Bildad's First Speech
How Long Will You Talk?
1 Bildad from Shuah said:
2 How long will you talk
and keep saying nothing?
3 Does God All-Powerful
stand in the way of justice?
4 He made your children pay
for their sins.
5 So why don't you turn to him
6 and start living right?
Then he will decide
to rescue and restore you
to your place of honor.
7 Your future will be brighter
by far than your past.
Our Ancestors Were Wise
8 Our ancestors were wise,
so learn from them.
9 Our own time has been short,
like a fading shadow,
and we know very little.
10 But they will instruct you
with great understanding.
11 Papyrus reeds grow healthy
only in a swamp,
12 and if the water dries up,
they die sooner than grass.
13 Such is the hopeless future
of all who turn from God
14 and trust in something as frail
as a spider's web—
15 they take hold and fall
because it's so flimsy.
16 Sinful people are like plants
with spreading roots and plenty
of sun and water.
17 They wrap their roots tightly
around rocks.
18 But once they are pulled up,
they have no more place;
19 their life slips away,
and other plants grow there.
20 We know God doesn't reject
an innocent person
or help a sinner.
21 And so, he will make you happy
and give you something
to smile about.
22 But your evil enemies
will be put to shame
and disappear forever.
Bildads: Dievs atalgo taisno
1 Bildads no Šūhas viņam atbildēja, sacīdams:
2 “Cik ilgi vēl runāsi tā?
Tavas mutes vārdi kā stiprs vējš!
3 Vai tad Dievs sagrozīs tiesu,
vai Visuvarenais sagrozīs taisnību?
4 Ja tavi dēli pret viņu noziedzās,
viņš tos nodeva pašu grēkam!
5 Ja tu celsies un meklēsi Dievu,
Visuvarenajam karsti lūgsies,
6 ja šķīsts un krietns tu,
tad viņš iestāsies par tevi,
atjaunos taisnības mājokli tev –
7 ja tavs sākums ir bijis sīks,
gan tavs beigums sazels ļoti.
8 Tad vaicā jel senajām paaudzēm,
taujā, ko tēvi izdibinājuši, –
9 mēs tik no vakardienas, mēs nezinām! –
kā ēna mūsu dienas virs zemes.
10 Vai tie tevi nemācīs, vai nesacīs tev,
no savām sirdīm vai nedabūs vārdus?!
11 Vai donis augs, kur dūņu nav?
Vai niedre sliesies, kur nav ūdens?
12 Vēl zaļš, nenoplūkts,
bet agrāk par visām zālēm kalst –
13 kas Dievu piemirst, tā tam iet,
un bezgodim cerība zūd.
14 Uz ko viņš paļāvās, tas drūp,
kur šis patvērās – tur zirnekļa tīkls!
15 Pie sava nama šis slejas – tas brūk,
turas pie tā – tas irst!
16 Zaļoksns tas saules staros,
dārzu piepilda tā zari,
17 akmeņu grēdā tam pinas saknes,
starp akmeņiem tas laužas, –
18 kad viņu izdeldē no savas vietas,
tā viņu noliegs: neredzēju tevi!
19 Redzi, tāds viss viņa prieks! –
un no pīšļiem jau citi dīgst.
20 Redzi, krietno neatstumj Dievs,
nedz spēcina ļaundaru roku.
21 Vēl viņš pildīs tev muti smiekliem
un tavas lūpas gavilēm!
22 Tavi naidnieki apvilks kaunu,
un ļaundaru telts vairs nebūs.”
