Ἰώβ 34
1 ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ελιους λέγει
Then Elihu continued:
2 ἀκούσατέ μου σοφοί ἐπιστάμενοι ἐνωτίζεσθε τὸ καλόν
“Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.
3 ὅτι οὖς λόγους δοκιμάζει καὶ λάρυγξ γεύεται βρῶσιν
For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.
4 κρίσιν ἑλώμεθα ἑαυτοῖς γνῶμεν ἀνὰ μέσον ἑαυτῶν ὅ τι καλόν
Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
5 ὅτι εἴρηκεν Ιωβ δίκαιός εἰμι ὁ κύριος ἀπήλλαξέν μου τὸ κρίμα
For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.
6 ἐψεύσατο δὲ τῷ κρίματί μου βίαιον τὸ βέλος μου ἄνευ ἀδικίας
Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7 τίς ἀνὴρ ὥσπερ Ιωβ πίνων μυκτηρισμὸν ὥσπερ ὕδωρ
What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?
8 οὐχ ἁμαρτὼν οὐδὲ ἀσεβήσας ἢ ὁδοῦ κοινωνήσας μετὰ ποιούντων τὰ ἄνομα τοῦ πορευθῆναι μετὰ ἀσεβῶν
He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.
9 μὴ γὰρ εἴπῃς ὅτι οὐκ ἔσται ἐπισκοπὴ ἀνδρός καὶ ἐπισκοπὴ αὐτῷ παρὰ κυρίου
For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’
10 διό συνετοὶ καρδίας ἀκούσατέ μου μή μοι εἴη ἔναντι κυρίου ἀσεβῆσαι καὶ ἔναντι παντοκράτορος ταράξαι τὸ δίκαιον
Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.
11 ἀλλὰ ἀποδιδοῖ ἀνθρώπῳ καθὰ ποιεῖ ἕκαστος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν τρίβῳ ἀνδρὸς εὑρήσει αὐτόν
For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.
12 οἴῃ δὲ τὸν κύριον ἄτοπα ποιήσειν ἢ ὁ παντοκράτωρ ταράξει κρίσιν
Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
13 ὃς ἐποίησεν τὴν γῆν τίς δέ ἐστιν ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ὑπ’ οὐρανὸν καὶ τὰ ἐνόντα πάντα
Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?
14 εἰ γὰρ βούλοιτο συνέχειν καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα παρ’ αὐτῷ κατασχεῖν
If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
15 τελευτήσει πᾶσα σὰρξ ὁμοθυμαδόν πᾶς δὲ βροτὸς εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσεται ὅθεν καὶ ἐπλάσθη
all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
16 εἰ δὲ μὴ νουθετῇ ἄκουε ταῦτα ἐνωτίζου φωνὴν ῥημάτων
If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.
17 ἰδὲ σὺ τὸν μισοῦντα ἄνομα καὶ τὸν ὀλλύντα τοὺς πονηροὺς ὄντα αἰώνιον δίκαιον
Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,
18 ἀσεβὴς ὁ λέγων βασιλεῖ παρανομεῖς ἀσεβέστατε τοῖς ἄρχουσιν
who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
19 ὃς οὐκ ἐπῃσχύνθη πρόσωπον ἐντίμου οὐδὲ οἶδεν τιμὴν θέσθαι ἁδροῖς θαυμασθῆναι πρόσωπα αὐτῶν
who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
20 κενὰ δὲ αὐτοῖς ἀποβήσεται τὸ κεκραγέναι καὶ δεῖσθαι ἀνδρός ἐχρήσαντο γὰρ παρανόμως ἐκκλινομένων ἀδυνάτων
They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
21 αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁρατής ἐστιν ἔργων ἀνθρώπων λέληθεν δὲ αὐτὸν οὐδὲν ὧν πράσσουσιν
For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.
22 οὐδὲ ἔσται τόπος τοῦ κρυβῆναι τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὰ ἄνομα
There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.
23 ὅτι οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄνδρα θήσει ἔτι ὁ γὰρ κύριος πάντας ἐφορᾷ
For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.
24 ὁ καταλαμβάνων ἀνεξιχνίαστα ἔνδοξά τε καὶ ἐξαίσια ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμός
He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.
25 ὁ γνωρίζων αὐτῶν τὰ ἔργα καὶ στρέψει νύκτα καὶ ταπεινωθήσονται
Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
26 ἔσβεσεν δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ὁρατοὶ δὲ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ
He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,
27 ὅτι ἐξέκλιναν ἐκ νόμου θεοῦ δικαιώματα δὲ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν
because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.
28 τοῦ ἐπαγαγεῖν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν κραυγὴν πένητος καὶ κραυγὴν πτωχῶν εἰσακούσεται
They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
29 καὶ αὐτὸς ἡσυχίαν παρέξει καὶ τίς καταδικάσεται καὶ κρύψει πρόσωπον καὶ τίς ὄψεται αὐτόν καὶ κατὰ ἔθνους καὶ κατὰ ἀνθρώπου ὁμοῦ
But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,
30 βασιλεύων ἄνθρωπον ὑποκριτὴν ἀπὸ δυσκολίας λαοῦ
that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.
31 ὅτι πρὸς τὸν ἰσχυρὸν ὁ λέγων εἴληφα οὐκ ἐνεχυράσω
Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.
32 ἄνευ ἐμαυτοῦ ὄψομαι σὺ δεῖξόν μοι εἰ ἀδικίαν ἠργασάμην οὐ μὴ προσθήσω
Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
33 μὴ παρὰ σοῦ ἀποτείσει αὐτήν ὅτι ἀπώσῃ ὅτι σὺ ἐκλέξῃ καὶ οὐκ ἐγώ καὶ τί ἔγνως λάλησον
Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed His? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know.
34 διὸ συνετοὶ καρδίας ἐροῦσιν ταῦτα ἀνὴρ δὲ σοφὸς ἀκήκοέν μου τὸ ῥῆμα
Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:
35 Ιωβ δὲ οὐκ ἐν συνέσει ἐλάλησεν τὰ δὲ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐν ἐπιστήμῃ
‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
36 οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ μάθε Ιωβ μὴ δῷς ἔτι ἀνταπόκρισιν ὥσπερ οἱ ἄφρονες
If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.
37 ἵνα μὴ προσθῶμεν ἐφ’ ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν ἀνομία δὲ ἐφ’ ἡμῖν λογισθήσεται πολλὰ λαλούντων ῥήματα ἐναντίον τοῦ κυρίου
For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
