« | Job 33 | » |
1 Therefore, O Job, hear my discourse, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold, now I open my mouth; my tongue and my voice form words.
3 I will state directly what is in my mind, my lips shall utter knowledge sincerely;
4 For the spirit of God has made me, the breath of the Almighty keeps me alive.
5 If you are able, refute me; draw up your arguments and stand forth.
6 Behold I, like yourself, have been taken from the same clay by God.
7 Therefore no fear of me should dismay you, nor should my presence weigh heavily upon you.
8 But you have said in my hearing, as I listened to the sound of your words:
9 "I am clean and without transgression; I am innocent; there is no guilt in me.
10 Yet he invents pretexts against me and reckons me as his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks; he watches all my ways!"
12 In this you are not just, let me tell you; for God is greater than man.
13 Why, then, do you make complaint against him that he gives no account of his doings?
14 For God does speak, perhaps once, or even twice, though one perceive it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, (when deep sleep falls upon men) as they slumber in their beds,
16 It is then he opens the ears of men and as a warning to them, terrifies them;
17 By turning man from evil and keeping pride away from him,
18 He withholds his soul from the pit and his life from passing to the grave.
19 Or a man is chastened on his bed by pain and unceasing suffering within his frame,
20 So that to his appetite food becomes repulsive, and his senses reject the choicest nourishment.
21 His flesh is wasted so that it cannot be seen, and his bones, once invisible, appear;
22 His soul draws near to the pit, his life to the place of the dead.
23 If then there be for him an angel, one out of a thousand, a mediator, To show him what is right for him and bring the man back to justice,
24 He will take pity on him and say, "Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found him a ransom."
25 Then his flesh shall become soft as a boy's; he shall be again as in the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray and God will favor him; he shall see God's face with rejoicing.
27 He shall sing before men and say, "I sinned and did wrong, yet he has not punished me accordingly.
28 He delivered my soul from passing to the pit, and I behold the light of life."
29 Lo, all these things God does, twice, or thrice, for a man,
30 Bringing back his soul from the pit to the light, in the land of the living.
31 Be attentive, O Job; listen to me! Be silent and I will speak.
32 If you have aught to say, then answer me. Speak out! I should like to see you justified.
33 If not, then do you listen to me; be silent while I teach you wisdom.
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.