1 En Job het verder sy spreuk aangehef en gesê:
2 So waar as God leef wat my my reg ontneem het, en die Almagtige wat my siel bitterheid aangedoen het --
3 want my asem is nog heeltemal in my, en die lewensasem van God is in my neus --
4 my lippe spreek geen onreg nie, en my tong verkondig geen bedrog nie!
5 Dit is ver van my dat ek julle gelyk sou gee; totdat ek die asem uitblaas, sal ek my onskuld nie prysgee nie.
6 Aan my geregtigheid hou ek vas en laat dit nie los nie; my hart veroordeel geeneen van my dae nie.
7 My vyand moet dus verskyn as goddelose en my teëstander as kwaaddoener.
8 Want wat is die verwagting van die goddelose as Hy afsny -- as God sy siel wegneem?
9 Sal God sy geroep hoor as benoudheid oor hom kom?
10 Of sal hy hom kan verlustig in die Almagtige, God altyd kan aanroep?
11 Ek sal julle onderrig aangaande die hand van God; wat by die Almagtige is, sal ek nie verberg nie.
12 Kyk, julle het dit almal self aanskou, en waarom koester julle dan 'n ydele hoop?
13 D¡t is die deel van die goddelose mens by God en die erfdeel van die tiranne wat hulle van die Almagtige ontvang:
14 as sy kinders baie word, is dit vir die swaard; en sy spruite word nie versadig met brood nie.
15 Die wat van hom oorbly, word deur die pes begrawe, en sy weduwees ween nie.
16 As hy silwer ophoop soos stof en klere aanskaf soos modder --
17 hy skaf aan, maar die regverdige trek dit aan; en die onskuldige verdeel die silwer.
18 Hy het sy huis gebou soos 'n mot en soos 'n skerm wat die oppasser maak.
19 Ryk gaan hy lê, maar hy doen dit nie weer nie; hy maak sy oë oop en -- is nie meer nie.
20 Verskrikkinge oorval hom soos waterstrome; in die nag voer 'n stormwind hom weg.
21 Die oostewind tel hom op, en daar gaan hy; en dit storm hom weg uit sy plek.
22 En God werp op hom af sonder verskoning, vir sy hand moet hy haastig vlug.
23 Hulle klap oor hom in hul hande en spot hom weg uit sy plek.
1 And Job again took up the word and said,
2 By the life of God, who has taken away my right; and of the Ruler of all, who has made my soul bitter;
3 (For all my breath is still in me, and the spirit of God is my life;)
4 Truly, there is no deceit in my lips, and my tongue does not say what is false.
5 Let it be far from me! I will certainly not say that you are right! I will come to death before I give up my righteousness.
6 I will keep it safe, and will not let it go: my heart has nothing to say against any part of my life.
7 Let my hater be like the evil man, and let him who comes against me be as the sinner.
8 For what is the hope of the sinner when he is cut off, when God takes back his soul?
9 Will his cry come to the ears of God when he is in trouble?
10 Will he take delight in the Ruler of all, and make his prayer to God at all times?
11 I will give you teaching about the hand of God; I will not keep secret from you what is in the mind of the Ruler of all.
12 Truly, you have all seen it yourselves; why then have you become completely foolish?
13 This is the punishment of the evil-doer from God, and the heritage given to the cruel by the Ruler of all.
14 If his children are increased, it is for the sword; and his offspring have not enough bread.
15 When those of his house who are still living come to their end by disease, they are not put into the earth, and their widows are not weeping for them.
16 Though he may get silver together like dust, and make ready great stores of clothing;
17 He may get them ready, but the upright will put them on, and he who is free from sin will take the silver for a heritage.
18 His house has no more strength than a spider's thread, or a watchman's tent.
19 He goes to rest full of wealth, but does so for the last time: on opening his eyes, he sees it there no longer.
20 Fears overtake him like rushing waters; in the night the storm-wind takes him away.
21 The east wind takes him up and he is gone; he is forced violently out of his place.
22 God sends his arrows against him without mercy; he goes in flight before his hand.
23 Men make signs of joy because of him, driving him from his place with sounds of hissing.