Ἰώβ 4
1 ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ελιφας ὁ Θαιμανίτης λέγει
And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: —
2 μὴ πολλάκις σοι λελάληται ἐν κόπῳ ἰσχὺν δὲ ῥημάτων σου τίς ὑποίσει
Hath one tried a word with thee? — Thou art weary! And to keep in words who is able?
3 εἰ γὰρ σὺ ἐνουθέτησας πολλοὺς καὶ χεῖρας ἀσθενοῦς παρεκάλεσας
Lo, thou hast instructed many, And feeble hands thou makest strong.
4 ἀσθενοῦντάς τε ἐξανέστησας ῥήμασιν γόνασίν τε ἀδυνατοῦσιν θάρσος περιέθηκας
The stumbling one do thy words raise up, And bowing knees thou dost strengthen.
5 νῦν δὲ ἥκει ἐπὶ σὲ πόνος καὶ ἥψατό σου σὺ δὲ ἐσπούδασας
But now, it cometh in unto thee, And thou art weary; It striketh unto thee, and thou art troubled.
6 πότερον οὐχ ὁ φόβος σού ἐστιν ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς σου καὶ ἡ ἀκακία τῆς ὁδοῦ σου
Is not thy reverence thy confidence? Thy hope — the perfection of thy ways?
7 μνήσθητι οὖν τίς καθαρὸς ὢν ἀπώλετο ἢ πότε ἀληθινοὶ ὁλόρριζοι ἀπώλοντο
Remember, I pray thee, Who, being innocent, hath perished? And where have the upright been cut off?
8 καθ’ ὃν τρόπον εἶδον τοὺς ἀροτριῶντας τὰ ἄτοπα οἱ δὲ σπείροντες αὐτὰ ὀδύνας θεριοῦσιν ἑαυτοῖς
As I have seen — ploughers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!
9 ἀπὸ προστάγματος κυρίου ἀπολοῦνται ἀπὸ δὲ πνεύματος ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ ἀφανισθήσονται
From the breath of God they perish, And from the spirit of His anger consumed.
10 σθένος λέοντος φωνὴ δὲ λεαίνης γαυρίαμα δὲ δρακόντων ἐσβέσθη
The roaring of a lion, And the voice of a fierce lion, And teeth of young lions have been broken.
11 μυρμηκολέων ὤλετο παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βοράν σκύμνοι δὲ λεόντων ἔλιπον ἀλλήλους
An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness do separate.
12 εἰ δέ τι ῥῆμα ἀληθινὸν ἐγεγόνει ἐν λόγοις σου οὐθὲν ἄν σοι τούτων κακὸν ἀπήντησεν πότερον οὐ δέξεταί μου τὸ οὖς ἐξαίσια παρ’ αὐτοῦ
And unto me a thing is secretly brought, And receive doth mine ear a little of it.
13 φόβοι δὲ καὶ ἠχὼ νυκτερινή ἐπιπίπτων φόβος ἐπ’ ἀνθρώπους
In thoughts from visions of the night, In the falling of deep sleep on men,
14 φρίκη δέ μοι συνήντησεν καὶ τρόμος καὶ μεγάλως μου τὰ ὀστᾶ συνέσεισεν
Fear hath met me, and trembling, And the multitude of my bones caused to fear.
15 καὶ πνεῦμα ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν μου ἐπῆλθεν ἔφριξαν δέ μου τρίχες καὶ σάρκες
And a spirit before my face doth pass, Stand up doth the hair of my flesh;
16 ἀνέστην καὶ οὐκ ἐπέγνων εἶδον καὶ οὐκ ἦν μορφὴ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου ἀλλ’ ἢ αὔραν καὶ φωνὴν ἤκουον
It standeth, and I discern not its aspect, A similitude [is] over-against mine eyes, Silence! and a voice I hear:
17 τί γάρ μὴ καθαρὸς ἔσται βροτὸς ἐναντίον κυρίου ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἄμεμπτος ἀνήρ
'Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?
18 εἰ κατὰ παίδων αὐτοῦ οὐ πιστεύει κατὰ δὲ ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ σκολιόν τι ἐπενόησεν
Lo, in His servants He putteth no credence, Nor in His messengers setteth praise.'
19 τοὺς δὲ κατοικοῦντας οἰκίας πηλίνας ἐξ ὧν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πηλοῦ ἐσμεν ἔπαισεν αὐτοὺς σητὸς τρόπον
Also — the inhabitants of houses of clay, (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, They bruise them before a moth.)
20 καὶ ἀπὸ πρωίθεν ἕως ἑσπέρας οὐκέτι εἰσίν παρὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς ἑαυτοῖς βοηθῆσαι ἀπώλοντο
From morning to evening are beaten down, Without any regarding, for ever they perish.
21 ἐνεφύσησεν γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐξηράνθησαν ἀπώλοντο παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς σοφίαν
Hath not their excellency been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!
