« | Job 15 | » |
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite spoke and said:
2 Should a wise man answer with airy opinions, or puff himself up with wind?
3 Should he argue in speech which does not avail, and in words which are to no profit?
4 You in fact do away with piety, and you lessen devotion toward God,
5 Because your wickedness instructs your mouth, and you choose to speak like the crafty.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips refute you.
7 Are you indeed the first-born of mankind, or were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Are you privy to the counsels of God, and do you restrict wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know? What intelligence have you which we have not?
10 There are gray-haired old men among us more advanced in years than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God not enough for you, and speech that deals gently with you?
12 Why do your notions carry you away, and why do your eyes blink,
13 So that you turn your anger against God and let such words escape your mouth!
14 What is a man that he should be blameless, one born of woman that he should be righteous?
15 If in his holy ones God places no confidence, and if the heavens are not clean in his sight,
16 How much less so is the abominable, the corrupt: man, who drinks in iniquity like water!
17 I will show you, if you listen to me; what I have seen I will tell--
18 What wise men relate and have not contradicted since the days of their fathers,
19 To whom alone the land was given, when no foreigner moved among them.
20 The wicked man is in torment all his days, and limited years are in store for the tyrant;
21 The sound of terrors is in his ears; when all is prosperous, the spoiler comes upon him.
22 He despairs of escaping the darkness, and looks ever for the sword;
23 A wanderer, food for the vultures, he knows that his destruction is imminent.
24 By day the darkness fills him with dread; distress and anguish overpower him.
25 Because he has stretched out his hand against God and bade defiance to the Almighty,
26 One shall rush sternly upon him with the stout bosses of his shield, like a king prepared for the charge.
27 Because he has blinded himself with his crassness, padding his loins with fat,
28 He shall dwell in ruinous cities, in houses that are deserted, That are crumbling into clay
29 with no shadow to lengthen over the ground. He shall not be rich, and his possessions shall not endure;
30 A flame shall wither him up in his early growth, and with the wind his blossoms shall disappear.
31 for vain shall be his bartering.
32 His stalk shall wither before its time, and his branches shall be green no more.
33 He shall be like a vine that sheds its grapes unripened, and like an olive tree casting off its bloom.
34 For the breed of the impious shall be sterile, and fire shall consume the tents of extortioners.
35 They conceive malice and bring forth emptiness; they give birth to failure.
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.