Featured The "Literal" NASU? Really?

One person on the BB has the mistaken notion that the NASU (also known as NASB --but I am referencing the 1995 Updated edition) generally puts the "literal" in the text while the more understandable and meaningful reading is put in the footnotes or marginal notes. He is very wrong. First of all, the term "literal" is misplaced. A translated word or phrase can have a core or primary meaning --but to call it "literal" is wishful thinking.

I will simply put the "Lit." in bold print and occasionally join it with some few words from the text. In all of these cases the boldface type was relegated to the marginal notes. Please note how often the "Lit." is not in ther text. I certainly will not be exhaustive --but you will get the idea.

I commend the NASU for what the translators have done. The meaning should indeed go into the text itself. And they do it much of the time --like the NIV and the majority of Bible translations.

I will start of with a few examples from the book of Galatians.

1:14 : race [text --countrymen]
2:6 : does not receive a face [text --shows no partiality]
3:25 : child-conductor [text --tutor]
4:13 : weakness of the flesh : [text --bodily illness]
4:14 : flesh [ text--bodily condition]
5:17 : wish [text --please]

 

Examples from 1 Corinthians follow:

4:18 : puffed up [see also v.5:2 and 8:1. In that last reference the NIV has "puffs up" in the text.]
7:20 : remain in that calling
7:21 : Let it not be a care to you
7:25 : has had mercy shown on him by the Lord to be trustworthy
7:28 : tribulation in the flesh
7:36 : let them marry
8:8 lacking ...abounding
8:9 : man
9:13 : with the altar
9:27 : bruise my body
10:9 : made trial
10:18 : Israel according to the flesh
10:24 : the other
10:26 : its fullness
11:18 : schisms
14:2 : hears
15:3 : among the first
15:32 : according to man
15:34 : righteously
15:42 : in corruption [twice in this verse]
15:47 : made of dust

 

Duh, ya think?

Quite the contrary. If you will note in the OP, I commend the NASU for putting the "Lit." in the marginal notes and the more idiomatic in the text.

 

Acts

1:15 : (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty names)
2:1 : When the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled
2:17 : on all flesh
2:23 : by the hands of men without the law
2:27 : Nor allow Your Holy One to see corruption [v.31 also]
2:30 : to seat one of the fruit of his loins
2:43 : fear was occurring to every soul
3:25 : which God covenated
4:4 : This one is the stone
5:8 : for so much
5:16 : multitude
5:20 : all the words
5:24 : as to what this would become
5:36 : and all who were obeying him
5:40 : They were persuaded by him...not to be speaking
[In the NIV text it has "His speech persuaded them..." The NASU text has "They took his advice...]
5:42 : were not ceasing telling the good news

 

Continuing in Acts :

6:2 : the mulititude
7:14 : seventy-five souls
7:20 : he was lovely to God
7:23 : it entered his heart
7:25 : deliverance through his hand
7:34 : and now come [NIV --now come]
7:35 : with the hand of the angel
8:1 : occurred
9:28 : going in and going out
9:31 : was having
9:37 : in those days

 

Continuing in Acts :

Chapter ten:

14 : common
15 : made common
17: himself
20 : doubting nothing
22 : words from you
28 : common
33 : done well in coming
35 : works
39 : wood
44 : word

 

Acts Eleven:

4 : and was explaining
20 : Hellenists
22 : The word about them was heard
23 : saw the grace og God...with purpose of heart
29 : for the service
30 : by the hand of

12:8 : bind
12:23 : breathed his last breath

 

Acts 13
22 : wishes
24 : the face of His entering
27 : the voices of the prophets
28 : destroyed
34 : trustworthy
37 : see corruption
38 : this One
39 : justified
41 : disappear
42 : words

 

Acts

14:9 : saved
15:20 : the pollutions of
15:26 : given over
17:3 : opening and placing before
17:19 : which is being spoken by you
18:24 : a learned man [NIV : learned man; NASU text : eloquent]
18:26 : this man
19:35 : Zeus
20:12 : not moderately
20:26 : pure from
20:37 : a considerable weeping of all occurred and threw themselves on Paul's neck

 

Acts 21

5 : When we had completed the days
25 : the thing
30 : a running together o fthe people occurred
34 : certainly
38 : days

22:3 : at the feet of
11 : glory
29 : withdrew from [NIV text --withdrew]

23:21 : so do not be persuaded by them

24:14 : the ancestral God
24:16 : practice

 

Concluding Acts:
27:29 : they were praying for it to become day [NIV : prayed for daylight.]
27:36 : became cheerful
28:2 : barbarians
28:17 : he [NASU :text Paul; NIV text : he]
28:22 : what you think
28:26 : seeing you will see

 

Philemon
vs. 6 : toward Christ

Jude
11 : they have poured themselves out
13 : blackness of darkness of netherworld: gloom
19 : not having the Spirit
25 : to all the ages

 

Psalms

4:4 : Speak in your heart
5:4 : No evil sojourns with You
5:9 : There is nothing reliable in his mouth
7:4 : If I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me
7:9 : For the righteous God tries the hearts and kidneys
7:10 : My shield is upon God
7:12 : He has bent His bow and fixed it
10:18 : To judge the orphans
12:4 : Our lips are with us

 

Psalms

16:3 : As for the holy ones who are in the earth
16:7 : My kidneys instruct me in the night [Funny]
17:8 : keep me as the pupil, the daughter of the eye [Who in their right mind would put THAT in the text?]
17:10 : They have closed their fat heart ['Callous hearts' or something like that works much better in the text.]
18:26 : And with the crooked show Yourself twisted. [Yet another example where the idiomatic is much to be preferredin the text.]
18:45 : And come trembling out of their fastnesses. [Come again? Strongholds or fortresses are much better choices for the text.]

 

Again, in this thread I am highlighting the "Lit." marginal notes of the NASB from various verses. So the bold print indicates what the NASU did not put in the text. I agree with the translators putting the more idiomatic and understandable reading in the text. That's the way the vast majority of English translations handle it. It would be foolish to do otherwise except when the "literal" makes sense in the context.

 

Psalms
20: 3 : And find your burnt offerings fat.
20:7 : But we will make mention in the name of the Lord, our God.
22:2 : And by night there is no silence for me.
22:20 : my only life from the paw of the dog.
22:29 : All the fat ones of the earth will eat and worship.
23:2 : He leads me beside waters of rest.
23:6 : And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days.

 

Psalms
26:1 : And I have trusted in the Lord I do not slide.
26:2 : Test my kidneys and my heart.
27:4 : To behold the delightfulness of the Lord.
27:12 : Do not deliver me over to the soul of my adversaries.
30:4 : And gave thanks to His holy memorial.
30:12 : That my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.

 

Psalms
31:6 : I hate those who regard empty vanities.
31:13 : For I have heard the whispering of many.
32:4 : My life juices were turned into the drought of summer.
[There should not be an argument from anyone that the above needs to be put into the text.]
32:6 : let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time of finding out.
36:8 ; They drink their fill of the fatness of Your house.

 

37:18 : The Lord knows the day of the complete.
37:28 : For the Lord loves judgment.
37:37 : For the man of peace will have an end.
38:8 : because of the growling of my heart.
38:10 : And the light of my eyes, even they have... is not with me.
39:5 : standing firm
39:6 : an image