¹Then Job answered,

¹Så tog Job til Orde og svarede:

²“No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

²"Ja, sandelig, I er de rette, med eder dør Visdommen ud!

³But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?

³Også jeg har som I Forstand, står ikke tilbage for eder, hvo kender vel ikke sligt?

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.

⁴Til Latter for Venner er den, der råbte til Gud og fik Svar. den retfærdige er til Latter.

⁵In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

⁵I Ulykke falder de fromme, den sorgløse spotter Faren, hans Fod står fast, mens Fristen varer.

⁶The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their God in their hands.

⁶I Fred er Voldsmænds Telte, og trygge er de, der vækker Guds Vrede, den, der fører Gud i sin Hånd.

⁷“But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.

⁷Spørg dog Kvæget, det skal lære dig, Himlens Fugle, de skal oplyse dig,

⁸Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

⁸se til Jorden, den skal lære dig lad Havets Fisk fortælle dig det!

⁹Who doesn’t know that in all these, the hand of Yahweh has done this,

⁹Hvem blandt dem alle ved vel ikke, at HERRENs Hånd har skabt det;

¹⁰in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?

¹⁰han holder alt levendes Sjæl i sin Hånd, alt Menneskekødets Ånd!

¹¹Doesn’t the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

¹¹Prøver ej Øret Ord, og smager ej Ganen Maden?

¹²With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.

¹²Er Alderdom eet med Visdom, Dagenes Række med Indsigt?

¹³“With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

¹³Hos ham er der Visdom og Vælde, hos ham er der Råd og Indsigt.

¹⁴Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

¹⁴Hvad han river ned, det bygges ej op, den, han lukker inde, kommer ej ud;

¹⁵Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

¹⁵han dæmmer for Vandet, og Tørke kommer, han slipper det løs, og det omvælter Jorden.

¹⁶With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.

¹⁶Hos ham er der Kraft og Fasthed; den, der farer og fører vild, er hans Værk.

¹⁷He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

¹⁷Rådsherrer fører han nøgne bort, og Dommere gør han til Tåber;

¹⁸He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

¹⁸han løser, hvad Konger bandt, og binder dem Reb om Lænd;

¹⁹He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

¹⁹Præster fører han nøgne bort og styrter ældgamle Slægter;

²⁰He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

²⁰han røver de dygtige Mælet og tager de gamles Sans;

²¹He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

²¹han udøser Hån over Fyrster og løser de stærkes Bælte;

²²He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.

²²han drager det skjulte frem af Mørket og bringer Mulmet for Lyset,

²³He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

²³gør Folkene store og lægger dem øde, udvider Folkeslags Grænser og fører dem atter bort;

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.

²⁴han tager Jordens Høvdingers Vid og lader dem rave i vejløst Øde;

²⁵They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

²⁵de famler i Mørke uden Lys og raver omkring som drukne.