Job 8
La Bible du Semeur
Premier discours de Bildad
Dieu est juste
8 Bildad de Shouah prit la parole et dit :
2 Combien de temps encore ╵tiendras-tu ces discours ?
Oui, jusqu’à quand ╵tes propos seront-ils ╵un vent impétueux ?
3 Dieu fléchit-il le droit,
ou bien le Tout-Puissant ╵fausse-t-il la justice ?
4 Si tes fils ont péché,
il a dû les livrer ╵aux conséquences de leurs fautes.
5 Mais si tu as recours à Dieu,
si tu demandes grâce ╵auprès du Tout-Puissant,
6 si tu es sans reproche, ╵si tu es droit,
il ne tardera pas ╵à s’occuper de toi,
et il rétablira ╵pleinement ta justice[a].
7 Ta condition passée ╵semblera peu de chose,
tant sera florissante ╵ta condition nouvelle.
8 En effet, interroge donc ╵les générations précédentes
et médite avec soin ╵l’expérience des pères,
9 car nous sommes d’hier ╵et nous ne savons rien
puisque nos jours sur terre ╵s’effacent comme une ombre.
10 Les anciens t’instruiront ╵et ils te parleront ;
ils tireront de leur intelligence ╵les sentences suivantes :
11 Le papyrus croît-il ╵en dehors du marais ?
Le jonc peut-il pousser sans eau[b] ?
12 Alors qu’il est en fleurs ╵sans qu’on l’ait arraché,
avant les autres herbes, ╵déjà, il se dessèche.
13 Telle est la destinée ╵de ceux qui oublient Dieu,
et l’espoir de l’impie ╵sera anéanti.
14 L’objet de sa confiance ╵sera brisé comme un fil[c],
il place son espoir ╵dans une toile d’araignée.
15 Il prend appui sur sa maison ╵mais elle ne résiste pas,
il se cramponne à elle ╵mais elle ne tient pas debout.
16 Sous le soleil, ╵il est plein de vigueur,
et ses rameaux s’étendent, ╵couvrant tout son jardin,
17 il entrelace ses racines ╵à un monceau de pierres
et elles se fraient un chemin ╵jusqu’au cœur des rochers.
18 Mais il s’est arraché ╵du lieu qu’il occupait ;
et celui-ci prétend : ╵« Je ne t’ai jamais vu. »
19 Voilà quelle est la joie ╵qu’il trouve sur sa voie.
Et d’autres, à leur tour, ╵de la poussière germeront.
20 Voici, Dieu ne rejette ╵jamais l’homme innocent,
et jamais il ne prête ╵main-forte aux malfaisants.
21 Il remplira encore ╵ta bouche d’allégresse,
et mettra sur tes lèvres ╵des cris de joie.
22 Tous ceux qui te haïssent ╵seront couverts de honte.
Les tentes des méchants ╵disparaîtront.
Footnotes
- 8.6 Autre traduction : et à rétablir pour toi une situation juste.
- 8.11 Probablement un proverbe égyptien signifiant que les plantes les plus luxuriantes, qui croissent le plus rapidement comme le papyrus et le jonc, dépérissent vite si elles n’ont plus d’eau, c’est-à-dire que les gens prospères sont dépendants des conditions de leur prospérité.
- 8.14 brisé comme un fil: sens incertain.
Job 8
King James Version
8 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;
5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)
10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:
14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.
15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.
16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.
17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.
18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:
21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.
Job 8
English Standard Version
Bildad Speaks: Job Should Repent
8 Then (A)Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long will you say these things,
and the words of your mouth be a (B)great wind?
3 (C)Does God pervert justice?
Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
4 If your (D)children have sinned against him,
he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.
5 If you will seek God
and (E)plead with the Almighty for mercy,
6 if you are pure and upright,
surely then he will (F)rouse himself for you
and (G)restore your rightful habitation.
7 And though your beginning was small,
(H)your latter days will be very great.
8 “For (I)inquire, please, of bygone ages,
and consider what (J)the fathers have searched out.
9 For we are but of yesterday and know nothing,
for our days on earth are (K)a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you and tell you
and utter words out of their understanding?
11 “Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh?
Can reeds flourish where there is no water?
12 While yet in flower and not cut down,
they (L)wither before any other plant.
13 Such are the paths of all who (M)forget God;
(N)the hope of (O)the godless shall perish.
14 His confidence is severed,
and his trust is (P)a spider's web.[a]
15 He leans against his (Q)house, but it does not stand;
he lays hold of it, but it does not endure.
16 He is a lush plant before the sun,
and his (R)shoots spread over his garden.
17 His roots entwine the stone heap;
he looks upon a house of stones.
18 If he is destroyed from his (S)place,
then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have never (T)seen you.’
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way,
and out of (U)the soil others will spring.
20 “Behold, God will not reject a blameless man,
nor take the hand of evildoers.
21 He will yet (V)fill your mouth with laughter,
and your lips with shouting.
22 Those who hate you will be (W)clothed with shame,
and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
Footnotes
- Job 8:14 Hebrew house
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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
