Job 21
1 Then Job answered,
Så tog Job til Orde og svarede:
2 “Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
"Hør dog, hør mine Ord, lad det være Trøsten, I giver!
3 Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
Find jer nu i, at jeg taler, siden kan I jo håne!
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
Gælder min Klage Mennesker? Hvi skulde jeg ej være utålmodig?
5 Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
Vend jer til mig og stivn af Rædsel, læg Hånd på Mund!
6 When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
Jeg gruer, når jeg tænker derpå, mit Legeme gribes af Skælven:
7 “Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
De gudløse, hvorfor lever de, bliver gamle, ja vokser i Kraft?
8 Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
Deres Æt har de blivende hos sig, deres Afkom for deres Øjne;
9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
deres Huse er sikre mod Rædsler, Guds Svøbe rammer dem ikke;
10 Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.
ej springer deres Tyr forgæves, Koen kælver, den kaster ikke;
11 They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
de slipper deres Drenge ud som Får, deres Børneflok boltrer sig ret;
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
de synger til Pauke og Citer, er glade til Fløjtens Toner;
de lever deres Dage i Lykke og synker med Fred i Dødsriget, (Sheol h7585)
14 They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.
skønt de siger til Gud: "Gå fra os, at kende dine Veje er ikke vor Lyst!
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
Den Almægtige? Hvad han? Skal vi tjene ham? Hvad Gavn at banke på hos ham?"
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Er ej deres Lykke i deres Hånd og gudløses Råd ham fjernt?
17 “How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
Når går de gudløses Lampe ud og når kommer Ulykken over dem? Når deler han Loddet ud i sin Vrede,
18 How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
så de bliver som Strå for Vinden, som Avner, Storm fører bort?
19 You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
Gemmer Gud hans Ulykkeslod til hans Børn? Ham selv gengælde han, så han mærker det,
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
lad ham selv få sit Vanheld at se, den Almægtiges Vrede at drikke!
21 For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
Thi hvad bryder han sig siden om sit Hus, når hans Måneders Tal er udrundet?
22 “Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
Kan man vel tage Gud i Skole, ham, som dømmer de højeste Væsner?
23 One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
En dør jo på Lykkens Tinde, helt tryg og så helt uden Sorger:
24 His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
hans Spande er fulde af Mælk, hans Knogler af saftig Marv;
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
med bitter Sjæl dør en anden og har aldrig nydt nogen Lykke;
26 They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
de lægger sig begge i Jorden, og begge dækkes af Orme!
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
Se, jeg kender så vel eders Tanker og de Rænker, I spinder imod mig,
28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
når I siger: "Hvor er Stormandens Hus og det Telt, hvor de gudløse bor?"
29 Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,
Har I aldrig spurgt de berejste og godkendt deres Beviser:
30 that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
Den onde skånes på Ulykkens Dag og frelses på Vredens Dag.
31 Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
Hvem foreholder ham vel hans Færd, gengælder ham, hvad han gør?
32 Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.
Til Graven bæres han hen, ved hans Gravhøj holdes der Vagt;
33 The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
i Dalbunden hviler han sødt, Alverden følger så efter, en Flok uden Tal gik forud for ham.
34 So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
Hvor tom er den Trøst, som I giver! Eders Svar - kun Svig er tilbage!
