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Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:

If we begin to speak to thee, perhaps thou wilt take it ill, but who can withhold the words he hath conceived?

Behold thou hast taught many, and thou hast strengthened the weary hands:

Thy words have confirmed them that were staggering, and thou hast strengthened the trembling knees:

But now the scourge is come upon thee, and thou faintest: it hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.

Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience, and the perfection of thy ways?

Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? or when were the just destroyed?

On the contrary I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them,

Perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the spirit of his wrath.

10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the whelps of lions are broken:

11 The tiger hath perished for want of prey, and the young lions are scattered abroad.

12 Now there was a word spoken to me in private, and my ears by stealth as it were received the veins of its whisper.

13 In the horror of a vision by night, when deep sleep is wont to hold men,

14 Fear seized upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were affrighted:

15 And when a spirit passed before me, the hair of my flesh stood up.

16 There stood one whose countenance I knew not, an image before my eyes, and I heard the voice as it were of a gentle wind:

17 Shall man be justified in comparison of God, or shall a man be more pure than his maker?

18 Behold they that serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he found wickedness:

19 How much more shall they that dwell in houses of clay, who have an earthly foundation, be consumed as with the moth?

20 From morning till evening they shall be cut down: and because no one understandeth, they shall perish for ever.

21 And they that shall be left, shall be taken away from them: they shall die, and not in wisdom.

Elifas första tal

Då tog Elifas från Teman till orda och sade:

Tar du illa upp om någon vågar tala till dig?
Vem kan hålla tillbaka sina ord?
Se, många har du väglett,
    och kraftlösa händer har du stärkt.
Dina ord har rest upp den som snubblat,
och du har gett kraft åt vacklande knän.
Men nu gäller det dig, och du blir otålig,
det drabbar dig, och du blir förskräckt.
Är inte din gudsfruktan din tillförsikt
och dina vägars ostrafflighet ditt hopp?

Tänk efter: När gick en oskyldig förlorad,
och var gick de rättsinniga under?
Jag har sett att de som plöjer fördärv och sår olycka,
de skördar sådant.
För Guds andedräkt förgås de,
    för hans vredes fnysning försvinner de.
10 Lejonen ryter och vrålar,
    men de unga lejonens tänder bryts av.
11 Det gamla lejonet förgås i brist på rov
och lejoninnans ungar sprids vida omkring.
12 Ett ord smög sakta till mig,
    det nådde mitt öra som en viskning,
13 när tankarna oroades av nattens syner,
och sömnen föll tung över människorna.
14 Förskräckelse och bävan kom över mig
och fick alla mina ben att skaka.
15 En ande strök förbi mitt ansikte,
    håren på min kropp reste sig.
16 Den stannade, men jag kunde inte urskilja utseendet
på gestalten som jag såg.
    Det var tyst, sedan hörde jag en röst:
17 "Kan en människa stå rättfärdig inför Gud,
kan en människa vara ren inför sin skapare?
18 Inte ens sina tjänare kan han lita på,
hos sina änglar finner han fel.
19 Hur mycket mer hos dem som bor i lerhyddor,
dem som har sin grundval i stoftet.
De krossas lättare än mal.
20 När morgon har blivit afton,
    ligger de slagna.
Utan att någon märker det,
    går de under för alltid.
21 Deras tältrep rycks upp för dem,
    de dör utan visdom."

Eliphaz: Job Has Sinned

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
Surely you have instructed many,
And you (A)have strengthened weak hands.
Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
And you (B)have strengthened the [a]feeble knees;
But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;
It touches you, and you are troubled.
Is not (C)your reverence (D)your confidence?
And the integrity of your ways your hope?

“Remember now, (E)who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright ever cut off?
Even as I have seen,
(F)Those who plow iniquity
And sow trouble reap the same.
By the blast of God they perish,
And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion,
The voice of the fierce lion,
And (G)the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 (H)The old lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was secretly brought to me,
And my ear received a whisper of it.
13 (I)In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14 Fear came upon me, and (J)trembling,
Which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair on my body stood up.
16 It stood still,
But I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence;
Then I heard a voice saying:
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 If He (K)puts no trust in His servants,
If He charges His angels with error,
19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before a moth?
20 (L)They are broken in pieces from morning till evening;
They perish forever, with no one regarding.
21 Does not their own excellence go away?
They die, even without wisdom.’

Footnotes

  1. Job 4:4 Lit. bending