1 Maar Job het geantwoord en gesê:
2 Waarlik, ja, julle is die regte mense, en saam met julle sterf die wysheid uit!
3 Ook ek het verstand soos julle; ek staan nie vir julle terug nie; en wie weet sulke dinge nie?
4 Ek moet 'n belagging wees vir my vriend, ek wat God aangeroep en verhoring gevind het -- 'n belagging is die regverdige, die opregte!
5 Vir die ongeluk is daar veragting volgens die gedagte van hom wat lekker lewe; dit staan klaar vir hulle wie se voet wankel.
6 Rustig staan die tente van die verwoesters, en sekerheid is die deel van hulle wat God vertoorn, van hom wat sy god in sy hand dra.
7 Maar vra tog vir die diere, dat hulle jou leer; en die voëls van die hemel, dat hulle jou te kenne gee;
8 of spreek die aarde aan, dat dit jou leer, en laat die visse van die see jou vertel.
9 Wie weet nie deur al hierdie dinge dat die hand van die HERE dit gemaak het nie?
10 In wie se hand die siel is van alles wat leef, en die gees van alle menslike vlees.
11 Moet die oor nie woorde toets soos die verhemelte spys proe nie?
12 By die grysaards is wysheid, en in lengte van dae is verstand.
13 By Hom is wysheid en mag; Hy het raad en verstand.
14 Kyk, Hy breek af, en daar word nie opgebou nie; Hy sluit 'n man as gevangene op, en daar word nie oopgemaak nie.
15 Kyk, Hy hou die waters terug, en hulle verdroog; ook laat Hy hulle los, en hulle keer die aarde om.
16 By Hom is krag en beleid; syne is die verdwaalde en hy wat laat dwaal.
17 Hy voer raadsmanne uitgeplunder weg, en regters maak Hy tot dwase.
18 Hy maak die band los waar konings mee bind, en bind 'n lyfdoek om hulle heupe.
19 Hy voer priesters uitgeplunder weg en bring wie vasstaan, tot 'n val.
20 Hy neem die spraak van die betroubare mense weg en beroof die ou mense van hul oordeel.
21 Hy stort veragting uit oor die edeles en maak die gordel van die magtiges slap.
22 Hy openbaar dieptes uit die duisternis uit, en doodskaduwee bring Hy uit in die lig.
23 Hy maak nasies groot en laat hulle omkom; Hy brei nasies uit en voer hulle weg.
24 Hy neem die verstand weg van die volkshoofde van die land en laat hulle ronddwaal in 'n wildernis, sonder pad.
25 Hulle tas in die duisternis, sonder lig; en Hy laat hulle ronddwaal soos 'n dronk man.
1 And Job made answer and said,
2 No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.
3 But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?
4 It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!
5 In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6 There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.
7 But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;
8 Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.
9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
11 Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?
12 Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.
13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.
14 Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.
15 Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.
16 With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;
17 He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
18 He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;
19 He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;
20 He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
21 He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;
22 Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;
23 Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.
24 He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.
25 They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.