Job

1And Eliphaz the Themanite, answered, and said:

2Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking in the wind, and fill his stomach with burning heat?

3Thou reprovest him by words, who is not equal to thee, and thou speakest that which is not good for thee.

4As much as is in thee, thou hast made void fear, and hast taken away prayers from before God.

5For thy iniquity hath taught thy mouth, and thou imitatest the tongue of blasphemers.

6Thy own mouth shall condemn thee, and not I: and thy own lips shall answer thee.

7Art thou the first man that was born, or wast thou made before the hills?

8Hast thou heard God’s counsel, and shall his wisdom be inferior to thee?

9What knowest thou that we are ignorant of? what dost thou understand that we know not?

10There are with us also aged and ancient men, much elder than thy fathers.

11Is it a great matter that God should comfort thee? but thy wicked words hinder this.

12Why doth thy heart elevate thee, and why dost thou stare with thy eyes, as if they were thinking great things?

13Why doth thy spirit swell against God, to utter such words out of thy mouth?

14What is man that he should be without spot, and he that is born of a woman that he should appear just?

15Behold among his saints none is unchangeable, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.

16How much more is man abominable, and unprofitable, who drinketh iniquity like water?

17I will shew thee, hear me: and I will tell thee what I have seen.

18Wise men confess and hide not their fathers.

19To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger hath passed among them.

20The wicked man is proud all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.

21The sound of dread is always in his ears: and when there is peace, he always suspecteth treason.

22He believeth not that he may return from darkness to light, looking round about for the sword on every side.

23When he moveth himself to seek bread, he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

24Tribulation shall terrify him, and distress shall surround him, as a king that is prepared for the battle.

25For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and hath strengthened himself against the Almighty.

26He hath run against him with his neck raised up, and is armed with a fat neck.

27Fatness hath covered his face, and the fat hangeth down on his sides.

28He hath dwelt in desolate cities, and in desert houses that are reduced into heaps.

29He shall not be enriched, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he push his root in the earth.

30He shall not depart out of darkness: the flame shall dry up his branches, and he shall be taken away by the breath of his own month.

31He shall not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he may be redeemed with any price.

32Before his days be full he shall perish: and his hands shall wither away.

33He shall be blasted as a vine when its grapes are in the first flower, and as an olive tree that casteth its flower.

34For the congregation of the hypocrite is barren, and fire shall devour their tabernacles, who love to take bribes.

35He hath conceived sorrow, and hath brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepareth deceits.

1Bấy giờ, ông Ê-li-phát người Tê-man lên tiếng nói :

2lại dùng những lý lẽ vu vơ, và ngốn gió đông cho đầy bụng,

3mà biện hộ cho mình ?

4coi thường cả việc suy gẫm trước nhan Người.

5anh chọn kiểu ăn nói của phường xảo quyệt.

6chính môi anh quả quyết rằng anh mắc tội.

7đã chào đời trước khi đồi núi xuất hiện ?

8và đã chiếm đoạt được khôn ngoan ?

9có gì anh hiểu mà chúng tôi chẳng hay ?

10tuổi đời vượt cả tuổi cha anh.

11cũng như những lời lẽ nhẹ nhàng chúng tôi nói với anh ?

12để cho mắt anh cũng đồng tình,

13và thốt lên những lời chống lại Thiên Chúa ?

14để tự cho mình là công chính ?

15ngay các tầng trời, cũng chẳng thanh sạch trước mắt Người,

16con người chuyên làm điều gian ác như uống nước lã ?

17Nghe tôi đi, tôi xin chỉ cho anh, tôi xin kể lại những điều đã thấy,

18đó cũng là điều cha ông xưa truyền lại.

19bấy giờ nơi đó chẳng có ngoại kiều nào lẫn lộn.

20năm tháng dành cho kẻ hung tàn đã được đếm hết.

21đang sống an lành, thì quân cướp bỗng đâu ào tới.

22mà thấy mình bị bỏ mặc cho gươm đâm chém.

23Nó biết rằng cái nắm chắc trong tay là chuỗi ngày đen tối.

24đổ dồn trên nó như ông vua sẵn sàng lâm trận.

25cả gan chống lại Đấng Toàn Năng,

26nó cắm cổ cắm đầu xông vào Chúa.

27Bởi vì nó mặt mày núng nính và thân hình phì nộn.

28trong những ngôi nhà chẳng ai cư ngụ, sắp trở nên hoang tàn.

29của cải nó không che kín được xứ sở.

30hoa của nó, gió sẽ cuốn đi.

31vì dối trá chính là những gì nó thu hoạch được.

32chẳng còn xanh tươi nữa.

33như cây ô-liu, nó để mất đi hoa trái của mình.

34lều đứa ăn hối lộ sẽ bị lửa thiêu.

35bụng chúng chứa sẵn những điều gian.