أَيُّوبَ 8

١ 1 فَأَجَابَ بِلْدَدُ ٱلشُّوحِيُّ وَقَالَ:

Then responded Bildad the Shuhite, and said: —

٢ 2 «إِلَى مَتَى تَقُولُ هَذَا، وَتَكُونُ أَقْوَالُ فِيكَ رِيحًا شَدِيدَةً؟

How long wilt thou speak these things? Or, as a mighty wind, shall be the sayings of thy mouth?

٣ 3 هَلِ ٱللهُ يُعَوِّجُ ٱلْقَضَاءَ، أَوِ ٱلْقَدِيرُ يَعْكِسُ ٱلْحَقَّ؟

Should, GOD, pervert justice? Or, the Almighty, pervert righteousness?

٤ 4 إِذْ أَخْطَأَ إِلَيْهِ بَنُوكَ، دَفَعَهُمْ إِلَى يَدِ مَعْصِيَتِهِمْ.

Though, thy children, sinned against him, and he delivered them into the hand of their transgression,

٥ 5 فَإِنْ بَكَّرْتَ أَنْتَ إِلَى ٱللهِ وَتَضَرَّعْتَ إِلَى ٱلْقَدِيرِ،

Yet, if, thou thyself, wilt diligently seek unto GOD, —and, unto the Almighty, wilt make supplication;

٦ 6 إِنْ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ زَكِيًّا مُسْتَقِيمًا، فَإِنَّهُ ٱلْآنَ يَتَنَبَّهُ لَكَ وَيُسْلِمُ مَسْكَنَ بِرِّكَ.

If, pure and upright, thou thyself, art, surely, now, will he answer thy prayer, and will prosper thy righteous habitation:

٧ 7 وَإِنْ تَكُنْ أُولَاكَ صَغِيرَةً فَآخِرَتُكَ تَكْثُرُ جِدًّا.

So shall thy beginning appear small, —when, thy latter end, he shall greatly increase!

٨ 8 «اِسْأَلِ ٱلْقُرُونَ ٱلْأُولَى وَتَأَكَّدْ مَبَاحِثَ آبَائِهِمْ،

For inquire, I pray thee, of a former generation, and prepare thyself for the research of their fathers; —

٩ 9 لِأَنَّنَا نَحْنُ مِنْ أَمْسٍ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ، لِأَنَّ أَيَّامَنَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ظِلٌّ.

For, of yesterday, are, we, and cannot know, for, a shadow, are our days upon earth:

١٠ 10 فَهَلَّا يُعْلِمُونَكَ؟ يَقُولُونَ لَكَ، وَمِنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ يُخْرِجُونَ أَقْوَالًا قَائِلِينَ:

Shall, they, not teach thee—tell thee, and, out of their memory, bring forth words?

١١ 11 هَلْ يَنْمِي ٱلْبَرْدِيُّ فِي غَيْرِ ٱلْغَمَقَةِ، أَوْ تَنْبُتُ ٱلْحَلْفَاءُ بِلَا مَاءٍ؟

Can the paper-reed grow up, without a marsh? Or the rush grow up, without water?

١٢ 12 وَهُوَ بَعْدُ فِي نَضَارَتِهِ لَمْ يُقْطَعْ، يَيْبَسُ قَبْلَ كُلِّ ٱلْعُشْبِ.

Though while still, in its freshness, it be not plucked off, yet, before any kind of grass, it doth wither:

١٣ 13 هَكَذَا سُبُلُ كُلِّ ٱلنَّاسِينَ ٱللهَ، وَرَجَاءُ ٱلْفَاجِرِ يَخِيبُ،

So, shall be the latter end of all who forget GOD, and, the hope of the impious, shall perish:

١٤ 14 فَيَنْقَطِعُ ٱعْتِمَادُهُ، وَمُتَّكَلُهُ بَيْتُ ٱلْعَنْكَبُوتِ!

Whose trust shall be contemptible, —and, a spider’s web, his confidence:

١٥ 15 يَسْتَنِدُ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ فَلَا يَثْبُتُ. يَتَمَسَّكُ بِهِ فَلَا يَقُومُ.

He leaneth upon his house, and it will not stand, he holdeth it fast, and it will not remain erect.

١٦ 16 هُوَ رَطْبٌ تُجَاهَ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَعَلَى جَنَّتِهِ تَنْبُتُ خَرَاعِيبُهُ.

Full of moisture he is, before the sun, and, over his garden, his shoot goeth forth:

١٧ 17 وَأُصُولُهُ مُشْتَبِكَةٌ فِي ٱلرُّجْمَةِ، فَتَرَى مَحَلَّ ٱلْحِجَارَةِ.

Over a heap, his roots are entwined, a place of stones, he descrieth;

١٨ 18 إِنِ ٱقْتَلَعَهُ مِنْ مَكَانِهِ، يَجْحَدُهُ قَائِلًا: مَا رَأَيْتُكَ!

If one destroy him out of his place, then will it disown him [saying] —I have not seen thee.

١٩ 19 هَذَا هُوَ فَرَحُ طَرِيقِهِ، وَمِنَ ٱلتُّرَابِ يَنْبُتُ آخَرُ.

Lo! that, is the joy of his way, —and, out of the dust, shall others spring up.

٢٠ 20 «هُوَذَا ٱللهُ لَا يَرْفُضُ ٱلْكَامِلَ، وَلَا يَأْخُذُ بِيَدِ فَاعِلِي ٱلشَّرِّ.

Lo! GOD, will not reject a blameless man, neither will he grasp the hand of evil-doers:

٢١ 21 عِنْدَمَا يَمْلَأُ فَاكَ ضَحِكًا، وَشَفَتَيْكَ هُتَافًا،

At length he shall fill with laughter thy mouth, and thy lips, with a shout of triumph:

٢٢ 22 يَلْبَسُ مُبْغِضُوكَ خِزْيًا، أَمَّا خَيْمَةُ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ فَلَا تَكُونُ».

They who hate thee, shall be clothed with shame, but, the tent of the lawless, shall not be!