Liber Iob, 15

1. Respondens autem Eliphaz Themanites dixit:

1. Then Eli'phaz the Te'manite answered:

2. “Numquid sapiens respondebit sapientia ventosa et implebit vento urente stomachum suum?

2. "Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?

3. Arguens verbis, quae nihil prosunt, et sententiis, quae nihil iuvant?

3. Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good?

4. Tu autem pietatem dissolvis et detrahis meditationi coram Deo.

4. But you are doing away with the fear of God, and hindering meditation before God.

5. Docet enim iniquitas tua os tuum, et assumis linguam callidorum.

5. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

6. Condemnabit te os tuum et non ego, et labia tua respondebunt tibi.

6. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you.

7. Numquid primus homo tu natus es et ante colles formatus?

7. "Are you the first man that was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills?

8. Numquid consilium Dei audisti et tibi attrahis sapientiam?

8. Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?

9. Quid nosti, quod nos ignoremus? Quid intellegis, quod nos nesciamus?

9. What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

10. Et senes et antiqui sunt inter nos, multo vetustiores quam pater tuus.

10. Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, older than your father.

11. Numquid parum tibi sunt consolationes Dei? Et verbum lene tecum factum?

11. Are the consolations of God too small for you, or the word that deals gently with you?

12. Quid te elevat cor tuum, et cur attonitos habes oculos?

12. Why does your heart carry you away, and why do your eyes flash,

13. Quid vertis contra Deum spiritum tuum et profers de ore tuo huiuscemodi sermones?

13. that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?

14. Quid est homo, ut immaculatus sit, et ut iustus appareat natus de muliere?

14. What is man, that he can be clean? Or he that is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?

15. Ecce, sanctis suis non fidit, et caeli non sunt mundi in conspectu eius;

15. Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not clean in his sight;

16. quanto magis abominabilis et corruptus homo, qui bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem.

16. how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!

17. Ostendam tibi, audi me; quod vidi, narrabo tibi,

17. "I will show you, hear me; and what I have seen I will declare

18. quod sapientes confitentur, et non celaverunt eos patres eorum:

18. (what wise men have told, and their fathers have not hidden,

19. quibus solis data est terra, et non transivit alienus per eos.

19. to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them).

20. Cunctis diebus suis impius cruciatur, et numerus annorum incertus est tyranno.

20. The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless.

21. Sonitus terroris semper in auribus illius, quasi, cum pax sit, vastator irruat in eum.

21. Terrifying sounds are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him.

22. Non credit quod reverti possit de tenebris, cum sit destinatus gladio.

22. He does not believe that he will return out of darkness, and he is destined for the sword.

23. Cum se moverit ad quaerendum panem: “Ubinam?”, novit quod paratus sit in manu eius tenebrarum dies.

23. He wanders abroad for bread, saying, `Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand;

24. Terrebit eum tribulatio et angustia, vallabit eum sicut regem, qui praeparatur ad proelium.

24. distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him, like a king prepared for battle.

25. Tetendit enim adversus Deum manum suam, et contra Omnipotentem roboratus est.

25. Because he has stretched forth his hand against God, and bids defiance to the Almighty,

26. Cucurrit adversus eum erecto collo, spisso scuto armatus.

26. running stubbornly against him with a thick-bossed shield;

27. Operuit faciem eius crassitudo, et de lateribus eius arvina dependet.

27. because he has covered his face with his fat, and gathered fat upon his loins,

28. Habitavit in civitatibus desolatis et in domibus desertis, quae in tumulos sunt redactae.

28. and has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no man should inhabit, which were destined to become heaps of ruins;

29. Non ditabitur, nec perseverabit substantia eius; nec mittet in terra radicem suam.

29. he will not be rich, and his wealth will not endure, nor will he strike root in the earth;

30. Non recedet de tenebris; ramos eius arefaciet flamma, et auferet ventus florem eius.

30. he will not escape from darkness; the flame will dry up his shoots, and his blossom will be swept away by the wind.

31. Ne credat vanitati errore deceptus, quia vanitas erit remuneratio eius.

31. Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness will be his recompense.

32. Antequam dies eius impleantur, abscindentur, et ramus eius non virescet.

32. It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not be green.

33. Laedetur quasi vinea in primo flore botrus eius, et quasi oliva proiciens florem suum.

33. He will shake off his unripe grape, like the vine, and cast off his blossom, like the olive tree.

34. Cangregatio enim impii sterilis, et ignis devorabit tabernacula eorum, qui munera libenter accipiunt.

34. For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of bribery.

35. Concepit dolorem et peperit iniquitatem, et venter eius praeparat dolos.

35. They conceive mischief and bring forth evil and their heart prepares deceit."