Job 8
1 Alors Baldad de Suhé prit la parole et dit:
Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,
2 Jusques à quand tiendras-tu ces discours, et tes paroles seront-elles comme un souffle de tempête?
How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3 Est-ce que Dieu fait fléchir le droit, ou bien le Tout-Puissant renverse-t-il la justice?
Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?
4 Si tes fils ont péché contre lui, il les a livrés aux mains de leur iniquité.
If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.
5 Pour toi, si tu as recours à Dieu, si tu implores le Tout-Puissant,
If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;
6 si tu es droit et pur, alors il veillera sur toi, il rendra le bonheur à la demeure de ta justice,
If you are clean and upright; then he will certainly be moved to take up your cause, and will make clear your righteousness by building up your house again.
7 ton premier état semblera peu de chose, tant le second sera florissant.
And though your start was small, your end will be very great.
8 Interroge les générations passées, sois attentif à l’expérience des pères: —
Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:
9 car nous sommes d’hier, et nous ne savons rien, nos jours sur la terre passent comme l’ombre; —
(For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade: )
10 ne vont-ils pas t’enseigner, te parler, et de leur cœur tirer des sentences:
Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?
11 « Le papyrus croît-il en dehors des marais? Le jonc s’élève-t-il sans eau?
Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
12 Encore tendre, sans qu’on le coupe, il sèche avant toute herbe.
When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.
13 Telles sont les voies de tous ceux qui oublient Dieu; l’espérance de l’impie périra.
So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:
14 Sa confiance sera brisée; son assurance ressemble à la toile de l’araignée.
Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.
15 Il s’appuie sur sa maison, et elle ne tient pas; il s’y attache, et elle ne reste pas debout.
He is looking to his family for support, but it is not there; he puts his hope in it, but it comes to nothing.
16 Il est plein de vigueur, au soleil, ses rameaux s’étendent sur son jardin,
He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.
17 ses racines s’entrelacent parmi les pierres, il plonge jusqu’aux profondeurs du roc.
His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.
18 Si Dieu l’arrache de sa place, sa place le renie: Je ne t’ai jamais vu.
If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.
19 C’est là que sa joie se termine, et du même sol d’autres s’élèveront après lui. »
Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.
20 Non, Dieu ne rejette pas l’innocent, il ne prend pas la main des malfaiteurs.
Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.
21 Il remplira ta bouche d’éclats de rire, et mettra sur tes lèvres des chants d’allégresse.
The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.
22 Tes ennemis seront couverts de honte, et la tente des méchants disparaîtra.
Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.
