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respondens autem Eliphaz Themanites dixit
Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:
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numquid Deo conparari potest homo etiam cum perfectae fuerit scientiae
Can man be compared with God, even though he were of perfect knowledge?
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quid prodest Deo si iustus fueris aut quid ei confers si inmaculata fuerit via tua
What doth it profit God if thou be just? or what dost thou give him if thy way be unspotted?
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numquid timens arguet te et veniet tecum in iudicium
Shall he reprove thee for fear, and come with thee into judgment:
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et non propter malitiam tuam plurimam et infinitas iniquitates tuas
And not for thy manifold wickedness and thy infinite iniquities?
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abstulisti enim pignus fratrum tuorum sine causa et nudos spoliasti vestibus
For thou hast taken away the pledge of thy brethren without cause, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
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aquam lasso non dedisti et esurienti subtraxisti panem
Thou hast not given water to the weary, thou hast withdrawn bread from the hungry.
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in fortitudine brachii tui possidebas terram et potentissimus obtinebas eam
In the strength of thy arm thou didst possess the land, and being the most mighty thou holdest it.
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viduas dimisisti vacuas et lacertos pupillorum comminuisti
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless thou hast broken in pieces.
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propterea circumdatus es laqueis et conturbat te formido subita
Therefore art thou surrounded with shares, and sudden fear troubleth thee.
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et putabas te tenebras non visurum et impetu aquarum inundantium non oppressurum
And didst thou think that thou shouldst not see darkness, and that thou shouldst not be covered with the violence of overflowing waters?
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an cogitas quod Deus excelsior caelo et super stellarum vertices sublimetur
Dost not thou think that God is higher than heaven, and is elevated above the height of the stars?
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et dicis quid enim novit Deus et quasi per caliginem iudicat
And thou sayst: What doth God know? and he judgeth as it were through a mist.
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nubes latibulum eius nec nostra considerat et circa cardines caeli perambulat
The clouds are his covert, and he doth not consider our things, and he walketh about the poles of heaven.
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numquid semitam saeculorum custodire cupis quam calcaverunt viri iniqui
Dost thou desire to keep the path of ages, which wicked men have trodden?
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qui sublati sunt ante tempus suum et fluvius subvertit fundamentum eorum
Who were taken away before their time, and a flood hath overthrown their foundation.
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qui dicebant Deo recede a nobis et quasi nihil possit facere Omnipotens aestimabant eum
Who said to God: Depart from us: and looked upon the Almighty as if he could do nothing:
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cum ille implesset domos eorum bonis quorum sententia procul sit a me
Whereas he had filled their houses with good things: whose way of thinking be far from me.
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videbunt iusti et laetabuntur et innocens subsannabit eos
The just shall see, and shall rejoice, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.
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nonne succisa est erectio eorum et reliquias eorum devoravit ignis
Is not their exaltation cut down, and hath not fire devoured the remnants of them?
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adquiesce igitur ei et habeto pacem et per haec habebis fructus optimos
Submit thyself then to him, and be at peace: and thereby thou shalt have the best fruits.
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suscipe ex ore illius legem et pone sermones eius in corde tuo
Receive the law of his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
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si reversus fueris ad Omnipotentem aedificaberis et longe facies iniquitatem a tabernaculo tuo
If thou wilt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, and shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle.
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dabit pro terra silicem et pro silice torrentes aureos
He shall give for earth flint, and for flint torrents of gold.
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eritque Omnipotens contra hostes tuos et argentum coacervabitur tibi
And the Almighty shall be against thy enemies, and silver shall be heaped together for thee.
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tunc super Omnipotentem deliciis afflues et elevabis ad Deum faciem tuam
Then shalt thou abound in delights in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
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rogabis eum et exaudiet te et vota tua reddes
Thou shalt pray to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay vows.
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decernes rem et veniet tibi et in viis tuis splendebit lumen
Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall come to thee, and light shall shine in thy ways.
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qui enim humiliatus fuerit erit in gloria et qui inclinaverit oculos suos ipse salvabitur
For he that hath been humbled, shall be in glory: and he that shall bow down his eyes, he shall be saved.
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salvabitur innocens salvabitur autem munditia manuum suarum
The innocent shall be saved, and he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands.
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