Joba 4
1 Le hoe ty natoi’ i Elifaze nte-Temane:
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 Hampihivivioke azo hao ty fimanea’ay rehak’ ama’o? fa Ia ty maha-lie-batañe tsy hivolañe?
If we essay to address a word to thee, wilt thou be wearied? yet who is able to refrain from speaking?
3 Ingo te maro ty nanare’o, fa nampaozare’o ty fitañe mavozo.
Behold, thou hast [ere this] corrected many, and weak hands thou wast wont to strengthen.
4 Fiatoa’ o mitsikapio o saontsi’oo; nampifatrare’o o ongotse mikoletrao;
Him that stumbled thy words used to uphold, and to sinking knees thou gavest vigor.
5 F’ie nizò azo henaneo, ihe ka ty midazidazìtse; nioza ama’o, le minevenevetse;
Yet now, when it cometh to thee, thou art wearied: it toucheth even thee, and thou art terrified.
6 Tsy o havañona’oo hao ty fatokisa’o vaho fitamà’o ty fahitin-dala’o?
Is not then thy fear of God still thy confidence, thy hope equal to the integrity of thy ways?
7 Ehe, tiahio hey: Ia ty nikoromake te nalio-tahiñe? Aia ty vañoñe naitoeñe?
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous destroyed?
8 Aa naho o nitreakoo: hambañe ty tatahe’ ty mpitraba-karatiañe, naho ty mpitongy kilily.
Even as I have seen, that those who plough wrong-doing, and sow trouble, have to reap the same.
9 Ie mihomak’ ami’ty kofòn’ Añahare, mikoromak’ ami’ty fiforoaham-pifombo’e.
Before the breathing of God they perish, and before the breath of his nostrils they come to their end.
10 Mitromoro ty liona mireñetse ty liona romotse, fe poñafeñe o nifem-parasy tora’eo,
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 Mate ty liona-lahi’e te po-tsindroke, mibarakaike ty anan-diona rene’e,
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness have to scatter themselves abroad.
12 Nasese amako añ’etake ty volañe, nitsepahen-tsòfiko ty nitangongoe’e.
But to me a word came by stealth, and my ear took in a scarcely perceptible whisper thereof.
13 Nitsakoreñe añ’aroñaron-kaleñe, ie lampon-drotse ondatio,
In intense thoughts out of visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men:
14 Niazo ty anifan-draho, nirevendreveñe, nampititititihe’e o taolako iabio.
Dread came over me, with trembling, and it caused all my bones to shudder.
15 Nihelañe añatrefan-tareheko eo ty angatse, niriñariña o volon-tsandrikoo.
Then flitted a spirit past before my face; the hair of my body stood up:
16 Nijohan-dre, fe tsy nirendreko ty vinta’e; nitroatse aolo’ o masokoo ty vente’e, nianjiñe, le inao ty fiarañanañañe nanao ty hoe:
It stood still, but I could not recognize its form; a figure was before my eyes, a slight whisper, then a [louder] voice I heard, saying,
17 Ho to añatrefan’ Añahare hao t’i raolombelo? halio te amy Namboatse azey hao ondatio?
Can a mortal be more righteous than God? or can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Heheke ndra o mpitoro’eo tsy atokisa’e, mbore anisia’e lilatse o anjeli’eo,
Behold, in his servants he putteth no trust, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
19 Àntsake o mpimoneñe an-traño taneo, O faha’eo an-debok’ ao, ie ho pìneke aolo’ ty fizara!
How much less in those that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed till they come to be eaten by the moth?
20 Ie demok’ añivo’ ty manjirik’andro naho ty haleñe; modo kitro-katroke tsy ihaoñañe.
From morning to evening are they broken to pieces: without laying it [to heart] they perish for ever.
21 Tsy nombotañe an-tro’e ao hao o talin-kivoho’eo? Ie mihomak’ avao, tsy aman-kilala!
Behold, their excellency which is in them is torn away: they die, and this without wisdom.
