« | Job 27 | » |
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2 As God lives, who withholds my deserts, the Almighty, who has made bitter my soul,
3 So long as I still have life in me and the breath of God is in my nostrils,
4 My lips shall not speak falsehood, nor my tongue utter deceit!
5 Far be it from me to account you right; till I die I will not renounce my innocence.
6 My justice I maintain and I will not relinquish it; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.
7 Let my enemy be as the wicked and my adversary as the unjust!
8 For what can the impious man expect when he is cut off, when God requires his life?
9 Will God then attend to his cry when calamity comes upon him?
10 Will he then delight in the Almighty and call upon him constantly?
11 I will teach you the manner of God's dealings, and the way of the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Behold, you yourselves have all seen it; why then do you spend yourselves in idle words!
13 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the inheritance an oppressor receives from the Almighty:
14 Though his children be many, the sword is their destiny. His offspring shall not be filled with bread.
15 His survivors, when they die, shall have no burial, and their widows shall not be mourned.
16 Though he heap up silver like dust and store away mounds of clothing,
17 What he has stored the just man shall wear, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
18 He builds his house as of cobwebs, or like a booth put up by the vine-keeper.
19 He lies down a rich man, one last time; he opens his eyes and nothing remains to him.
20 Terrors rush upon him by day; at night the tempest carries him off.
21 The storm wind seizes him and he disappears; it sweeps him out of his place.
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.