« | Proverbs 6 | » |
1 My son, if you have become surety to your neighbor, given your hand in pledge to another,
2 You have been snared by the utterance of your lips, caught by the words of your mouth;
3 So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's power: Go, hurry, stir up your neighbor!
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids;
5 Free yourself as a gazelle from the snare, or as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom;
7 For though she has no chief, no commander or ruler,
8 She procures her food in the summer, stores up her provisions in the harvest.
9 How long, O sluggard, will you rest? when will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest--
11 Then will poverty come upon you like a highway man, and want like an armed man.
12 A scoundrel, a villain, is he who deals in crooked talk.
13 He winks his eyes, shuffles his feet, makes signs with his fingers;
14 He has perversity in his heart, is always plotting evil, sows discord.
15 Therefore suddenly ruin comes upon him; in an instant he is crushed beyond cure.
16 There are six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to him;
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood;
18 A heart that plots wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
19 The false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 Observe, my son, your father's bidding, and reject not your mother's teaching;
21 Keep them fastened over your heart always, put them around your neck;
22 When you lie down she will watch over you, and when you wake, she will share your concerns; wherever you turn, she will guide you.
23 For the bidding is a lamp, and the teaching a light, and a way to life are the reproofs of discipline;
24 To keep you from your neighbor's wife, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 Lust not in your heart after her beauty, let her not captivate you with her glance!
26 For the price of a loose woman may be scarcely a loaf of bread, But if she is married, she is a trap for your precious life.
27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his garments not burned?
28 Or can a man walk on live coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 So with him who goes in to his neighbor's wife-- none who touches her shall go unpunished.
30 Men despise not the thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry;
31 Yet if he be caught he must pay back sevenfold; all the wealth of his house he may yield up.
32 But he who commits adultery is a fool; he who would destroy himself does it.
33 A degrading beating will he get, and his disgrace will not be wiped away;
34 For vindictive is the husband's wrath, he will have no pity on the day of vengeance;
35 He will not consider any restitution, nor be satisfied with the greatest gifts.
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.