1 Job prit la parole et dit:

2 Comme tu sais bien venir en aide à la faiblesse! Comme tu prêtes secours au bras sans force!

3 Quels bons conseils tu donnes à celui qui manque d'intelligence! Quelle abondance de sagesse tu fais paraître!

4 A qui s'adressent tes paroles? Et qui est-ce qui t'inspire?

5 Devant Dieu les ombres tremblent Au-dessous des eaux et de leurs habitants;

6 Devant lui le séjour des morts est nu, L'abîme n'a point de voile.

7 Il étend le septentrion sur le vide, Il suspend la terre sur le néant.

8 Il renferme les eaux dans ses nuages, Et les nuages n'éclatent pas sous leur poids.

9 Il couvre la face de son trône, Il répand sur lui sa nuée.

10 Il a tracé un cercle à la surface des eaux, Comme limite entre la lumière et les ténèbres.

11 Les colonnes du ciel s'ébranlent, Et s'étonnent à sa menace.

12 Par sa force il soulève la mer, Par son intelligence il en brise l'orgueil.

13 Son souffle donne au ciel la sérénité, Sa main transperce le serpent fuyard.

14 Ce sont là les bords de ses voies, C'est le bruit léger qui nous en parvient; Mais qui entendra le tonnerre de sa puissance?

1 Then Job answered,

2 "How have you helped him who is without power!

How have you saved the arm that has no strength!

3 How have you counseled him who has no wisdom,

and plentifully declared sound knowledge!

4 To whom have you uttered words?

Whose spirit came out of you?

5 "The departed spirits tremble,

those beneath the waters and all that live in them.

6 Sheol is naked before God,

and Abaddon has no covering.

7 He stretches out the north over empty space,

and hangs the earth on nothing.

8 He binds up the waters in his thick clouds,

and the cloud is not burst under them.

9 He encloses the face of his throne,

and spreads his cloud on it.

10 He has described a boundary on the surface of the waters,

and to the confines of light and darkness.

11 The pillars of heaven tremble

and are astonished at his rebuke.

12 He stirs up the sea with his power,

and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab.

13 By his Spirit the heavens are garnished.

His hand has pierced the swift serpent.

14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways.

How small a whisper do we hear of him!

But the thunder of his power who can understand?"