« | Proverbs 5 | » |
1 My son, to my wisdom be attentive, to my knowledge incline your ear,
2 That discretion may watch over you, and understanding may guard you.
3 The lips of an adulteress drip with honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;
4 But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, as sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death, to the nether world her steps attain;
6 Lest you see before you the road to life, her paths will ramble, you know not where.
7 So now, O children, listen to me, go not astray from the words of my mouth.
8 Keep your way far from her, approach not the door of her house,
9 Lest you give your honor to others, and your years to a merciless one;
10 Lest strangers have their fill of your wealth, your hard-won earnings go to an alien's house;
11 And you groan in the end, when your flesh and your body are consumed;
12 And you say, "Oh, why did I hate instruction, and my heart spurn reproof!
13 Why did I not listen to the voice of my teachers, nor to my instructors incline my ear!
14 I have all but come to utter ruin, condemned by the public assembly!"
15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
16 How may your water sources be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets?
17 Let your fountain be yours alone, not one shared with strangers;
18 And have joy of the wife of your youth,
19 your lovely hind, your graceful doe. Her love will invigorate you always, through her love you will flourish continually,
20 Why then, my son, should you go astray for another's wife and accept the embraces of an adulteress?
21 For each man's ways are plain to the LORD'S sight; all their paths he surveys;
22 By his own iniquities the wicked man will be caught, in the meshes of his own sin he will be held fast;
23 He will die from lack of discipline, through the greatness of his folly he will be lost.
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.