अय्यूब 22

1Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:

2Can man be compared with God, even though he were of perfect knowledge?

3What doth it profit God if thou be just? or what dost thou give him if thy way be unspotted?

4Shall he reprove thee for fear, and come with thee into judgment:

5And not for thy manifold wickedness, and thy infinite iniquities?

6For thou hast taken away the pledge of thy brethren without cause, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

7Thou hast not given water to the weary, thou hast withdrawn bread from the hungry.

8In the strength of thy arm thou didst possess the land, and being the most mighty thou holdest it.

9Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless thou hast broken in pieces.

10Therefore art thou surrounded with snares, and sudden fear troubleth thee.

11And didst thou think that thou shouldst not see darkness, and that thou shouldst not be covered with the violence of overflowing waters?

12Dost not thou think that God is higher than heaven, and is elevated above the height of the stars?

13And thou sayst: What doth God know? and he judgeth as it were through a mist.

14The clouds are his covert, and he doth not consider our things, and he walketh about the poles of heaven.

15Dost thou desire to keep the path of ages, which wicked men have trodden?

16Who were taken away before their time, and a flood hath overthrown their foundation.

17Who said to God: Depart from us: and looked upon the Almighty as if he could do nothing:

18Whereas he had filled their houses with good things: whose way of thinking be far from me.

19The just shall see, and shall rejoice, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.

20Is not their exaltation cut down, and hath not fire devoured the remnants of them?

21Submit thyself then to him, and be at peace: and thereby thou shalt have the best fruits.

22Receive the law of his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.

23If thou wilt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, and shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle.

24He shall give for earth flint, and for flint torrents of gold.

25And the Almighty shall be against thy enemies, and silver shall be heaped together for thee.

26Then shalt thou abound in delights in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.

27Thou shalt pray to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay vows.

28Thou shalt decree a thing, and it I shall come to thee, and light shall shine in thy ways.

29For he that hath been humbled, shall be in glory: and he that shall bow down his eyes, he shall be saved.

30The innocent shall be saved, and he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands.

1Respondens autem Eliphaz Themanites, dixit:

2[Numquid Deo potest comparari homo, etiam cum perfectæ fuerit scientiæ?

3Quid prodest Deo, si justus fueris? aut quid ei confers, si immaculata fuerit via tua?

4Numquid timens arguet te, et veniet tecum in judicium,

5et non propter malitiam tuam plurimam, et infinitas iniquitates tuas?

6Abstulisti enim pignus fratrum tuorum sine causa, et nudos spoliasti vestibus.

7Aquam lasso non dedisti, et esurienti subtraxisti panem.

8In fortitudine brachii tui possidebas terram, et potentissimus obtinebas eam.

9Viduas dimisisti vacuas, et lacertos pupillorum comminuisti.

10Propterea circumdatus es laqueis, et conturbat te formido subita.

11Et putabas te tenebras non visurum, et impetu aquarum inundantium non oppressum iri?

12an non cogitas quod Deus excelsior cælo sit, et super stellarum verticem sublimetur?

13Et dicis: Quid enim novit Deus? et quasi per caliginem judicat.

14Nubes latibulum ejus, nec nostra considerat, et circa cardines cæli perambulat.

15Numquid semitam sæculorum custodire cupis, quam calcaverunt viri iniqui,

16qui sublati sunt ante tempus suum, et fluvius subvertit fundamentum eorum?

17Qui dicebant Deo: Recede a nobis: et quasi nihil posset facere Omnipotens, æstimabant eum,

18cum ille implesset domos eorum bonis: quorum sententia procul sit a me.

19Videbunt justi, et lætabuntur, et innocens subsannabit eos:

20nonne succisa est erectio eorum? et reliquias eorum devoravit ignis?

21Acquiesce igitur ei, et habeto pacem, et per hæc habebis fructus optimos.

22Suscipe ex ore illius legem, et pone sermones ejus in corde tuo.

23Si reversus fueris ad Omnipotentem, ædificaberis, et longe facies iniquitatem a tabernaculo tuo.

24Dabit pro terra silicem, et pro silice torrentes aureos.

25Eritque Omnipotens contra hostes tuos, et argentum coacervabitur tibi.

26Tunc super Omnipotentem deliciis afflues, et elevabis ad Deum faciem tuam.

27Rogabis eum, et exaudiet te, et vota tua reddes.

28Decernes rem, et veniet tibi, et in viis tuis splendebit lumen.

29Qui enim humiliatus fuerit, erit in gloria, et qui inclinaverit oculos, ipse salvabitur.

30Salvabitur innocens: salvabitur autem in munditia manuum suarum.]

1Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:

2Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge?

3What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate?

4Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid,

5and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness?

6For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.

7You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry.

8By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest.

9You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans.

10Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you.

11And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the onrush of overflowing waters?

12Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars?

13And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,”

14and, “The clouds are his hiding-place,” and, “He does not examine us closely,” and, “He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens.”

15Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned?

16These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation.

17They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing,

18though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me.

19The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them.

20Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them?

21So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits.

22Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart.

23If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle.

24He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone.

25And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you.

26Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.

27You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows.

28You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways.

29For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved.

30The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands.