Job 21
1 Saa tog Job til Orde og svarede:
Then Job answered,
2 Hør dog, hør mine Ord, lad det være Trøsten, I giver!
“Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
3 Find jer nu i, at jeg taler, siden kan I jo haane!
Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
4 Gælder min Klage Mennesker? Hvi skulde jeg ej være utaalmodig?
As for me, is my complaint to man? Why should not I be impatient?
5 Vend jer til mig og stivn af Rædsel, læg Haand paa Mund!
Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
6 Jeg gruer, naar jeg tænker derpaa, mit Legeme gribes af Skælven:
When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 De gudløse, hvorfor lever de, bliver gamle, ja vokser i Kraft?
“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
8 Deres Æt har de blivende hos sig, deres Afkom for deres Øjne;
Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
9 deres Huse er sikre mod Rædsler, Guds Svøbe rammer dem ikke;
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 ej springer deres Tyr forgæves, Koen kælver, den kaster ikke;
Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and do not miscarry.
11 de slipper deres Drenge ud som Faar, deres Børneflok boltrer sig ret;
They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
12 de synger til Pauke og Citer, er glade til Fløjtens Toner;
They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol (Sheol h7585).
14 skønt de siger til Gud: »Gaa fra os, at kende dine Veje er ikke vor Lyst!
They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we do not want to know about your ways.
15 Den Almægtige? Hvad han? Skal vi tjene ham? Hvad Gavn at banke paa hos ham?«
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
16 Er ej deres Lykke i deres Haand og gudløses Raad ham fjernt?
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 Naar gaar de gudløses Lampe ud og naar kommer Ulykken over dem? Naar deler han Loddet ud i sin Vrede,
“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
18 saa de bliver som Straa for Vinden, som Avner, Storm fører bort?
How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
19 Gemmer Gud hans Ulykkeslod til hans Børn? Ham selv gengælde han, saa han mærker det,
You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
20 lad ham selv faa sit Vanheld at se, den Almægtiges Vrede at drikke!
Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 Thi hvad bryder han sig siden om sit Hus, naar hans Maaneders Tal er udrundet?
For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
22 Kan man vel tage Gud i Skole, ham, som dømmer de højeste Væsner?
“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
23 En dør jo paa Lykkens Tinde, helt tryg og saa helt uden Sorger:
One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 hans Spande er fulde af Mælk, hans Knogler af saftig Marv;
His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
25 med bitter Sjæl dør en anden og har aldrig nydt nogen Lykke;
Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
26 de lægger sig begge i Jorden, og begge dækkes af Orme!
They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
27 Se, jeg kender saa vel eders Tanker og de Rænker, I spinder imod mig,
“Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
28 naar I siger: »Hvor er Stormandens Hus og det Telt, hvor de gudløse bor?«
For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Har I aldrig spurgt de berejste og godkendt deres Beviser:
Have not you asked wayfaring men? Do not you know their evidences,
30 Den onde skaanes paa Ulykkens Dag og frelses paa Vredens Dag.
that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
31 Hvem foreholder ham vel hans Færd, gengælder ham, hvad han gør?
Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
32 Til Graven bæres han hen, ved hans Gravhøj holdes der Vagt;
Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.
33 i Dalbunden hviler han sødt, Alverden følger saa efter, en Flok uden Tal gik forud for ham.
The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
34 Hvor tom er den Trøst, som I giver! Eders Svar — kun Svig er tilbage!
So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
