Job 34
1 Pronuncians itaque Eliu, etiam haec locutus est:
Moreover Elihu answered, and said,
2 Audite sapientes verba mea, et eruditi auscultate me:
Hear my words, ye wise men, and give ear to me, ye who have knowledge.
3 Auris enim verba probat, et guttur escas gustu diiudicat.
For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
4 Iudicium eligamus nobis, et inter nos videamus quid sit melius.
Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 Quia dixit Iob: Iustus sum, et Deus subvertit iudicium meum.
For Job has said, I am righteous, and God has taken away my right.
6 In iudicando enim me, mendacium est: violenta sagitta mea absque ullo peccato.
Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.
7 Quis est vir ut est Iob, qui bibit subsannationem quasi aquam:
What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water,
8 Qui graditur cum operantibus iniquitatem, et ambulat cum viris impiis?
saying, I have not sinned, nor committed unrighteousness, nor had fellowship with workers of iniquity to go with the profane.
9 Dixit enim: Non placebit vir Deo, etiam si cucurrerit cum eo.
For thou should not say, There shall be no visitation to a man, whereas visitation is to him from the Lord.
10 Ideo viri cordati audite me, absit a Deo impietas, et ab Omnipotente iniquitas.
Therefore hearken to me, ye men of understanding. Far be it from me to sin before the Lord, and pervert righteousness before the Almighty.
11 Opus enim hominis reddet ei, et iuxta vias singulorum restituet eis.
For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Vere enim Deus non condemnabit frustra, nec Omnipotens subvertet iudicium.
Yea, certainly God will not do wrong. Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Quem constituit alium super terram? aut quem posuit super orbem, quem fabricatus est?
Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who has disposed the whole world?
14 Si direxerit ad eum cor suum, spiritum illius et flatum ad se trahet.
If he sets his heart upon himself, if he gathers his spirit and his breath to himself,
15 Deficiet omnis caro simul, et homo in cinerem revertetur.
all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again to dust.
16 Si habes ergo intellectum, audi quod dicitur, et ausculta vocem eloquii mei.
If now thou be understanding, hear this. Hearken to the voice of words.
17 Numquid qui non amat iudicium, sanari potest? et quomodo tu eum, qui iustus est, in tantum condemnas?
Behold thou him who hates lawlessness, and who destroys evil men, who is forever righteousness,
18 Qui dicit regi, apostata: qui vocat duces impios:
him who says to a king, Thou are vile, to ranking men, Ye are wicked,
19 Qui non accipit personas principum: nec cognovit tyrannum, cum disceptaret contra pauperem: opus enim manuum eius sunt universi.
who does not respect the persons of rulers, nor regards the rich more than the poor. For they all are the work of his hands.
20 Subito morientur, et in media nocte turbabuntur populi, et pertransibunt, et auferent violentum absque manu.
In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.
21 Oculi enim eius super vias hominum, et omnes gressus eorum considerat.
For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he sees all his goings.
22 Non sunt tenebrae, et non est umbra mortis, ut abscondantur ibi qui operantur iniquitatem.
There is no darkness, nor thick gloom where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 Neque enim ultra in hominis potestate est, ut veniat ad Deum in iudicium.
For he needs no further to consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.
24 Conteret multos, et innumerabiles, et stare faciet alios pro eis.
He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and sets others in their stead.
25 Novit enim opera eorum: et idcirco inducet noctem, et conterentur.
Therefore he takes knowledge of their works, and he overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 Quasi impios percussit eos in loco videntium.
He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others
27 Qui quasi de industria recesserunt ab eo, et omnes vias eius intelligere noluerunt:
because they turned aside from following him, and would not have regard in any of his ways,
28 Ut pervenire facerent ad eum clamorem egeni, et audiret vocem pauperum.
so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted.
29 Ipso enim concedente pacem, quis est qui condemnet? ex quo absconderit vultum, quis est qui contempletur eum et super gentes et super omnes homines?
When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hides his face, who then can behold him? It is the same whether to a nation, or to a man,
30 Qui regnare facit hominem hypocritam propter peccata populi.
that the profane man not reign, that there be none to ensnare the people.
31 Quia ergo ego locutus sum ad Deum, te quoque non prohibebo.
For has any said to God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more.
32 Si erravi, tu doce me: si iniquitatem locutus sum, ultra non addam.
Teach thou me that which I do not see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
33 Numquid a te Deus expetit eam, quia displicuit tibi? tu enim coepisti loqui, et non ego: quod si quid nosti melius, loquere.
Shall his recompense be as thou desire, that thou refuse it? For thou must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what thou know.
34 Viri intelligentes loquantur mihi, et vir sapiens audiat me.
Men of understanding will say to me, yes, every wise man who hears me,
35 Iob autem stulte locutus est, et verba illius non sonant disciplinam.
Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom.
36 Pater mi, probetur Iob usque ad finem: ne desinas ab homine iniquitatis.
But surely not. Learn thou Job not to still give an answer like the foolish,
37 Qui addit super peccata sua blasphemiam, inter nos interim constringatur: et tunc ad iudicium provocet sermonibus suis Deum.
so that we may not add to our sins, and lawlessness will be reckoned against us, speaking many words before the Lord.
