¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

¹Så tog Temaniten Elifaz til Orde og sagde:

²“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

²"Gavner et Menneske Gud? Nej, den kloge gavner sig selv.

³Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?

³Har den Almægtige godt af din Retfærd, Vinding af, at din Vandel er ret?

⁴Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?

⁴Revser han dig for din Gudsfrygt? Eller går han i Rette med dig derfor?

⁵Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

⁵Er ikke din Ondskab stor og din Brøde uden Ende?

⁶For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

⁶Thi du pantede Brødre uden Grund, trak Klæderne af de nøgne,

⁷You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

⁷gav ikke den trætte Vand at drikke og nægted den sultne Brød.

⁸But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.

⁸Den mægtige - hans var Landet, den hædrede boede der.

⁹You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

⁹Du lod Enker gå tomhændet bort, knuste de faderløses Arme.

¹⁰Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,

¹⁰Derfor var der Snaret omkring dig, og Rædsel ængsted dig brat.

¹¹or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.

¹¹Dit Lys blev Mørke, du kan ej se, og Strømme af Vand går over dig!

¹²“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!

¹²Er Gud ej i højen Himmel? Se Stjernernes Tinde, hvor højt de står!

¹³You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

¹³Dog siger du: "Hvad ved Gud, holder han Dom bag sorten Sky?

¹⁴Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’

¹⁴Skyerne skjuler ham, så han ej ser, på Himlens Runding går han!"

¹⁵Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,

¹⁵Vil du følge Fortidens Sti, som Urettens Mænd betrådte,

¹⁶who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

¹⁶de, som i Utide reves bort, hvis Grundvold flød bort som en Strøm,

¹⁷who said to God, ‘Depart from us;’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’

¹⁷som sagde til Gud: "Gå fra os! Hvad kan den Almægtige gøre os?"

¹⁸Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

¹⁸Og han havde dog fyldt deres Huse med godt. Men de gudløses Råd er ham fjernt.

¹⁹The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,

¹⁹De retfærdige så det og glædede sig, den uskyldige spottede dem:

²⁰saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’

²⁰For vist, vore Fjender forgik, og Ild fortæred de sidste af dem.

²¹“Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.

²¹Bliv Ven med ham og hold Fred. derved vil der times dig Lykke;

²²Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

²²tag dog mod Lærdom af ham og læg dig hans Ord på Sinde!

²³If you return to the Almighty, you shall be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.

²³Vender du ydmygt om til den Almægtige, fjerner du Uretten fra dit Telt,

²⁴Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.

²⁴kaster du Guldet på Jorden, Ofirguldet blandt Bækkenes Sten,

²⁵The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

²⁵så den Almægtige bliver dit Guld, hans Lov dit Sølv,

²⁶For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face to God.

²⁶ja, da skal du fryde dig over den Almægtige og løfte dit Åsyn til Gud.

²⁷You shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You shall pay your vows.

²⁷Beder du til ham, hører han dig, indfri kan du, hvad du har lovet;

²⁸You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you. Light shall shine on your ways.

²⁸hvad du sætter dig for, det lykkes, det lysner på dine Veje;

²⁹When they cast down, you shall say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.

²⁹thi stolte, hovmodige ydmyger han, men hjælper den, der slår Øjnene ned;

³⁰He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

³⁰han frelser uskyldig Mand; det sker ved hans Hænders Renhed!