Job 26
1 Job antwoordde, en sprak
Job replied [to Bildad], saying this [sarcastically]:
2 Hoe goed weet ge den zwakke te helpen, De krachteloze arm te stutten?
“I am a very weak and helpless man; and (you [certainly] have not helped me [SAR] very much!/[do you think that] you have helped me [SAR] very much?) [RHQ]
3 Hoe weet ge den onwetende raad te geven, En wat wijze lessen spreidt ge ten toon?
(You certainly have counseled me well—I, who am not wise at all./[Do you think that] you have counseled me well—I, who am not wise at all?) [RHQ] ([I’m sure you think that] you have given a lot of very good advice to me. [RHQ]
4 Met wiens hulp hebt ge uw woord gesproken Wiens geest is van u uitgegaan?
Who helped you to say all those [great/wise] things? Who inspired you to speak like you did?”
5 De schimmen beven onder de aarde De wateren sidderen met die erin wonen;
“[Because] the spirits of dead people [are afraid], [they] tremble in the waters that are deep under the earth.
God knows all about [those who are in] the place of the dead; there is nothing down there that prevents God from seeing what is there. (Sheol h7585)
7 Hij spant het Noorden over de baaierd, Hangt de aarde boven het niet;
God stretched out the earth over the huge empty space and caused the earth to have nothing [to support it].
8 Hij knevelt de wateren in zijn zwerk, De wolken bersten niet onder haar last;
He fills the thick/dense clouds with water and prevents that water from bursting the clouds.
9 Hij bedekt het gelaat der volle maan, En spreidt er zijn nevel over uit.
He causes clouds to (obscure/prevent us from seeing) the moon.
10 Hij trekt een kring langs de waterspiegel, Waar het licht aan de duisternis grenst;
He separated the light from the darkness and put the horizon to mark the place where the night ends and the daytime begins.
11 De zuilen van de hemel staan te waggelen, Rillen van angst voor zijn donderende stem.
When [he is angry, it is as though] he rebukes the pillars that hold up the sky. They are (shocked/very fearful), and they tremble.
12 Hij zwiept de zee door zijn kracht, Ranselt Ráhab door zijn beleid;
With his power he calmed the sea; with his skill/wisdom he destroyed Rahab, the huge sea monster.
13 Zijn adem blaast de hemel schoon, Zijn hand doorboort de vluchtende Slang!
With his breath he caused the sky to be bright/clear; with his hand he killed the great dragon in the sea.
14 Is dit nog enkel de zoom van zijn wegen Hoe weinig verstaan wij ervan, En wie begrijpt dan de kracht van zijn donder?
But those events show only a small amount of his power; [it is as though] we are hearing only whispers of his powerful voice. When we hear thunder, [we say, ] ‘(Who can really understand [how great] his power [is]/No one can [really] understand [how great] his power [is]!) [RHQ]’”
