Eliphaz's First Speech
Please Be Patient and Listen
1 Eliphaz from Teman said:
2 Please be patient and listen
to what I have to say.
* 3 Remember how your words
4 have guided and encouraged
many in need.
5 But now you feel discouraged
when struck by trouble.
6 You respect God and live right,
so don't lose hope!
7 No truly innocent person
has ever died young.
8 In my experience, only those
who plant seeds of evil
harvest trouble,
9 and then they are swept away
by the angry breath of God.
10 They may roar and growl
like powerful lions.
But when God breaks their teeth,
11 they starve, and their children
are scattered.
A Secret Was Told to Me
12 A secret was told to me
in a faint whisper—
13 I was overcome by sleep,
but disturbed by dreams;
14 I trembled with fear,
15 and my hair stood on end,
as a wind blew past my face.
16 It stopped and stood still.
Then a form appeared—
a shapeless form.
And from the silence,
I heard a voice say,
17 “No humans are innocent
in the eyes of God
their Creator.
18 He finds fault with his servants
and even with his angels.
19 Humans are formed from clay
and are fragile as moths,
so what chance do you have?
20 Born after daybreak,
you die before nightfall
and disappear forever.
21 Your tent pegs are pulled up,
and you leave this life,
having gained no wisdom.”
Elīfazs atbild: taisnais necieš
1 Elīfazs no Tēmānas atbildēja, sacīdams:
2 “Ja tev ko teiks, vai izturēsi?!
Bet kurš spēs klusu ciest?
3 Redzi, daudzus tu pamācīji,
gurdas rokas tu spēcināji,
4 klupušu cēla tavi vārdi,
ļodzīgus ceļus tu stiprināji!
5 Bet nu:
pār tevi nāk – tu neizturi,
tevi piemeklē – tu iztrūksties!
6 Vai dievbijība nav drošums tev
un cerība tev – taisnais ceļš?
7 Atceries, kad gan šķīstais ir izdeldēts,
kur gan taisnie iznīdēti?
8 Gan redzēju:
kas postu ar un mokas sēj – to arī pļauj,
9 caur Dieva elpu visi zūd,
un dusmu dvaša viņus rij.
10 Lauvu rūkoņa, lauvas balss,
un jauno lauvu ilkņi pagalam,
11 lauva iznīkst bez medījuma,
un lauvenes mazuļi izklīst!
12 Zagšus piezagās man vārds,
tikai čukstu noģieda auss
13 neskaidrās jausmās, ko nes nakts,
kad cilvēkiem uzkrīt ciets miegs.
14 Bailes un drebas sagrāba mani
un manus kaulus iztrūcināja.
15 Dvesma aizskāra manu vaigu,
mati saslējās uz miesas!
16 Kāds stāv – es neatskārstu! –
tikai veidols acu priekšā,
viegla vēsma, un atskan balss:
17 vai cilvēks paliks priekš Dieva taisns?
Vai Radītājam šķīsts liksies vīrs?
18 Redzi, saviem kalpiem viņš neuzticas
un saviem eņģeļiem pierāda vainu –
19 kur nu vēl tiem, kas mīt māla namos,
kam pamati zemes pīšļos!
Nospiedīs tos tā kā kodes,
20 no rīta līdz rietam tie jau sabirst,
neviens pat nemana, kā tie zūd!
21 Vai telts virve tiem nesatrūks?
Tie mirs, bet gudrību nedabūs.
