Job 18

1Alors Baldad de Suhé prit la parole et dit :

2Quand donc mettrez-vous un terme à ces discours ? Ayez de l’intelligence, puis nous parlerons.

3Pourquoi nous regardez-vous comme des brutes, et sommes-nous stupides à vos yeux ?

4Toi qui te déchires dans ta fureur, veux-tu qu’à cause de toi la terre devienne déserte, que le rocher soit transporté hors de sa place ?

5Oui, la lumière du méchant s’éteindra, et la flamme de son foyer cessera de briller.

6Le jour s’obscurcira sous sa tente, sa lampe s’éteindra au-dessus de lui.

7Ses pas si fermes seront à l’étroit, son propre conseil précipite sa chute.

8Ses pieds le jettent dans les rets, il marche sur le piège.

9Le filet saisit ses talons ; il est serré dans ses nœuds.

10Pour lui les lacs sont cachés sous terre, et la trappe est sur son sentier.

11De tous côtés des terreurs l’assiègent, et le poursuivent pas à pas.

12La disette est son châtiment, et la ruine est prête pour sa chute.

13La peau de ses membres est dévorée ; ses membres sont dévorés par le premier-né de la mort.

14Il est arraché de sa tente, où il se croyait en sûreté ; on le traîne vers le Roi des frayeurs.

15Nul des siens n’habite dans sa tente, le soufre est semé sur sa demeure.

16En bas, ses racines se dessèchent, en haut, ses rameaux sont coupés.

17Sa mémoire a disparu de la terre, il n’a plus de nom dans la contrée.

18On le chasse de la lumière dans les ténèbres, on le bannit de l’univers.

19Il ne laisse ni descendance ni postérité dans sa tribu ; aucun survivant dans son séjour.

20Les peuples de l’Occident sont stupéfaits de sa ruine, et ceux de l’Orient en sont saisis d’horreur.

21Telle est la demeure de l’impie, telle est la place de l’homme qui ne connaît pas Dieu.

1Respondens autem Baldad Suhites, dixit:

2[Usque ad quem finem verba jactabitis? intelligite prius, et sic loquamur.

3Quare reputati sumus ut jumenta, et sorduimus coram vobis?

4Qui perdis animam tuam in furore tuo, numquid propter te derelinquetur terra, et transferentur rupes de loco suo?

5Nonne lux impii extinguetur, nec splendebit flamma ignis ejus?

6Lux obtenebrescet in tabernaculo illius, et lucerna quæ super eum est extinguetur.

7Arctabuntur gressus virtutis ejus, et præcipitabit eum consilium suum.

8Immisit enim in rete pedes suos, et in maculis ejus ambulat.

9Tenebitur planta illius laqueo, et exardescet contra eum sitis.

10Abscondita est in terra pedica ejus, et decipula illius super semitam.

11Undique terrebunt eum formidines, et involvent pedes ejus.

12Attenuetur fame robur ejus, et inedia invadat costas illius.

13Devoret pulchritudinem cutis ejus; consumat brachia illius primogenita mors.

14Avellatur de tabernaculo suo fiducia ejus, et calcet super eum, quasi rex, interitus.

15Habitent in tabernaculo illius socii ejus qui non est; aspergatur in tabernaculo ejus sulphur.

16Deorsum radices ejus siccentur: sursum autem atteratur messis ejus.

17Memoria illius pereat de terra, et non celebretur nomen ejus in plateis.

18Expellet eum de luce in tenebras, et de orbe transferet eum.

19Non erit semen ejus, neque progenies in populo suo, nec ullæ reliquiæ in regionibus ejus.

20In die ejus stupebunt novissimi, et primos invadet horror.

21Hæc sunt ergo tabernacula iniqui, et iste locus ejus qui ignorat Deum.]

1Then Baldad the Suhite answered, and said:

2How long will you throw out words? understand first, and so let us speak.

3Why are we reputed as beasts, and counted vile before you?

4Thou that destroyest thy soul in thy fury, shall the earth be forsaken for thee, and shall rocks be removed out of their place?

5Shall not the light of the wicked be extinguished, and the flame of his fire not shine?

6The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and the lamp that is over him, shall be put out.

7The step of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down headlong.

8For he hath thrust his feet into a net, and walketh in its meshes.

9The sole of his foot shall be held in a snare, and thirst shall burn against him.

10A gin is hidden for him in the earth, and his trap upon the path.

11Fears shall terrify him on every side, and shall entangle his feet.

12Let his strength be wasted with famine, and let hunger invade his ribs.

13Let it devour the beauty of his skin, let the firstborn death consume his arms.

14Let his confidence be rooted out of his tabernacle, and let destruction tread upon him like a king.

15Let the companions of him that is not, dwell in his tabernacle, let brimstone be sprinkled in his tent.

16Let his roots be dried up beneath, and his harvest destroyed above.

17Let the memory of him perish from the earth and let not his name be renowned in the streets.

18He shall drive him out of light into darkness, and shall remove him out of the world.

19His seed shall not subsist, nor his offspring among his people, nor any remnants in his country.

20They that come after him shall be astonished at his day, and horror shall fall upon them that went before.

21These men are the tabernacles of the wicked, and this the place of him that knoweth not God.