约伯传 4

1Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:

2If we begin to speak to thee, perhaps thou wilt take it ill, but who can withhold the words he hath conceived?

3Behold thou hast taught many, and thou hast strengthened the weary hands:

4Thy words have confirmed them that were staggering, and thou hast strengthened the trembling knees:

5But now the scourge is come upon thee, and thou faintest: it hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.

6Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience, and the perfection of thy ways?

7Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? or when were the just destroyed?

8On the contrary I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them,

9Perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the spirit of his wrath.

10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the whelps of lions are broken:

11The tiger hath perished for want of prey, and the young lions are scattered abroad.

12Now there was a word spoken to me in private, and my ears by stealth as it were received the veins of its whisper.

13In the horror of a vision by night, when deep sleep is wont to hold men,

14Fear seized upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were affrighted:

15And when a spirit passed before me, the hair of my flesh stood up.

16There stood one whose countenance I knew not, an image before my eyes, and I heard the voice as it were of a gentle wind:

17Shall man be justified in comparison of God, or shall a man be more pure than his maker?

18Behold they that serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he found wickedness:

19How much more shall they that dwell in houses of clay, who have an earthly foundation, be consumed as with the moth?

20From morning till evening they shall be cut down: and because no one understandeth, they shall perish for ever.

21And they that shall be left, shall be taken away from them: they shall die, and not in wisdom.

1Respondens autem Eliphaz Themanites, dixit:

2[Si cœperimus loqui tibi, forsitan moleste accipies; sed conceptum sermonem tenere quis poterit?

3Ecce docuisti multos, et manus lassas roborasti;

4vacillantes confirmaverunt sermones tui, et genua trementia confortasti.

5Nunc autem venit super te plaga, et defecisti; tetigit te, et conturbatus es.

6Ubi est timor tuus, fortitudo tua, patientia tua, et perfectio viarum tuarum?

7Recordare, obsecro te, quis umquam innocens periit? aut quando recti deleti sunt?

8Quin potius vidi eos qui operantur iniquitatem, et seminant dolores, et metunt eos,

9flante Deo perisse, et spiritu iræ ejus esse consumptos.

10Rugitus leonis, et vox leænæ, et dentes catulorum leonum contriti sunt.

11Tigris periit, eo quod non haberet prædam, et catuli leonis dissipati sunt.

12Porro ad me dictum est verbum absconditum, et quasi furtive suscepit auris mea venas susurri ejus.

13In horrore visionis nocturnæ, quando solet sopor occupare homines,

14pavor tenuit me, et tremor, et omnia ossa mea perterrita sunt;

15et cum spiritus, me præsente, transiret, inhorruerunt pili carnis meæ.

16Stetit quidam, cujus non agnoscebam vultum, imago coram oculis meis, et vocem quasi auræ lenis audivi.

17Numquid homo, Dei comparatione, justificabitur? aut factore suo purior erit vir?

18Ecce qui serviunt ei, non sunt stabiles, et in angelis suis reperit pravitatem;

19quanto magis hi qui habitant domos luteas, qui terrenum habent fundamentum, consumentur velut a tinea?

20De mane usque ad vesperam succidentur; et quia nullus intelligit, in æternum peribunt.

21Qui autem reliqui fuerint, auferentur ex eis; morientur, et non in sapientia.]

1But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:

2If we start to speak to you, perhaps you will take it badly, but who can hold back the words he has conceived?

3Behold, you have taught many, and you have strengthened weary hands.

4Your words have reassured the wavering, and you have fortified the trembling knees.

5But now the scourge has overcome you, and you falter. It has touched you, and you are disturbed.

6Where is your reverence, your fortitude, your patience, and the perfection of your ways?

7Consider this, I beg you: who ever perished being innocent? Or when have the righteous been destroyed?

8In fact, I have instead seen those who work iniquity and who sow resentments, reap them,

9perishing by the breath of God, and being consumed by the wrath of his spirit.

10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of young lions have been worn away.

11The tiger has perished because it does not have prey, and the young lions have been scattered.

12Furthermore, a word was spoken to me in secret, and, as if by theft, my ears received the pulse of its whisper.

13In the horror of a vision by night, when men are accustomed to be overtaken by a deep sleep,

14fear and trembling seized me and all my bones were terrified.

15And when a spirit passed before me, the hair on my body stood up.

16There appeared an image before my eyes, someone whose face I did not recognize, and I heard a voice like a gentle breeze.

17Should man be justified in relation to God, or will a man be more pure than his Maker?

18Behold, those who serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he finds imperfection.

19How much more will those who live in houses of clay, which have an earthly foundation, be consumed like the moth?

20From morning all the way to evening, they will be cut down, and because no one understands, they will be destroyed without ceasing.

21But those who are left behind will be taken away from them; they will die, and not in wisdom.