< ヨブ 記 4 >

1 時にテマン人エリパズ答へて曰く
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 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
“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 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
Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
4 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
Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm.
5 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
But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.
6 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
Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 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
“Remember, now, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
8 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
According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.
9 みな神の氣吹によりて滅びその鼻の息によりて消うす
By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.
10 獅子の吼 猛き獅子の聲ともに息み 少き獅子の牙折れ
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 大獅子獲物なくして亡び小獅子散失す
The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.
12 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
“Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.
13 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
In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14 身に恐懼をもよほして戰慄き 骨節ことごとく振ふ
fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
15 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
Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.
16 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
It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
17 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
‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 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
Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.
19 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
How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!
20 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
Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.
21 その魂の緒あに絶ざらんや皆悟ること無して死うす
Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’

< ヨブ 記 4 >