Ἰώβ 34
1 ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ελιους λέγει
Moreover Elihu answered,
2 ἀκούσατέ μου σοφοί ἐπιστάμενοι ἐνωτίζεσθε τὸ καλόν
“Hear my words, you wise men. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3 ὅτι οὖς λόγους δοκιμάζει καὶ λάρυγξ γεύεται βρῶσιν
For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes food.
4 κρίσιν ἑλώμεθα ἑαυτοῖς γνῶμεν ἀνὰ μέσον ἑαυτῶν ὅ τι καλόν
Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know amongst ourselves what is good.
5 ὅτι εἴρηκεν Ιωβ δίκαιός εἰμι ὁ κύριος ἀπήλλαξέν μου τὸ κρίμα
For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, God has taken away my right.
6 ἐψεύσατο δὲ τῷ κρίματί μου βίαιον τὸ βέλος μου ἄνευ ἀδικίας
Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’
7 τίς ἀνὴρ ὥσπερ Ιωβ πίνων μυκτηρισμὸν ὥσπερ ὕδωρ
What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,
8 οὐχ ἁμαρτὼν οὐδὲ ἀσεβήσας ἢ ὁδοῦ κοινωνήσας μετὰ ποιούντων τὰ ἄνομα τοῦ πορευθῆναι μετὰ ἀσεβῶν
who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, 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 himself with God.’
10 διό συνετοὶ καρδίας ἀκούσατέ μου μή μοι εἴη ἔναντι κυρίου ἀσεβῆσαι καὶ ἔναντι παντοκράτορος ταράξαι τὸ δίκαιον
“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
11 ἀλλὰ ἀποδιδοῖ ἀνθρώπῳ καθὰ ποιεῖ ἕκαστος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν τρίβῳ ἀνδρὸς εὑρήσει αὐτόν
For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 οἴῃ δὲ τὸν κύριον ἄτοπα ποιήσειν ἢ ὁ παντοκράτωρ ταράξει κρίσιν
Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 ὃς ἐποίησεν τὴν γῆν τίς δέ ἐστιν ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ὑπ’ οὐρανὸν καὶ τὰ ἐνόντα πάντα
Who put him in charge of the earth? Or who has appointed him over the whole world?
14 εἰ γὰρ βούλοιτο συνέχειν καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα παρ’ αὐτῷ κατασχεῖν
If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 τελευτήσει πᾶσα σὰρξ ὁμοθυμαδόν πᾶς δὲ βροτὸς εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσεται ὅθεν καὶ ἐπλάσθη
all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.
16 εἰ δὲ μὴ νουθετῇ ἄκουε ταῦτα ἐνωτίζου φωνὴν ῥημάτων
“If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.
17 ἰδὲ σὺ τὸν μισοῦντα ἄνομα καὶ τὸν ὀλλύντα τοὺς πονηροὺς ὄντα αἰώνιον δίκαιον
Should even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 ἀσεβὴς ὁ λέγων βασιλεῖ παρανομεῖς ἀσεβέστατε τοῖς ἄρχουσιν
who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?
19 ὃς οὐκ ἐπῃσχύνθη πρόσωπον ἐντίμου οὐδὲ οἶδεν τιμὴν θέσθαι ἁδροῖς θαυμασθῆναι πρόσωπα αὐτῶν
He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of his hands.
20 κενὰ δὲ αὐτοῖς ἀποβήσεται τὸ κεκραγέναι καὶ δεῖσθαι ἀνδρός ἐχρήσαντο γὰρ παρανόμως ἐκκλινομένων ἀδυνάτων
In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.
21 αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁρατής ἐστιν ἔργων ἀνθρώπων λέληθεν δὲ αὐτὸν οὐδὲν ὧν πράσσουσιν
“For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.
22 οὐδὲ ἔσται τόπος τοῦ κρυβῆναι τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὰ ἄνομα
There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 ὅτι οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄνδρα θήσει ἔτι ὁ γὰρ κύριος πάντας ἐφορᾷ
For he doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgement.
24 ὁ καταλαμβάνων ἀνεξιχνίαστα ἔνδοξά τε καὶ ἐξαίσια ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμός
He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.
25 ὁ γνωρίζων αὐτῶν τὰ ἔργα καὶ στρέψει νύκτα καὶ ταπεινωθήσονται
Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 ἔσβεσεν δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ὁρατοὶ δὲ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ
He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27 ὅτι ἐξέκλιναν ἐκ νόμου θεοῦ δικαιώματα δὲ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν
because they turned away from following him, and wouldn’t pay attention to any of his ways,
28 τοῦ ἐπαγαγεῖν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν κραυγὴν πένητος καὶ κραυγὴν πτωχῶν εἰσακούσεται
so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry 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
When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or a man alike,
30 βασιλεύων ἄνθρωπον ὑποκριτὴν ἀπὸ δυσκολίας λαοῦ
that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 ὅτι πρὸς τὸν ἰσχυρὸν ὁ λέγων εἴληφα οὐκ ἐνεχυράσω
“For has any said to God, ‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
32 ἄνευ ἐμαυτοῦ ὄψομαι σὺ δεῖξόν μοι εἰ ἀδικίαν ἠργασάμην οὐ μὴ προσθήσω
Teach me that which I don’t see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33 μὴ παρὰ σοῦ ἀποτείσει αὐτήν ὅτι ἀπώσῃ ὅτι σὺ ἐκλέξῃ καὶ οὐκ ἐγώ καὶ τί ἔγνως λάλησον
Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.
34 διὸ συνετοὶ καρδίας ἐροῦσιν ταῦτα ἀνὴρ δὲ σοφὸς ἀκήκοέν μου τὸ ῥῆμα
Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:
35 Ιωβ δὲ οὐκ ἐν συνέσει ἐλάλησεν τὰ δὲ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐν ἐπιστήμῃ
‘Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.’
36 οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ μάθε Ιωβ μὴ δῷς ἔτι ἀνταπόκρισιν ὥσπερ οἱ ἄφρονες
I wish that Job were tried to the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
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 amongst us, and multiplies his words against God.”
