Job 21
1 Saa tog Job til Orde og svarede:
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 Hør dog, hør mine Ord, lad det være Trøsten, I giver!
Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
3 Find jer nu i, at jeg taler, siden kan I jo haane!
Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
4 Gælder min Klage Mennesker? Hvi skulde jeg ej være utaalmodig?
I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
5 Vend jer til mig og stivn af Rædsel, læg Haand paa Mund!
Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
6 Jeg gruer, naar jeg tænker derpaa, mit Legeme gribes af Skælven:
Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
7 De gudløse, hvorfor lever de, bliver gamle, ja vokser i Kraft?
Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
8 Deres Æt har de blivende hos sig, deres Afkom for deres Øjne;
Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
9 deres Huse er sikre mod Rædsler, Guds Svøbe rammer dem ikke;
Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.
10 ej springer deres Tyr forgæves, Koen kælver, den kaster ikke;
His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.
11 de slipper deres Drenge ud som Faar, deres Børneflok boltrer sig ret;
They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,
12 de synger til Pauke og Citer, er glade til Fløjtens Toner;
They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.
They wear out in good their days, And in a moment [to] Sheol go down. (Sheol h7585)
14 skønt de siger til Gud: »Gaa fra os, at kende dine Veje er ikke vor Lyst!
And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.
15 Den Almægtige? Hvad han? Skal vi tjene ham? Hvad Gavn at banke paa hos ham?«
What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
16 Er ej deres Lykke i deres Haand og gudløses Raad ham fjernt?
Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been 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 is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
18 saa de bliver som Straa for Vinden, som Avner, Storm fører bort?
They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
19 Gemmer Gud hans Ulykkeslod til hans Børn? Ham selv gengælde han, saa han mærker det,
God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
20 lad ham selv faa sit Vanheld at se, den Almægtiges Vrede at drikke!
His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
21 Thi hvad bryder han sig siden om sit Hus, naar hans Maaneders Tal er udrundet?
For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
22 Kan man vel tage Gud i Skole, ham, som dømmer de højeste Væsner?
To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
23 En dør jo paa Lykkens Tinde, helt tryg og saa helt uden Sorger:
This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
24 hans Spande er fulde af Mælk, hans Knogler af saftig Marv;
His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
25 med bitter Sjæl dør en anden og har aldrig nydt nogen Lykke;
And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
26 de lægger sig begge i Jorden, og begge dækkes af Orme!
Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
27 Se, jeg kender saa vel eders Tanker og de Rænker, I spinder imod mig,
Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
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? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
29 Har I aldrig spurgt de berejste og godkendt deres Beviser:
Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
30 Den onde skaanes paa Ulykkens Dag og frelses paa Vredens Dag.
That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
31 Hvem foreholder ham vel hans Færd, gengælder ham, hvad han gør?
Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
32 Til Graven bæres han hen, ved hans Gravhøj holdes der Vagt;
And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
33 i Dalbunden hviler han sødt, Alverden følger saa efter, en Flok uden Tal gik forud for ham.
Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.
34 Hvor tom er den Trøst, som I giver! Eders Svar — kun Svig er tilbage!
And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
