Job
1Then Job replied:
2“Even today my complaint is bitter;
his hand23:2 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew / the hand on me is heavy in spite of23:2 Or heavy on me in my groaning.
3If only I knew where to find him;
if only I could go to his dwelling!
4I would state my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5I would find out what he would answer me,
and consider what he would say to me.
6Would he vigorously oppose me?
No, he would not press charges against me.
7There the upright can establish their innocence before him,
and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.
8“But if I go to the east, he is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not find him.
9When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.
10But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
11My feet have closely followed his steps;
I have kept to his way without turning aside.
12I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.
13“But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?
He does whatever he pleases.
14He carries out his decree against me,
and many such plans he still has in store.
15That is why I am terrified before him;
when I think of all this, I fear him.
16God has made my heart faint;
the Almighty has terrified me.
17Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,
by the thick darkness that covers my face.
Jobs ottende tale: Et svar til Elifaz
1Hertil svarede Job:
2„Jeg må stadig klage i min håbløshed,
for Guds hårde straf får mig til at stønne.
3Kunne jeg dog bare få Gud i tale,
træde frem for hans trone,
4forklare ham mit syn på sagen,
og fremlægge mine argumenter,
5så kunne jeg få at vide, hvad han mener,
og prøve at forstå hans svar.
6Ville den almægtige Gud bare tromle mig ned?
Nej, han ville høre efter, hvad jeg havde at sige.
7Med ham som dommer får man en fair behandling,
og jeg tror bestemt, han ville frifinde mig.
8Men går jeg mod øst, finder jeg ham ikke.
Går jeg mod vest, er han heller ikke der.
9Mod nord kan jeg ikke få øje på ham,
mod syd kan jeg ikke finde hans spor.
10Men han kender mit liv og mine gerninger,
jeg ville bestå hans prøve med glans.
11Trofast har jeg fulgt i hans fodspor,
vandret den vej, han har anvist.
12Jeg har ikke overtrådt hans befalinger,
men bevaret hans ord i mit hjerte.
13Men hvem kan standse Gud?
Han fører det igennem, han har sat sig for.
14Han handler med mig efter sin plan,
og hvem ved, hvad han mere har i sinde?
15Er det så sært, at jeg frygter ham,
at jeg gruer ved tanken om, hvad han kan gøre?
16Gud har taget alt modet fra mig,
den Almægtige gør mig bange.
17Men jeg kan ikke bare holde min mund,
fordi jeg sidder i et mørkt fangehul.
