1“Job, listen now to my words.
Pay attention to everything I say.
2I’m about to open my mouth.
My words are on the tip of my tongue.
3What I say comes from an honest heart.
My lips speak only what I know is true.
4The Spirit of God has made me.
The breath of the Mighty One gives me life.
5So answer me if you can.
Stand up and argue your case in front of me.
6To God I’m just the same as you.
I too am a piece of clay.
7You don’t have to be afraid of me.
My hand won’t be too heavy on you.
8“But I heard what you said.
And here are the exact words I heard.
9You said, ‘I’m pure. I have done no wrong.
I’m clean. I’m free from sin.
10But God has found fault with me.
He thinks I’m his enemy.
11He puts my feet in chains.
He watches every step I take.’
12“But I’m telling you that you aren’t right when you talk like that.
After all, God is greater than any human being.
13Why do you claim that God
never answers anybody’s questions?
14He speaks in one way and then another.
But we do not even realize it.
15He might speak in a dream or in a vision at night.
That’s when people are sound asleep in their beds.
16He might speak in their ears.
His warnings might terrify them.
17He warns them in order to turn them away from sinning.
He wants to keep them from being proud.
18He wants to stop them from going down into the grave.
He doesn’t want them to be killed by swords.
19Someone might be punished by suffering in bed.
The pain in their bones might never go away.
20They might feel so bad they can’t eat anything.
They might even hate the finest food.
21Their body might waste away to nothing.
Their bones might have been hidden.
But now they stick out.
22They might approach the very edge of the grave.
The messengers of death might come for them.
23“But suppose there is an angel who will speak up for him.
The angel is very special. He’s one out of a thousand.
He will tell that person how to do what is right.
24That angel will be gracious to them. He’ll say to God,
‘Spare them from going down into the grave.
I know a way that can set them free.’
25Then their body is made like new again.
They become as strong and healthy as when they were young.
26Then that person can pray to God and be blessed by him.
They will see God’s face and shout for joy.
God will make them well and happy again.
27Then that person will come to others and say,
‘I sinned. I made what is wrong appear to be right.
But I wasn’t punished as I should have been.
28God has set me free. He has kept me from going down into the darkness of the grave.
So I’ll live to enjoy the light of life.’
29“God does all these things to people.
In fact, he does them again and again.
30He wants to stop people from going down into the darkness of the grave.
Then the light of life will shine on them.
31“Pay attention, Job! Listen to me!
Be quiet so I can speak.
32If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak up. I want to help you be cleared of all charges.
33But if you don’t have anything to say, listen to me.
Be quiet so I can teach you how to be wise.”
Elihu bá Jobu sọ̀rọ̀
1“Ǹjẹ́ nítorí náà, Jobu, èmí bẹ̀ ọ,
gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ mi kí o sì fetísí ọ̀rọ̀ mi!
2Kíyèsi i nísinsin yìí, èmí ya ẹnu mi,
ahọ́n mi sì sọ̀rọ̀ ní ẹnu mi.
3Ọ̀rọ̀ mi yóò sì jásí ìdúró ṣinṣin ọkàn mi,
ètè mi yóò sì sọ ìmọ̀ mi jáde dájúdájú.
4Ẹ̀mí Ọlọ́run ni ó tí dá mi,
àti ìmísí Olódùmarè ni ó ti fún mi ní ìyè.
5Bí ìwọ bá le dá mi lóhùn,
tò ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ lẹ́sẹẹsẹ níwájú mi;
6Kíyèsi i, bí ìwọ ṣe jẹ́ ti Ọlọ́run, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni èmi náà;
láti amọ̀ wá ni a sì ti dá mi pẹ̀lú.
7Kíyèsi i, ẹ̀rù ńlá mi kì yóò bà ọ;
bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ọwọ́ mi kì yóò wúwo sí ọ lára.
8“Nítòótọ́ ìwọ sọ ní etí mi,
èmí sì gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ wí pé,
9‘Èmi mọ́, láìní ìrékọjá, aláìṣẹ̀ ní èmi;
bẹ́ẹ̀ àìṣedéédéé kò sí ní ọwọ́ mi.
10Kíyèsi i, Ọlọ́run ti rí àìṣedéédéé pẹ̀lú mi;
ó kà mí sì ọ̀tá rẹ̀.
11Ó kan ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ mi sínú àbà;
o kíyèsi ipa ọ̀nà mi gbogbo.’
12“Kíyèsi i, nínú èyí ìwọ ṣìnà!
Èmi ó dá ọ lóhùn pé, Ọlọ́run tóbi jù ènìyàn lọ!
13Nítorí kí ni ìwọ ṣe ń bá a jà, wí pé,
òun kò ní sọ ọ̀rọ̀ kan nítorí iṣẹ́ rẹ̀?
14Nítorí pe Ọlọ́run sọ̀rọ̀ lẹ́ẹ̀kan,
àní, lẹ́ẹ̀kejì, ṣùgbọ́n ènìyàn kò róye rẹ̀.
15Nínú àlá, ní ojúran òru,
nígbà tí orun èjìká bá kùn ènìyàn lọ,
ní sísùn lórí ibùsùn,
16Nígbà náà ni ó lè sọ̀rọ̀ ní etí wọn,
yóò sì dẹ́rùbà wọ́n pẹ̀lú ìbáwí,
17Kí ó lè fa ènìyàn sẹ́yìn kúrò nínú ètè rẹ̀;
Kí ó sì pa ìgbéraga mọ́ kúrò lọ́dọ̀ ènìyàn;
18Ó sì fa ọkàn rẹ̀ padà kúrò nínú isà òkú,
àti ẹ̀mí rẹ̀ láti ṣègbé lọ́wọ́ idà.
19“A sì nà án lórí ibùsùn ìrora rẹ̀;
pẹ̀lúpẹ̀lú a fi ìjà egungun rẹ̀ ti ó dúró pẹ́ nà án,
20bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ẹ̀mí rẹ kọ oúnjẹ,
ọkàn rẹ̀ sì kọ oúnjẹ dídùn.
21Ẹran-ara rẹ̀ run, títí a kò sì fi lè rí i mọ́
egungun rẹ̀ tí a kò tí rí sì ta jáde.
22Àní, ọkàn rẹ̀ sì súnmọ́ isà òkú,
ẹ̀mí rẹ̀ sì súnmọ́ ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn ìránṣẹ́ ikú.
23Bí angẹli kan ba wà lọ́dọ̀ rẹ̀,
ẹni tí ń ṣe alágbàwí,
ọ̀kan nínú ẹgbẹ̀rún láti fi ọ̀nà pípé hàn ni,
24Nígbà náà ni ó ṣe oore-ọ̀fẹ́ fún un ó sì wí pé,
gbà á kúrò nínú lílọ sínú isà òkú;
èmi ti rà á padà.
25Ara rẹ̀ yóò sì di ọ̀tun bí i ti ọmọ kékeré,
yóò sì tún padà sí ọjọ́ ìgbà èwe rẹ̀;
26Ó gbàdúrà sọ́dọ̀ Ọlọ́run, òun sì ṣe ojúrere rẹ̀,
o sì rí ojú rẹ̀ pẹ̀lú ayọ̀,
òhun o san òdodo rẹ̀ padà fún ènìyàn.
27Ó wá sọ́dọ̀ ènìyàn ó sì wí pé,
‘Èmi ṣẹ̀, kò sì ṣí èyí tí o tọ́, mo sì ti yí èyí tí ó tọ́ po,
a kò sì san ẹ̀san rẹ̀ fún mi;
28Ọlọ́run ti gba ọkàn mi kúrò nínú lílọ sínú ihò,
ẹ̀mí mi yóò wà láti jẹ adùn ìmọ́lẹ̀ ayé.’
29“Wò ó! Nǹkan wọ̀nyí ni Ọlọ́run
máa ń ṣe fún ènìyàn nígbà méjì àti nígbà mẹ́ta,
30Láti mú ọkàn rẹ padà kúrò nínú isà òkú,
láti fi ìmọ́lẹ̀ alààyè han sí i.
31“Jobu, kíyèsi i gidigidi kí o sì fetí sí mi;
pa ẹnu rẹ mọ́, èmi ó sì máa sọ ọ́
32Bí ìwọ bá sì ní ohun wí, dá mi lóhùn;
máa sọ, nítorí pé èmi fẹ́ dá ọ láre.
33Bí bẹ́ẹ̀ kọ́, gbọ́ tèmi;
pa ẹnu rẹ mọ́, èmi ó sì kọ́ ọ ní ọgbọ́n.”
