< Job 4 >

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered Job.
時にテマン人エリパズ答へて曰く
2 “Could I say a word? I don't want to upset you but who could keep quiet and not respond?
人もし汝にむかひて言詞を出さば汝これを厭ふや 然ながら誰か言で忍ぶことを得んや
3 You've certainly encouraged many people and supported those who are weak.
さきに汝は衆多の人を誨へ諭せり 手の埀たる者をばこれを強くし
4 Your advice has helped those who are stumbling not to fall, and you have strengthened those whose knees are weak.
つまづく者をば言をもて扶けおこし 膝の弱りたる者を強くせり
5 But now you're the one suffering and you're upset.
然るに今この事汝に臨めば汝悶え この事なんぢに加はれば汝おぢまどふ
6 Wasn't it your reverence for God that gave you confidence and your integrity that gave you hope?
汝は神を畏こめり 是なんぢの依賴む所ならずや 汝はその道を全うせり 是なんぢの望ならずや
7 Think about it: since when did the innocent die? Since when were good people destroyed?
請ふ想ひ見よ 誰か罪なくして亡びし者あらん 義者の絶れし事いづくに在や
8 From what I've seen it's those who plant evil and sow trouble who reap the same!
我の觀る所によれば不義を耕へし惡を播く者はその穫る所も亦是のごとし
9 A breath from God destroys them; a blast of his anger wipes them out.
みな神の氣吹によりて滅びその鼻の息によりて消うす
10 Lions may roar and growl, but their teeth still break.
獅子の吼 猛き獅子の聲ともに息み 少き獅子の牙折れ
11 Even a lion dies from lack of food, and the lioness' cubs are scattered.
大獅子獲物なくして亡び小獅子散失す
12 A word quietly crept up on me; a whisper reached my ear.
前に言の密に我に臨めるありて我その細聲を耳に聞得たり
13 Troubling thoughts came to me in nightmares when you fall into a deep sleep.
即ち人の熟睡する頃我夜の異象によりて想ひ煩ひをりける時
14 I became terrified and trembled; all my bones were shaking.
身に恐懼をもよほして戰慄き 骨節ことごとく振ふ
15 Then a breath brushed my face and gave me goose-pimples.
時に靈ありて我面の前を過ければ我は身の毛よだちたり
16 Something stopped, but I couldn't see its face. My eyes could only make out a shape. It was totally quiet, and then I heard a voice:
その物立とまりしが我はその状を見わかつことえざりき 唯一の物の象わが目の前にあり 時に我しづかなる聲を聞けり云く
17 ‘Can anyone be right before God? Can anyone be pure before their Maker?
人いかで神より正義からんや 人いかでその造主より潔からんや
18 If he doesn't even trust his servants, and he says his angels make mistakes,
彼はその僕をさへに恃みたまはず 其使者をも足ぬ者と見做たまふ
19 how much more does this apply to those who live in these houses made of clay, whose foundations are based on dust, who fall apart like clothing to a moth?
况んや土の家に住をりて塵を基とし蜉蝣のごとく亡ぶる者をや
20 Alive in the morning, they are dead by evening. They die, unnoticed.
是は朝より夕までの間に亡びかへりみる者もなくして永く失逝る
21 They are like tent ropes that are pulled up, and they collapse in death. They die without wisdom.’
その魂の緒あに絶ざらんや皆悟ること無して死うす

< Job 4 >