Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
Då tok Elifaz frå Teman til ords og sagde:
2 Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
«Er mannen vel til gagn for Gud? Nei, vitug mann seg sjølv mun gagna.
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Hev Allvald bate av di rettferd? Er det hans vinst, at rett du ferdast?
4 Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
Er det din gudlegdom han refser, når han med deg held rettargang?
5 Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
Hev ei din vondskap vore stor og dine syndar utan ende?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Grunnlaust du panta dine brøder; halvnakne drog du klædi av;
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
den trøytte gav du ikkje vatn, den svoltne negta du ditt brød.
8 But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
Det er den sterke som eig landet, den stolte hev si bustad der.
9 Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Du jaga enkjor burt tomhendt’ burt, slo armen av på faderlause.
10 Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
Difor ligg snaror kringum deg, og rædsla skræmer deg so brått.
11 Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?
Ell’ vert du ikkje myrkret var, den flaum som fossar yver deg?
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
Bur ikkje Gud i himmelhøgd, sjå øvste stjernor, høgt dei sit!
13 But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
Du segjer so: «Kva veit vel Gud? Kann attum skyerne han døma?
14 Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
For skyer dimmer augo hans; han hev sin gang på himmelkvelven.»
15 Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
Seg, vil du fylgja fortids-vegen, den stig som illverksmenner gjekk?
16 Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
Dei som i utid tekne vart - og deira grunn flaut burt i flaum -
17 Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
som sagde til Gud: «Haldt du deg burte!» Kva skulde Allvald vel deim gjera?
18 And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
Endå han signa deira hus - langt burt frå meg med gudlaus råd!
19 The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
Rettvise folk det såg med gleda, og den skuldlause spotta deim:
20 “Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
«Fiendarn’ våre gjekk til grunns! Sjå elden øydde det dei leivde!»
21 Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
Vert ven med honom, og få fred! So skal og lukka timast deg.
22 Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying in thy heart.
Og tak so lærdom av hans munn, og legg deg ordi hans på hjarta!
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
Vend um til Allvald, då du byggjest og jagar syndi frå ditt tjeld.
24 And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
Kast gullet ditt i moldi ned - Ofir-gull millom bekkjesteinar.
25 Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
Allvald skal vera då ditt gull og haugar utav sylv for deg.
26 For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
Då skal du frygda deg i Allvald, di åsyn lyfta upp til Gud.
27 Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
Og når du ropar, vil han høyra, so du kann halda det du lovar.
28 And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
Det du deg etlar, skal du vinna, og ljos skal skina på din veg.
29 For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
Gjeng vegen ned, du ropar: «Upp!» Han hjelpar den bljug-øygde mann.
30 He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
Ja, ikkje-skuldfri mann han bergar, frelst vert han ved di reine hand.»
