The Third Dialogue
(22.1—27.23)Eliphaz
1-2 Is there anyone, even the wisest,
who could ever be of use to God?
3 Does your doing right benefit God,
or does your being good help him at all?
4 It is not because you stand in awe of God
that he reprimands you and brings you to trial.
5 No, it's because you have sinned so much;
it's because of all the evil you do.
6 To make a brother repay you the money he owed,
you took away his clothes and left him nothing to wear.
7 You refused water to those who were tired,
and refused to feed those who were hungry.
8 You used your power and your position
to take over the whole land.
9 You not only refused to help widows,
but you also robbed and mistreated orphans.
10 So now there are pitfalls all around you,
and suddenly you are full of fear.
11 It has grown so dark that you cannot see,
and a flood overwhelms you.
12 Doesn't God live in the highest heavens
and look down on the stars, even though they are high?
13 And yet you ask, “What does God know?
He is hidden by clouds—how can he judge us?”
14 You think the thick clouds keep him from seeing,
as he walks on the dome of the sky.
15 Are you determined to walk in the paths
that evil people have always followed?
16 Even before their time had come,
they were washed away by a flood.
17 These are the ones who rejected God
and believed that he could do nothing to them.
18 And yet it was God who made them prosperous—
I can't understand the thoughts of the wicked.
19 Good people are glad and the innocent laugh
when they see the wicked punished.
20 All that the wicked own is destroyed,
and fire burns up anything that is left.
21 Now, Job, make peace with God
and stop treating him like an enemy;
if you do, then he will bless you.
22 Accept the teaching he gives;
keep his words in your heart.
23 Yes, you must humbly return to God
and put an end to all the evil
that is done in your house.
24 Throw away your gold;
dump your finest gold in the dry stream bed.
25 Let Almighty God be your gold,
and let him be silver, piled high for you.
26 Then you will always trust in God
and find that he is the source of your joy.
27 When you pray, he will answer you,
and you will keep the vows you made.
28 You will succeed in all you do,
and light will shine on your path.
29 God brings down the proud
and saves the humble.
30 He will rescue you if you are innocent,
if what you do is right.
Elīfazs: Ījaba grēki ir pārāk lieli
1 Elīfazs no Tēmānas atbildēja, sacīdams:
2 “Vai tad cilvēks būs Dievam palīgs?
Lai palīdz pats sev, kas gana gudrs!
3 Vai Visuvarenajam tīk, ka tu taisns?
Ko viņš gūst, ja tavi ceļi krietni?
4 Vai tavas bijības dēļ viņš tevi rāj
un iet ar tevi pie tiesas?
5 Vai tavs ļaunums nav milzum liels
un pārkāpumu tev bez gala?
6 Aplam ņēmi ķīlu no saviem brāļiem,
kailiem tu atņēmi drēbes,
7 nogurušam nedevi ūdeni dzert,
izsalkušam atrāvi maizi!
8 Kam stiprs elkonis, tam pieder zeme,
to apdzīvo tas, kam lepna piere!
9 Atraitnes tu atlaidi tukšā,
bāriņu elkonis tika salauzts –
10 tādēļ cilpas tev apkārt,
tādēļ bailes tevi piepeši sagrābj,
11 tāda tumsa, ka ne samanīt,
un ūdens plūdi gāžas pār tevi!
12 Vai tad Dievs nav debesīs augstu?
Paraugies zvaigznēs, kur paceltas tās!
13 Bet tu saki: ko Dievs zina?
Kā caur tumšiem padebešiem spriež tiesu?
14 Mākoņiem aizsedzies, neredz viņš,
pa debesloku viņš pastaigājas! –
15 Vai tu turēsies pie senā ceļa,
kuru grēkdari staigājuši,
16 kas iznīdēti pirms laika,
viņu pamatus upe izrāvusi,
17 tie Dievam teica: atkāpies!
Ko Visuvarenais padarīs mums?
18 Un viņš pildīja to namus labumiem!
Lai man ļaundaru padoms tāls!
19 Taisnie redzēs un priecāsies,
un šķīstais smies par tādu:
20 patiesi, mūsu naidnieks iznīdēts,
un, kas tiem palicis, to uguns aprijusi!
21 Izlīgsti ar viņu un turi mieru,
tā tu vēl sagaidīsi labu!
22 Pieņem taču mācību no viņa mutes,
liec viņa vārdus pie sirds!
23 Ja tu atgriezies pie Visuvarenā – tiksi atjaunots.
No savām teltīm padzen netaisnību!
24 Zeltu met pīšļos
un upju oļos – Ofīra zeltu,
25 tad Visuvarenais kļūs par tavu zeltu
un būs tev kā tīrs sudrabs.
26 Tad par Visuvareno tu priecāsies
un uz Dievu pacelsi vaigu,
27 tu viņu lūgsi, un viņš tevi sadzirdēs,
ko solījis, tu izpildīsi,
28 ko nolemsi, tas tev izdosies,
un tavus ceļus apspīdēs gaisma.
29 Pazemotajam tu teiksi: celies! –
jo pazemīgo viņš glābs.
30 Viņš izglābs nešķīsto –
tas būs glābts caur tavu šķīstumu!”
