Jó 11

Så tog Na'amatiten Zofar til Orde og sagde:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? {full...: Heb. of lips}

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? {lies: or, devices}

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

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

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}.

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

{It is} as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? {as high...: Heb. the heights of heaven}

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

If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? {cut...: or, make a change} {hinder...: Heb. turn him away?}

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

For vain man would be wise, though man be born {like} a wild ass's colt. {vain: Heb. empty}

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

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

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

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

And {thine} age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. {be clearer...: Heb. arise above}

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

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make {thee} afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. {make suit...: Heb. intreat thy face}

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. {they shall...: Heb. flight shall perish from them} {the giving...: or, a puff of breath}