Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
Då tok Elifaz frå Teman til ords og sagde:
2 “Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
«Er mannen vel til gagn for Gud? Nei, vitug mann seg sjølv mun gagna.
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
Hev Allvald bate av di rettferd? Er det hans vinst, at rett du ferdast?
4 Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgement?
Er det din gudlegdom han refser, når han med deg held rettargang?
5 Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
Hev ei din vondskap vore stor og dine syndar utan ende?
6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Grunnlaust du panta dine brøder; halvnakne drog du klædi av;
7 You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
den trøytte gav du ikkje vatn, den svoltne negta du ditt brød.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honourable man, he lived in it.
Det er den sterke som eig landet, den stolte hev si bustad der.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Du jaga enkjor burt tomhendt’ burt, slo armen av på faderlause.
10 Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
Difor ligg snaror kringum deg, og rædsla skræmer deg so brått.
11 or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
Ell’ vert du ikkje myrkret var, den flaum som fossar yver deg?
12 “Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
Bur ikkje Gud i himmelhøgd, sjå øvste stjernor, høgt dei sit!
13 You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
Du segjer so: «Kva veit vel Gud? Kann attum skyerne han døma?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
For skyer dimmer augo hans; han hev sin gang på himmelkvelven.»
15 Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
Seg, vil du fylgja fortids-vegen, den stig som illverksmenner gjekk?
16 who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
Dei som i utid tekne vart - og deira grunn flaut burt i flaum -
17 who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’
som sagde til Gud: «Haldt du deg burte!» Kva skulde Allvald vel deim gjera?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Endå han signa deira hus - langt burt frå meg med gudlaus råd!
19 The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,
Rettvise folk det såg med gleda, og den skuldlause spotta deim:
20 saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
«Fiendarn’ våre gjekk til grunns! Sjå elden øydde det dei leivde!»
21 “Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
Vert ven med honom, og få fred! So skal og lukka timast deg.
22 Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Og tak so lærdom av hans munn, og legg deg ordi hans på hjarta!
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
Vend um til Allvald, då du byggjest og jagar syndi frå ditt tjeld.
24 Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir amongst the stones of the brooks.
Kast gullet ditt i moldi ned - Ofir-gull millom bekkjesteinar.
25 The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
Allvald skal vera då ditt gull og haugar utav sylv for deg.
26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
Då skal du frygda deg i Allvald, di åsyn lyfta upp til Gud.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
Og når du ropar, vil han høyra, so du kann halda det du lovar.
28 You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
Det du deg etlar, skal du vinna, og ljos skal skina på din veg.
29 When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
Gjeng vegen ned, du ropar: «Upp!» Han hjelpar den bljug-øygde mann.
30 He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
Ja, ikkje-skuldfri mann han bergar, frelst vert han ved di reine hand.»
