1Siis rääkis Iiob ja ütles:
1Then Job answered,
2'Tõsi, teie olete inimesed ja koos teiega sureb tarkus.
2“No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3Ka minul on mõistus nagu teil, ma ei jää teist maha. Ja kes ei mõistaks seda kõike?
3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?
4Naerualuseks ligimesele on saanud, kes hüüab Jumala poole, et see teda kuuleks. Naerualuseks on õige ja vaga.
4I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.
5Ülbe arvates ei ole vaja õnnetusest hoolida, see tabab neid, kelle jalg libastub.
5In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.
6Rahus on rüüstajate telgid ja julgeolek on Jumala ärritajal, sellel, kes Jumalat oma käes kannab.
6The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their God in their hands.
7Aga küsi ometi loomadelt, et need õpetaksid sind, ja taeva lindudelt, et need annaksid sulle teada,
7“But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.
8või kõnele maale, et ta teeks sind targaks, ja et mere kalad jutustaksid sulle!
8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.
9Kes neist kõigist ei tea, et seda on teinud Issanda käsi,
9Who doesn’t know that in all these, the hand of Yahweh has done this,
10kelle käes on kõigi elavate hing ja iga lihase inimese vaim.
10in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?
11Eks kõrv katsu sõnad läbi ja eks suulagi maitse rooga?
11Doesn’t the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?
12Elatanuil on tarkus ja pikaealistel mõistus.
12With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.
13Jumalal on tarkus ja vägi, temal on nõu ja mõistus.
13“With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.
14Mida tema maha kisub, seda ei ehitata üles; keda tema vangistab, seda ei vabastata mitte.
14Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
15Vaata, kui tema peatab veed, tekib kuivus, ja kui ta need valla päästab, hävitavad need maa.
15Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16Temal on tugevus ja tulemus, tema päralt on eksija ja eksitaja.
16With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17Tema viib nõuandjad riisutavaks ja teeb kohtumõistjad narriks.
17He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
18Tema tühistab kuningate karistused ja köidab neile endile köie vööle.
18He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
19Tema saadab preestrid paljajalu teele ja paiskab ümber vägevate istmed.
19He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
20Tema riisub usaldusväärsetelt huuled ja võtab vanadelt aru.
20He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.
21Tema valab õilsate peale põlgust ja lõdvendab tugevate vööd.
21He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.
22Tema ilmutab saladused pimedusest ja toob surmavarju valguse kätte.
22He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23Tema teeb rahvaid suureks ja hukkab neid, tema laotab rahvaid laiali ja hävitab neid.
23He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
24Maa rahva peameestelt võtab ta mõistuse ja paneb nad eksima tühjal teeta maal.
24He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25Nad kobavad pimeduses valguseta ja ekslevad nagu joobnud.
25They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.