« | Psalm 10 | » |
1 Why, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In their arrogance the wicked hunt down the weak, catching them in the schemes they devise.
3 They boast about the cravings of their hearts; they bless the greedy and revile the LORD.
4 In their pride the wicked do not seek him; in all their thoughts there is no room for God.
5 Their ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by them; they sneer at all their enemies.
6 They say to themselves, "Nothing will ever shake us." They swear, "No one will ever do us harm."
7 Their mouths are full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under their tongues.
8 They lie in wait near the villages; from ambush they murder the innocent. Their eyes watch in secret for their victims;
9 like a lion in cover they lie in wait. They lie in wait to catch the helpless; they catch the helpless and drag them off in their nets.
10 The innocent are crushed, they collapse; they fall victim to superior strength.
11 The wicked say to themselves, "God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees."
12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.
13 Why do the wicked revile God? Why do they say to themselves, "He won't call us to account"?
14 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arms of the wicked and the evildoers; call them to account for their wickedness that would not otherwise be found out.
16 The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.
17 You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.
Today’s New International Version (TNIV)
Today’s New International Version (TNIV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that was first published in its complete form in 2005 by the International Bible Society, now known as Biblica. The TNIV is a revision of the New International Version (NIV), which was initially released in 1978. The primary goal of the TNIV was to update the language and address gender inclusivity while maintaining the readability and accuracy that made the NIV popular. The translation aimed to reflect contemporary English usage and to be accessible to a broad audience, including both men and women.
One of the key features of the TNIV is its commitment to gender-inclusive language. The translators sought to avoid gender-specific terms where the original texts did not explicitly require them, thereby making the text more inclusive and reflective of modern linguistic sensibilities. For example, where the original Greek or Hebrew text used terms that referred to both men and women, the TNIV translated them in a gender-neutral manner. This approach aimed to make the Bible more accessible and relatable to all readers, ensuring that no one felt excluded by the language used.
The TNIV also made several other updates to enhance clarity and readability. The translators incorporated the latest biblical scholarship and linguistic research to ensure that the translation accurately conveyed the meaning of the original texts. They aimed to strike a balance between maintaining the formal equivalence of the original languages and using dynamic equivalence to make the text more understandable for contemporary readers. This involved updating archaic words and phrases, improving sentence structures, and clarifying ambiguous passages without losing the essence of the original scriptures.
Despite its strengths, the TNIV faced significant controversy and criticism, particularly from conservative Christian groups and scholars. Critics argued that the gender-inclusive language could potentially distort the intended meaning of the biblical texts and that the changes were driven more by cultural trends than by faithful adherence to the original manuscripts. The debate over the TNIV’s translation choices led to its eventual discontinuation, with Biblica deciding to focus on updating the NIV instead. However, the TNIV’s influence can still be seen in subsequent revisions of the NIV, which have incorporated some of the gender-inclusive principles and linguistic updates introduced by the TNIV.