1 Bildad de Schuach prit la parole et dit:

2 Quand mettrez-vous un terme à ces discours? Ayez de l'intelligence, puis nous parlerons.

3 Pourquoi sommes-nous regardés comme des bêtes? Pourquoi ne sommes-nous à vos yeux que des brutes?

4 O toi qui te déchires dans ta fureur, Faut-il, à cause de toi, que la terre devienne déserte? Faut-il que les rochers disparaissent de leur place?

5 La lumière du méchant s'éteindra, Et la flamme qui en jaillit cessera de briller.

6 La lumière s'obscurcira sous sa tente, Et sa lampe au-dessus de lui s'éteindra.

7 Ses pas assurés seront à l'étroit; Malgré ses efforts, il tombera.

8 Car il met les pieds sur un filet, Il marche dans les mailles,

9 Il est saisi au piège par le talon, Et le filet s'empare de lui;

10 Le cordeau est caché dans la terre, Et la trappe est sur son sentier.

11 Des terreurs l'assiègent, l'entourent, Le poursuivent par derrière.

12 La faim consume ses forces, La misère est à ses côtés.

13 Les parties de sa peau sont l'une après l'autre dévorées, Ses membres sont dévorés par le premier-né de la mort.

14 Il est arraché de sa tente où il se croyait en sûreté, Il se traîne vers le roi des épouvantements.

15 Nul des siens n'habite sa tente, Le soufre est répandu sur sa demeure.

16 En bas, ses racines se dessèchent; En haut, ses branches sont coupées.

17 Sa mémoire disparaît de la terre, Son nom n'est plus sur la face des champs.

18 Il est poussé de la lumière dans les ténèbres, Il est chassé du monde.

19 Il ne laisse ni descendants ni postérité parmi son peuple, Ni survivant dans les lieux qu'il habitait.

20 Les générations à venir seront étonnées de sa ruine, Et la génération présente sera saisie d'effroi.

21 Point d'autre destinée pour le méchant, Point d'autre sort pour qui ne connaît pas Dieu!

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,

2 How long will it be before you have done talking? Get wisdom, and then we will say what is in our minds.

3 Why do we seem as beasts in your eyes, and as completely without knowledge?

4 But come back, now, come: you who are wounding yourself in your passion, will the earth be given up because of you, or a rock be moved out of its place?

5 For the light of the sinner is put out, and the flame of his fire is not shining.

6 The light is dark in his tent, and the light shining over him is put out.

7 The steps of his strength become short, and by his design destruction overtakes him.

8 His feet take him into the net, and he goes walking into the cords.

9 His foot is taken in the net; he comes into its grip.

10 The twisted cord is put secretly in the earth to take him, and the cord is placed in his way.

11 He is overcome by fears on every side, they go after him at every step.

12 His strength is made feeble for need of food, and destruction is waiting for his falling footstep.

13 His skin is wasted by disease, and his body is food for the worst of diseases.

14 He is pulled out of his tent where he was safe, and he is taken away to the king of fears.

15 In his tent will be seen that which is not his, burning stone is dropped on his house.

16 Under the earth his roots are dry, and over it his branch is cut off.

17 His memory is gone from the earth, and in the open country there is no knowledge of his name.

18 He is sent away from the light into the dark; he is forced out of the world.

19 He has no offspring or family among his people, and in his living-place there is no one of his name.

20 At his fate those of the west are shocked, and those of the east are overcome with fear.

21 Truly, these are the houses of the sinner, and this is the place of him who has no knowledge of God.