Job 34

1 Then Elihu continued:

1 وَأَضَافَ أَلِيهُو قَائِلاً:

2 “Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.

2 «اسْتَمِعُوا إِلَى أَقْوَالِي أَيُّهَا الْحُكَمَاءُ، وَأَصْغُوا إِلَيَّ يَا ذَوِي الْمَعْرِفَةِ،

3 For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.

3 لأَنَّ الأُذُنَ تُمَحِّصُ الأَقْوَالَ كَمَا يَتَذَوَّقُ الْحَنَكُ الطَّعَامَ.

4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

4 لِنَتَدَاوَلْ فِيمَا بَيْنَنَا لِنُمَيِّزَ مَا هُوَ أَصْوَبُ لَنَا، وَنَتَعَلَّمَ مَعاً مَا هُوَ صَالِحٌ.

5 For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.

5 يَقُولُ أَيُّوبُ:’إِنِّي بَارٌّ، وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ تَنَكَّرَ لِحَقِّي،

6 Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

6 وَمَعَ أَنِّي مُحِقٌّ فَأَنَا أُدْعَى كَاذِباً، وَمَعَ أَنِّي بَرِيءٌ فَإِنَّ سَهْمَهُ أَصَابَنِي بِجُرْحٍ مُسْتَعْصٍ‘.

7 What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?

7 فَمَنْ هُوَ نَظِيرُ أَيُّوبَ الَّذِي يَجْرَعُ الْهُزْءَ كَالْمَاءِ،

8 He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.

8 يُوَاظِبُ عَلَى مُعَاشَرَةِ فَاعِلِي الإِثْمِ، وَيَأْتَلِفُ مَعَ الأَشْرَارِ،

9 For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’

9 لأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ: لَا يَنْتَفِعُ الإِنْسَانُ شَيْئاً مِنْ إِرْضَاءِ اللهِ.

10 Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.

10 لِذَلِكَ أَصْغُوا إِلَيَّ يَا ذَوِي الْفَهْمِ: حَاشَا لِلهِ أَنْ يَرْتَكِبَ شَرّاً أَوْ لِلْقَدِيرِ أَنْ يَقْتَرِفَ خَطَأً،

11 For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.

11 لأَنَّهُ يُجَازِي الإِنْسَانَ بِمُوْجِبِ أَعْمَالِهِ، وَبِمُقْتَضَى طَرِيقِهِ يُحَاسِبُهُ.

12 Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

12 إِذْ حَاشَا لِلهِ أَنْ يَرْتَكِبَ شَرّاً، وَالْقَدِيرِ أَنْ يُعَوِّجَ الْقَضَاءَ.

13 Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?

13 مَنْ وَكَّلَ اللهَ بِالأَرْضِ؟ وَمَنْ عَهِدَ إِلَيْهِ بِالْمَسْكُونَةِ؟

14 If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,

14 إِنِ اسْتَرْجَعَ رُوحَهُ إِلَيْهِ وَاسْتَجْمَعَ نَسَمَتَهُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ

15 all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.

15 فَالْبَشَرُ جَمِيعاً يَفْنَوْنَ مَعاً، وَيَعُودُ الإِنْسَانُ إِلَى التُّرَابِ.

16 If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.

16 فَإِنْ كُنْتَ مِنْ أُولِي الْفَهْمِ، فَاسْتَمِعْ إِلَى هَذَا، وَأَنْصِتْ لِمَا أَقُولُ:

17 Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,

17 أَيُمْكِنُ لِمُبْغِضِ الْعَدْلِ أَنْ يَحْكُمَ؟ أَتَدِينُ الْبَارَّ الْقَدِيرَ؟

18 who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’

18 الَّذِي يَقُولُ لِلْمَلِكِ: أَنْتَ عَدِيمُ الْقِيمَةِ، وَلِلنُّبَلاءِ: أَنْتُمْ أَشْرَارٌ؟

19 who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.

19 الَّذِي لَا يُحَابِي الأُمَرَاءَ، وَلا يُؤْثِرُ الأَغْنِيَاءَ عَلَى الْفُقَرَاءِ، لأَنَّهُمْ جَمِيعاً عَمَلُ يَدَيْهِ.

20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.

20 فِي لَحْظَةٍ يَمُوتُونَ، تُفَاجِئُهُمُ الْمَنِيَّةُ فِي مُنْتَصَفِ اللَّيْلِ، تَتَزَعْزَعُ الشُّعُوبُ فَيَفْنَوْنَ، وَيُسْتَأْصَلُ الأَعِزَّاءُ مِنْ غَيْرِ عَوْنٍ بَشَرِيٍّ،

21 For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.

21 لأَنَّ عَيْنَيْهِ عَلَى طُرُقِ الإِنْسَانِ وَهُوَ يُرَاقِبُ خَطْوَاتِهِ.

22 There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.

22 لَا تُوجَدُ ظُلْمَةٌ، وَلا ظِلُّ مَوْتٍ، يَتَوَارَى فِيهِمَا فَاعِلُو الإِثْمِ،

23 For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.

23 لأَنَّهُ لَا يَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يَفْحَصَ الإِنْسَانَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى حَتَّى يَدْعُوهُ لِلْمُثُولِ أَمَامَهُ فِي مُحَاكَمَةٍ.

24 He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.

24 يُحَطِّمُ الأَعِزَّاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ إِجْرَاءِ تَحْقِيقٍ، وَيُقِيمُ آخَرِينَ مَكَانَهُمْ

25 Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.

25 لِذَلِكَ هُوَ مُطَّلِعٌ عَلَى أَعْمَالِهِمْ، فَيُطِيحُ بِهِمْ فِي اللَّيْلِ فَيُسْحَقُونَ.

26 He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,

26 يَضْرِبُهُمْ لِشَرِّهِمْ عَلَى مَرْأَى مِنَ النَّاسِ،

27 because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.

27 لأَنَّهُمُ انْحَرَفُوا عَنِ اتِّبَاعِهِ، وَلَمْ يَتَأَمَّلُوا فِي طُرُقِهِ،

28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.

28 فَكَانُوا سَبَباً فِي ارْتِفَاعِ صُرَاخِ الْبَائِسِ إِلَيْهِ، وَاللهُ يَسْتَجِيبُ اسْتِغَاثَةَ الْمِسْكِينِ.

29 But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,

29 فَإِنْ هَيْمَنَ بِسَكِينَتِهِ فَمَنْ يَدِينُهُ؟ وَإِنْ وَارَى وَجْهَهُ فَمَنْ يُعَايِنُهُ؟ سَوَاءٌ أَكَانُوا شَعْباً أَمْ فَرْداً

30 that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.

30 لِكَيْ لَا يَسُودَ الْفَاجِرُ، لِئَلّا تَعْثُرَ الأُمَّةُ.

31 Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.

31 هَلْ قَالَ أَحَدٌ للهِ: لَقَدْ تَحَمَّلْتُ الْعِقَابَ فَلَنْ أَعُودَ إِلَى الإِسَاءَةِ؟

32 Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’

32 عَلِّمْنِي مَا لَا أَرَاهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتُ قَدْ أَثِمْتُ فَإِنَّنِي عَنْهُ أَرْتَدِعُ.

33 Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed Him? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know.

33 أَيُجْزِيكَ اللهُ إِذاً بِمُقْتَضَى رَأْيِكَ إِذَا رَفَضْتَ التَّوْبَةَ؟ لأَنَّ عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ أَنْ تَخْتَارَ لَا أَنَا، فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِمَا تَعْرِفُ.

34 Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:

34 إِنَّ ذَوِي الْفَهْمِ يُعْلِنُونَ، وَالْحُكَمَاءَ الَّذِينَ يُنْصِتُونَ إِلَى كَلامِي يَقُولُونَ لِي:

35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’

35 إِنَّ أَيُّوبَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِجَهْلٍ، وَكَلامُهُ يَفْتَقِرُ إِلَى التَّعَقُّلِ.

36 If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.

36 يَا لَيْتَ أَيُّوبَ يُمْتَحَنُ أَقْسَى امْتِحَانٍ، لأَنَّهُ أَجَابَ كَمَا يُجِيبُ أَهْلُ الشَّرِّ.

37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”

37 لَكِنَّهُ أَضَافَ إِلَى خَطِيئَتِهِ عِصْيَاناً، إِذْ يُصَفِّقُ بَيْنَنَا بِاحْتِقَارٍ، مُثَرْثِراً بِأَقْوَالٍ ضِدَّ اللهِ!»