desire a deep and detailed understanding of the Bible, including scholars, theologians, and students of the Word.
In updating the NASB, the NASU made several important changes to improve clarity and readability. While maintaining the accuracy and literalness of the translation, the NASU incorporates modern English expressions and smoother sentence structures. This makes the text more accessible to contemporary readers without compromising the precision that the NASB is known for. The NASU also includes updated cross-references and footnotes, which provide additional context and insights, further aiding in the study and understanding of the biblical text.
Despite its many strengths, the NASU has faced some criticism. Some readers and scholars argue that the translation’s emphasis on literalness can sometimes result in a text that feels stiff or less fluid than more dynamic translations. Additionally, while the NASU’s updated language makes it more accessible, some feel that it could go further in adapting to contemporary usage without losing its accuracy. Nevertheless, the New American Standard Updated Version remains a highly esteemed translation, valued for its fidelity to the original texts and its usefulness for in-depth study and precise interpretation of the Bible.