« | Job 37 | » |
1 At this my heart trembles and leaps out of its place,
2 To hear his angry voice as it rumbles forth from his mouth!
3 Everywhere under the heavens he sends it, with his lightning, to the ends of the earth.
4 Again his voice roars-- the majestic sound of his thunder.
5 He does great things beyond our knowing; wonders past our searching out.
6 For he says to the snow, "Fall to the earth"; likewise to his heavy, drenching rain.
7 He shuts up all mankind indoors;
8 the wild beasts take to cover and remain quietly in their dens.
9 Out of its chamber comes forth the tempest; from the north winds, the cold.
10 With his breath God brings the frost, and the broad waters become congealed.
11 With hail, also, the clouds are laden, as they scatter their flashes of light.
12 He it is who changes their rounds, according to his plans, in their task upon the surface of the earth,
13 whether for punishment or mercy, as he commands.
14 Hearken to this, O Job! Stand and consider the wondrous works of God!
15 Do you know how God lays his commands upon them, and makes the light shine forth from his clouds?
16 Do you know how the clouds are banked, the wondrous work of him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 You, whom the streams of water fail when a calm from the south comes over the land,
18 Do you spread out with him the firmament of the skies, hard as a brazen mirror?
19 Teach us then what we shall say to him; we cannot, for the darkness, make our plea.
20 Will he be told about it when I speak, or when a man says he is being destroyed?
21 Nay, rather, it is as the light which men see not while it is obscured among the clouds, till the wind comes by and sweeps the clouds away.
22 From the North the splendor comes, surrounding God's awesome majesty!
23 The Almighty! we cannot discover him, pre-eminent in power and judgment; his great justice owes no one an accounting.
24 Therefore men revere him, though none can see him, however wise their hearts.
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.