Job 11

Så tog Na'amatiten Zofar til Orde og sagde:

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

"Skal en Ordgyder ej have Svar, skal en Mundheld vel have Ret?

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

Skal Mænd vel tie til din Skvalder, skal du spotte og ikke få Skam?

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

Du siger: "Min Færd er lydeløs, og jeg er ren i hans Øjne!"

For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

Men vilde dog Gud kun tale, oplade sine Læber imod dig,

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

kundgøre dig Visdommens Løndom, thi underfuld er den i Væsen; da vilde du vide, at Gud har glemt dig en Del af din Skyld!

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

Har du loddet Bunden i Gud og nået den Almægtiges Grænse?

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

Højere er den end Himlen hvad kan du? Dybere end Dødsriget - hvad ved du?

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

Den overgår Jorden i Vidde, er mere vidtstrakt end Havet.

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

Farer han frem og fængsler, stævner til Doms, hvem hindrer ham?

If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

Han kender jo Løgnens Mænd, Uret ser han og agter derpå,

For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

så tomhjernet Mand får Vid, og Vildæsel fødes til Menneske.

For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

Hvis du får Skik på dit Hjerte og breder dine Hænder imod ham,

If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

hvis Uret er fjern fra din Hånd, og Brøde ej bor i dit Telt,

If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

ja, da kan du lydefri løfte dit Åsyn og uden at frygte stå fast,

For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

ja, da skal du glemme din Kvide, mindes den kun som Vand, der flød bort;

Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

dit Liv skal overstråle Middagssolen, Mørket vorde som lyse Morgen.

And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

Tryg skal du være, fordi du har Håb; du ser dig om og går trygt til Hvile,

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

du ligger uden at skræmmes op. Til din Yndest vil mange bejle.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

Men de gudløses Øjne vansmægter; ude er det med deres Tilflugt, deres Håb er blot at udånde Sjælen!

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.