Job 21
1 Saa tog Job til Orde og svarede:
Then responded Job, and said: —
2 Hør dog, hør mine Ord, lad det være Trøsten, I giver!
Hear ye patiently my words, and let this be your consolation:
3 Find jer nu i, at jeg taler, siden kan I jo haane!
Suffer me, that, I, may speak, and, after I have spoken, thou canst mock!
4 Gælder min Klage Mennesker? Hvi skulde jeg ej være utaalmodig?
Did, I, unto man, make my complaint? Wherefore, then, should my spirit not be impatient?
5 Vend jer til mig og stivn af Rædsel, læg Haand paa Mund!
Turn round to me, and be astonished, and lay hand on mouth!
6 Jeg gruer, naar jeg tænker derpaa, mit Legeme gribes af Skælven:
When I call to mind, then am I dismayed, and there seizeth my flesh a shuddering: —
7 De gudløse, hvorfor lever de, bliver gamle, ja vokser i Kraft?
Wherefore do, lawless men, live, advance in years, even wax mighty in power?
8 Deres Æt har de blivende hos sig, deres Afkom for deres Øjne;
Their seed, is established in their sight, along with them, yea their offspring, before their eyes;
9 deres Huse er sikre mod Rædsler, Guds Svøbe rammer dem ikke;
Their houses, are at peace, without dread, neither is, the rod of GOD, upon them;
10 ej springer deres Tyr forgæves, Koen kælver, den kaster ikke;
His bull, covereth, and causeth not aversion, His cow safely calveth, and casteth not her young;
11 de slipper deres Drenge ud som Faar, deres Børneflok boltrer sig ret;
They send forth—like a flock—their young ones, and, their children, skip about for joy;
12 de synger til Pauke og Citer, er glade til Fløjtens Toner;
They rejoice aloud as [with] timbrel and lyre, and make merry to the sound of the pipe;
They complete, in prosperity, their days, and, in a moment to hades, they sink down. (Sheol h7585)
14 skønt de siger til Gud: »Gaa fra os, at kende dine Veje er ikke vor Lyst!
Yet they said unto GOD, Depart from us, and, In the knowledge of thy ways, find we no pleasure.
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? Or what shall we profit, that we should urge him?
16 Er ej deres Lykke i deres Haand og gudløses Raad ham fjernt?
Lo! not in their own hand, is their welfare, The counsel of lawless men, 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 oft, the lamp of the lawless, goeth out, and their calamity, cometh upon them, Sorrows, apportioneth he in his anger;
18 saa de bliver som Straa for Vinden, som Avner, Storm fører bort?
They become as straw before the wind, and as chaff, which the storm stealeth away.
19 Gemmer Gud hans Ulykkeslod til hans Børn? Ham selv gengælde han, saa han mærker det,
Shall, GOD, reserve, for his children, his sorrow? Let him recompense him so that he may know it;
20 lad ham selv faa sit Vanheld at se, den Almægtiges Vrede at drikke!
His own eyes, shall see his misfortune, and, the wrath of the Almighty, shall he drink.
21 Thi hvad bryder han sig siden om sit Hus, naar hans Maaneders Tal er udrundet?
For what shall be his pleasure in his house after him, when, the number of his months, is cut in twain?
22 Kan man vel tage Gud i Skole, ham, som dømmer de højeste Væsner?
Is it, to GOD, one can teach knowledge, seeing that, he, shall judge, them who are on high?
23 En dør jo paa Lykkens Tinde, helt tryg og saa helt uden Sorger:
This, man dieth, in the very perfection of his prosperity, wholly tranquil and secure;
24 hans Spande er fulde af Mælk, hans Knogler af saftig Marv;
His veins, are filled with nourishment, and, the marrow of his bones, is fresh;
25 med bitter Sjæl dør en anden og har aldrig nydt nogen Lykke;
Whereas, this other man, dieth, in bitterness of soul, and hath never tasted good fortune:
26 de lægger sig begge i Jorden, og begge dækkes af Orme!
Together, in the dust, they lie down, and, the worm, spreadeth a covering over them.
27 Se, jeg kender saa vel eders Tanker og de Rænker, I spinder imod mig,
Lo! I know your plans, and the devices, wherewith ye would do me violence!
28 naar I siger: »Hvor er Stormandens Hus og det Telt, hvor de gudløse bor?«
For ye say, Where is the house of the noble-minded? And where the dwelling-tent of the lawless?
29 Har I aldrig spurgt de berejste og godkendt deres Beviser:
Have ye not asked the passers-by in the way? And, their signs, can ye not recognise?
30 Den onde skaanes paa Ulykkens Dag og frelses paa Vredens Dag.
That, to the day of calamity, is the wicked reserved, to the day of indignant visitation, are they led.
31 Hvem foreholder ham vel hans Færd, gengælder ham, hvad han gør?
Who can declare—to his face—his way? And, what, he, hath done, who shall recompense to him?
32 Til Graven bæres han hen, ved hans Gravhøj holdes der Vagt;
Yet, he, to the graves, is borne, and, over the tomb, one keepeth watch;
33 i Dalbunden hviler han sødt, Alverden følger saa efter, en Flok uden Tal gik forud for ham.
Pleasant to him are the mounds of the torrent-bed, —and, after him, doth every man march, as, before him, there were without number.
34 Hvor tom er den Trøst, som I giver! Eders Svar — kun Svig er tilbage!
How then should ye comfort me with vanity, since, as for your replies, there lurketh, [in them] treachery?
