« | Job 39 | » |
1 "Do you know when the wild goats give birth? Have you watched as deer are born in the wild?
2 Do you know how many months they carry their young? Are you aware of the time of their delivery?
3 They crouch down to give birth to their young and deliver their offspring.
4 Their young grow up in the open fields, then leave home and never return.
5 "Who gives the wild donkey its freedom? Who untied its ropes?
6 I have placed it in the wilderness; its home is the wasteland.
7 It hates the noise of the city and has no driver to shout at it.
8 The mountains are its pastureland, where it searches for every blade of grass.
9 "Will the wild ox consent to being tamed? Will it spend the night in your stall?
10 Can you hitch a wild ox to a plow? Will it plow a field for you?
11 Given its strength, can you trust it? Can you leave and trust the ox to do your work?
12 Can you rely on it to bring home your grain and deliver it to your threshing floor?
13 "The ostrich flaps her wings grandly, but they are no match for the feathers of the stork.
14 She lays her eggs on top of the earth, letting them be warmed in the dust.
15 She doesn't worry that a foot might crush them or a wild animal might destroy them.
16 She is harsh toward her young, as if they were not her own. She doesn't care if they die.
17 For God has deprived her of wisdom. He has given her no understanding.
18 But whenever she jumps up to run, she passes the swiftest horse with its rider.
19 "Have you given the horse its strength or clothed its neck with a flowing mane?
20 Did you give it the ability to leap like a locust? Its majestic snorting is terrifying!
21 It paws the earth and rejoices in its strength when it charges out to battle.
22 It laughs at fear and is unafraid. It does not run from the sword.
23 The arrows rattle against it, and the spear and javelin flash.
24 It paws the ground fiercely and rushes forward into battle when the ram's horn blows.
25 It snorts at the sound of the horn. It senses the battle in the distance. It quivers at the captain's commands and the noise of battle.
26 "Is it your wisdom that makes the hawk soar and spread its wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your command that the eagle rises to the heights to make its nest?
28 It lives on the cliffs, making its home on a distant, rocky crag.
29 From there it hunts its prey, keeping watch with piercing eyes.
30 Its young gulp down blood. Where there's a carcass, there you'll find it."
The New Living Translation (NLT)
The New Living Translation (NLT) is a modern English translation of the Bible that aims to make the Scriptures accessible and engaging for contemporary readers. First published in 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers, the NLT was conceived as an effort to create a translation that combines both accuracy and readability. Unlike many other translations that focus on a word-for-word rendering of the original texts, the NLT employs a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, also known as dynamic equivalence. This approach prioritizes conveying the meaning and message of the original texts in a way that is natural and understandable in modern English.
One of the defining features of the NLT is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators, a team of over 90 evangelical scholars, aimed to create a text that would be approachable for a wide audience, including those who may find traditional translations challenging to read. The NLT’s language is contemporary and conversational, making it particularly effective for public reading, teaching, and personal study. This emphasis on readability helps ensure that the profound messages of the Bible are easily grasped and retained by readers from various backgrounds and levels of biblical knowledge.
The NLT also incorporates a rich array of study aids designed to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These include book introductions, footnotes, cross-references, and explanatory notes that provide historical, cultural, and theological context. These features are particularly useful for readers who seek a deeper comprehension of the Scriptures and their application to modern life. The translation also includes clear and concise headings that help guide readers through the narrative and thematic structure of each book, making it easier to follow and comprehend the overall message.
Despite its many strengths, the New Living Translation has faced some criticism, particularly from those who favor more literal translations. Critics argue that the dynamic equivalence approach, while making the text more readable, can sometimes result in a loss of the precise nuances and literary qualities of the original languages. Some scholars believe that certain theological concepts might be oversimplified in the process of making the text more accessible. Nevertheless, the NLT remains one of the most popular and widely used translations today, valued for its readability, clarity, and ability to convey the timeless truths of the Bible in a way that resonates with contemporary readers.