« | Job 19 | » |
1 Then Job answered:
2 "How long will you torment me, and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times you have cast reproach upon me; are you not ashamed to wrong me?
4 And even if it be true that I have erred, my error remains with myself.
5 If indeed you magnify yourselves against me, and make my humiliation an argument against me,
6 know then that God has put me in the wrong, and closed his net about me.
7 Behold, I cry out, `Violence!' but I am not answered; I call aloud, but there is no justice.
8 He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths.
9 He has stripped from me my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone, and my hope has he pulled up like a tree.
11 He has kindled his wrath against me, and counts me as his adversary.
12 His troops come on together; they have cast up siegeworks against me, and encamp round about my tent.
13 "He has put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk and my close friends have failed me;
15 the guests in my house have forgotten me; my maidservants count me as a stranger; I have become an alien in their eyes.
16 I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer; I must beseech him with my mouth.
17 I am repulsive to my wife, loathsome to the sons of my own mother.
18 Even young children despise me; when I rise they talk against me.
19 All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me.
20 My bones cleave to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!
22 Why do you, like God, pursue me? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?
23 "Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth;
26 and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God,
27 whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
28 If you say, `How we will pursue him!' and, `The root of the matter is found in him';
29 be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment."
The Revised Standard Version (RSV)
The Revised Standard Version (RSV) is a widely respected English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1952 by the National Council of Churches. It was developed as a revision of the American Standard Version (ASV) of 1901, with the primary aim of providing a more accurate and readable text while retaining the literary qualities of its predecessor. The RSV sought to modernize the language of the ASV without sacrificing its faithfulness to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts, making it a significant milestone in the history of English Bible translations.
One of the key features of the RSV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or a word-for-word translation approach. This method ensures that the translation closely mirrors the structure and wording of the original texts, allowing readers to engage more directly with the biblical languages. The translators of the RSV were guided by the latest biblical scholarship of their time, and they endeavored to produce a text that was both accurate and elegant. This combination of precision and literary quality has made the RSV a popular choice for both academic study and liturgical use.
The RSV also stands out for its ecumenical appeal. It was one of the first translations to be accepted across a wide range of Christian denominations, including Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions. This broad acceptance was partly due to the inclusive approach of the translation committee, which included scholars from various religious backgrounds. The RSV’s ecumenical nature helped it gain widespread usage in churches, seminaries, and universities, fostering a greater sense of unity among different Christian communities.
Despite its many strengths, the RSV has faced some criticism over the years. Some conservative scholars and readers have expressed concerns about certain translation choices, arguing that they reflect modernist theological perspectives. Additionally, the RSV’s use of archaic language in certain passages has been a point of contention for those seeking a more contemporary rendering of the Bible. Nonetheless, the Revised Standard Version remains a highly respected and influential translation, valued for its accuracy, literary excellence, and broad ecumenical acceptance. It continues to serve as a foundation for later revisions and translations, such as the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and the English Standard Version (ESV).