Job 26

1Alors Job prit la parole et dit :

2Comme tu sais venir en aide à la faiblesse, prêter secours au bras sans force !

3Comme tu conseilles bien l’ignorant ! Quelle abondance de sagesse tu fais paraître !

4À qui adresses-tu des paroles ? Et de qui est l’esprit qui sort de ta bouche ?

5Devant Dieu, les ombres tremblent sous les eaux et leurs habitants.

6Le schéol est à nu devant lui, et l’abîme n’a point de voile.

7Il étend le septentrion sur le vide, il suspend la terre sur le néant.

8Il renferme les eaux dans ses nuages, et les nues ne se déchirent pas sous leur poids.

9Il voile la face de son trône, il étend sur lui ses nuées.

10Il a tracé un cercle à la surface des eaux, au point de division de la lumière et des ténèbres.

11Les colonnes du ciel s’ébranlent, et s’épouvantent à sa menace.

12Par sa puissance il soulève la mer, par sa sagesse il brise l’orgueil.

13Par son souffle le ciel devient serein, sa main a formé le serpent fuyard.

14Tels sont les bords de ses voies, le léger murmure que nous en percevons ; mais le tonnerre de sa puissance, qui pourra l’entendre ?

1Respondens autem Job dixit:

2[Cujus adjutor es? numquid imbecillis? et sustentas brachium ejus qui non est fortis?

3Cui dedisti consilium? forsitan illi qui non habet sapientiam: et prudentiam tuam ostendisti plurimam.

4Quem docere voluisti? nonne eum qui fecit spiramentum?

5Ecce gigantes gemunt sub aquis, et qui habitant cum eis.

6Nudus est infernus coram illo, et nullum est operimentum perditioni.

7Qui extendit aquilonem super vacuum, et appendit terram super nihilum.

8Qui ligat aquas in nubibus suis, ut non erumpant pariter deorsum.

9Qui tenet vultum solii sui, et expandit super illud nebulam suam.

10Terminum circumdedit aquis, usque dum finiantur lux et tenebræ.

11Columnæ cæli contremiscunt, et pavent ad nutum ejus.

12In fortitudine illius repente maria congregata sunt, et prudentia ejus percussit superbum.

13Spiritus ejus ornavit cælos, et obstetricante manu ejus, eductus est coluber tortuosus.

14Ecce hæc ex parte dicta sunt viarum ejus: et cum vix parvam stillam sermonis ejus audierimus, quis poterit tonitruum magnitudinis illius intueri?]

1Then Job answered, and said:

2Whose helper art thou? is it of him that is weak? and dost thou hold up the arm of him that has no strength?

3To whom hast thou given counsel? perhaps to him that hath no wisdom, and thou hast shewn thy very great prudence.

4Whom hast thou desired to teach? was it not him that made life?

5Behold the giants groan under the waters, and they that dwell with them.

6Hell is naked before him, and there is no covering for destruction.

7He stretched out the north over the empty space, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

8He bindeth up the waters in his clouds, so that they break not out and fall down together.

9He withholdeth the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud over it.

10He hath set bounds about the waters, till light and darkness come to an end.

11The pillars of heaven tremble, and dread at his beck.

12By his power the seas are suddenly gathered together, and his wisdom has struck the proud one.

13His spirit hath adorned the heavens, and his obstetric hand brought forth the winding serpent.

14Lo, these things are said in part of his ways: and seeing we have heard scarce a little drop of his word, who shall be able to behold the thunder of his greatness?