Job 33
1 Maintenant donc, Job, écoute mes paroles, prête l’oreille à tous mes discours.
Howbeit hear, Job, my words, and listen to my speech.
2 Voilà que j’ouvre la bouche, ma langue forme des mots dans mon palais,
For behold, I have opened my mouth, and my tongue has spoken.
3 mes paroles partiront d’un cœur droit, c’est la vérité pure qu’exprimeront mes lèvres.
My heart [shall be found] pure by [my] words; and the understanding of my lips shall meditate purity.
4 L’esprit de Dieu m’a créé, le souffle du Tout-Puissant me donne la vie.
The Divine Spirit is that which formed me, and the breath of the Almighty that which teaches me.
5 Si tu le peux, réponds-moi; dispose tes arguments devant moi, tiens-toi ferme.
If you can, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I [will stand] against you.
6 Devant Dieu je suis ton égal, comme toi j’ai été formé du limon.
You are formed out of the clay as also I: we have been formed out of the same [substance].
7 Ainsi ma crainte ne t’épouvantera pas, et le poids de ma majesté ne peut t’accabler.
My fear shall not terrify you, neither shall my hand be heavy upon you.
8 Oui, tu as dit à mes oreilles, et j’ai bien entendu le son de tes paroles;
But you have said in mine ears, (I have heard the voice of your words; ) because you say, I am pure, not having sinned;
9 « Je suis pur, exempt de tout péché; je suis irréprochable, il n’y a pas d’iniquité en moi.
I am blameless, for I have not transgressed.
10 Et Dieu invente contre moi des motifs de haine, il me traite comme son ennemi.
Yet he has discovered a charge against me, and he has reckoned me as an adversary.
11 Il a mis mes pieds dans les ceps, il surveille tous mes pas. »
And he has put my foot in the stocks, and has watched all my ways.
12 Je te répondrai qu’en cela tu n’as pas été juste, car Dieu est plus grand que l’homme.
For how say you, I am righteous, yet he has not listened to me? for he that is above mortals is eternal.
13 Pourquoi disputer contre lui, parce qu’il ne rend compte de ses actes à personne?
But you say, Why has he not heard every word of my cause?
14 Pourtant Dieu parle tantôt d’une manière, tantôt d’une autre, et l’on n’y fait pas attention.
For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
15 Il parle par des songes, par des visions nocturnes, quand un profond sommeil pèse sur les mortels, quand ils dorment sur leur couche.
[sending] a dream, or in the meditation of the night; (as when a dreadful alarm happens to fall upon men, in slumberings on the bed: )
16 A ce moment, il ouvre l’oreille des hommes, et y scelle ses avertissements,
then opens he the understanding of men: he scares them with such fearful visions:
17 afin de détourner l’homme de ses œuvres mauvaises, et d’écarter de lui l’orgueil,
to turn a man from unrighteousness, and he delivers his body from a fall.
18 afin de sauver son âme de la mort, sa vie des atteintes du dard.
He spares also his soul from death, and [suffers] him not to fall in war.
19 Par la douleur aussi l’homme est repris sur sa couche, quand une lutte continue agite ses os.
And again, he chastens him with sickness on his bed, and the multitude of his bones is benumbed.
20 Alors il prend en dégoût le pain, et il a horreur des mets exquis,
And he shall not be able to take any food, though his soul shall desire meat;
21 Sa chair s’évanouit aux regards, ses os qu’on ne voyait pas sont mis à nu.
until his flesh shall be consumed, and he shall show his bones bare.
22 Il s’approche de la fosse, sa vie est en proie aux horreurs du trépas.
His soul also draws near to death, and his life is in Hades.
23 Mais s’il trouve pour intercesseur, un ange entre mille, qui fasse connaître à l’homme son devoir,
Though there should be a thousand messengers of death, not one of them shall wound him: if he should purpose in his heart to turn to the Lord, and declare to man his fault, and show his folly;
24 Dieu a pitié de lui et dit à l’ange: « Epargne-lui de descendre dans la fosse, j’ai trouvé la rançon de sa vie. »
he will support him, that he should not perish, and will restore his body as [fresh] plaster upon a wall; and he will fill his bones with morrow.
25 Sa chair alors a plus de fraîcheur qu’au premier âge, il revient aux jours de sa jeunesse.
And he will make his flesh tender as that of a babe, and he will restore him amongst men in [his] full strength.
26 Il prie Dieu, et Dieu lui est propice; il contemple sa face avec allégresse, et le Très-Haut lui rend son innocence.
And he shall pray to the Lord, and his prayer shall be accepted of him; he shall enter with a cheerful countenance, with a full expression [of praise]: for he will render to men [their] due.
27 Il chante parmi les hommes, il dit: « J’ai péché, j’ai violé la justice, et Dieu ne m’a pas traité selon mes fautes.
Even then a man shall blame himself, saying, What kind of things have I done? and he has not punished me according to the full amount of my sins.
28 Il a épargné à mon âme de descendre dans la fosse, et ma vie s’épanouit à la lumière! »
Deliver my soul, that it may not go to destruction, and my life shall see the light.
29 Voilà, Dieu fait tout cela, deux fois, trois fois, pour l’homme,
Behold, all these things, the Mighty One works in a threefold manner with a man.
30 afin de le ramener de la mort, de l’éclairer de la lumière des vivants.
And he has delivered my soul from death, that my life may praise him in the light.
31 Sois attentif, Job, écoute-moi; garde le silence, que je parle.
Listen, Job, and hear me: be silent, and I will speak.
32 Si tu as quelque chose à dire, réponds-moi; parle, car je voudrais te trouver juste.
If you have words, answer me: speak, for I desire you to be justified.
33 Si tu n’as rien à dire, écoute-moi; fais silence, et je t’enseignerai la sagesse.
If not, do you hear me: be silent, and I will teach you.
