Job 12
1 And Job made answer and said,
Alors Job prit la parole et dit:
2 No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.
Vraiment vous êtes aussi sages que tout un peuple, et avec vous mourra la sagesse!
3 But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?
Moi aussi, j’ai de l’intelligence comme vous, je ne vous le cède en rien, et qui ne sait les choses que vous dites?
4 It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!
Je suis la risée de mes amis, moi qui invoquais Dieu et à qui Dieu répondait; leur risée, moi le juste, l’innocent!...
5 In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
Honte au malheur! C’est la devise des heureux; le mépris attend celui dont le pied chancelle.
6 There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.
La paix cependant règne sous la tente des brigands, la sécurité pour ceux qui provoquent Dieu, et qui n’ont d’autre dieu que leur bras.
7 But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;
Mais, de grâce, interroge les bêtes, et elles t’instruiront, les oiseaux du ciel, et ils te l’apprendront;
8 Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.
ou bien parle à la terre, et elle t’enseignera; les poissons même de la mer te le raconteront.
9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?
Qui ne sait, parmi tous ces êtres, que la main de Yahweh a fait ces choses,
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
qu’il tient dans sa main l’âme de tout ce qui vit, et le souffle de tous les humains?
11 Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?
L’oreille ne discerne-t-elle pas les paroles, comme le palais savoure les aliments?
12 Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.
Aux cheveux blancs appartient la sagesse, la prudence est le fruit des longs jours.
13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.
En Dieu résident la sagesse et la puissance, à lui le conseil et l’intelligence.
14 Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.
Voici qu’il renverse et l’on ne rebâtit pas; il ferme la porte sur l’homme, et on ne lui ouvre pas.
15 Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.
Voici qu’il arrête les eaux, elles tarissent; il les lâche, elles bouleversent la terre.
16 With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;
A lui la force et la prudence, à lui celui qui est égaré et celui qui égare.
17 He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
Il emmène captifs les conseillers des peuples, et il ôte le sens aux juges.
18 He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;
Il délie la ceinture des rois, et ceint leurs reins d’une corde.
19 He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;
Il traîne les prêtres en captivité, et renverse les puissants.
20 He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
Il ôte la parole aux hommes les plus habiles, et il enlève le jugement aux vieillards.
21 He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;
Il verse le mépris sur les nobles, et il relâche la ceinture des forts.
22 Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;
Il met à découvert les choses cachées dans les ténèbres, et produit à la lumière l’ombre de la mort.
23 Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.
Il fait croître les nations, et il les anéantit; il les étend et il les resserre.
24 He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.
Il ôte l’intelligence aux chefs des peuples de la terre, et les égare dans des déserts sans chemin;
25 They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.
ils tâtonnent dans les ténèbres, loin de la lumière; il les fait errer comme un homme ivre.
