1 ف َأجابَ أيُّوبُ:

Then Job answered,

2 « اسْمَعُونِي جَيِّداً، فَهَكَذا تُعَزُّونَنِي.

Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolation.

3 ا حتَمِلُونِي وَدَعُونِي أتَكَلَّمْ، وَبَعدَ ذَلِكَ استَهزِئُوا بِي.

Allow me, and I also will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on.

4 « شَكوايَ لَيسَتْ مِنْ إنسانٍ، وَلِهَذا لا صَبْرَ لِي.

As for me, is my complaint to man or of him? And why should I not be impatient and my spirit be troubled?

5 ت َفَرَّسُوا فِي وَجهِي وَاندَهِشُوا، وَضَعُوا أيدِيكُمْ عَلَى أفواهِكُمْ.

Look at me and be astonished (appalled); and lay your hand upon your mouth.

6 ح ِينَ أُفَكِّرُ فِي الأمرِ أرْتَعِبُ، وَيَرتَجِفُ كُلُّ كِيانِي.

Even when I remember, I am troubled and afraid; horror and trembling take hold of my flesh.

7 ل ِماذا يَحيا الأشرارُ؟ نَعَم! يُعَمِّرُونَ طَويلاً وَتَزدادُ ثَرَواتُهُمْ؟

Why do the wicked live, become old, and become mighty in power?

8 ن َسلُهُمْ قائِمٌ أمامَهُمْ، وَيَرَوْنَ أحفادَهُمْ بِعُيُونِهِمْ.

Their children are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.

9 ب ُيُوتُهُمْ آمِنَةٌ مُطمَئِنَّةٌ، وَاللهُ لا يُعاقِبُهُمْ.

Their houses are safe and in peace, without fear; neither is the rod of God upon them.

10 ث َوْرُ الشِّرِّيرِ يُلْقِحُ وَلا يَفشَلُ، وَبَقَرَتُهُ تَلِدُ وَلا تُجهِضُ.

Their bull breeds and fails not; their cows calve and do not miscarry.

11 ي ُطلِقُونَ صِغارَهُمْ لِيَلعَبُوا كَالحِملانِ، وَيَرقُصُ أبناؤُهُمْ.

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children skip about.

12 ي َعزِفُونَ عَلَى الدُّفِّ وَالقِيثارَةِ وَيَحتَفِلُونَ بِالعَزفِ عَلَى النّايِ.

They themselves lift up their voices and sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

13 ي َقضُونَ كُلَّ حَياتِهِمْ سُعَداءَ، وَيَهبِطُونَ إلَى الهاوِيَةِ فِي سَلامٍ.

They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol (the unseen state) in a moment and peacefully.

14 ي َقُولُونَ للهِ: ‹دَعنا! لا نُرِيدُ أنْ نَعرِفَ طُرُقَكَ.

Yet they say to God, Depart from us, for we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

15 و َمَنْ هُوَ القَدِيرُ حَتَّى نَعبُدَهُ؟ وَماذا نَنتَفِعُ إنْ صَلَّينا إلَيهِ؟›

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?

16 « حَقّاً، خَيرُهُمْ لَيسَ فِي يَدِهِمْ. لَكِنِّي لا أقبَلُ نَصِيحَةَ الأشرارِ.

But notice, the prosperity of the wicked is not in their power; the mystery with the ungodly is far from my comprehension.

17 ف َكَثِيراً ما يَنطَفِئُ نُورُ حَياةِ الأشرارِ، أوْ تُصِيبُهُمْ مَصائِبٌ، أوْ يُخَصِّصُ اللهُ لَهُمْ فِي غَضَبِهِ أوجاعاً؟

How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains and sorrows to them in His anger?

18 ك َثِيراً ما يَكُونُونَ كَالقَشِّ أمامَ الرِّيحِ، أوْ كَالتِّبْنِ الَّذِي تَحْمِلُهُ العاصِفَةُ؟

That they are like stubble before the wind and like chaff that the storm steals and carries away?

19 ت َقُولُونَ: ‹يَحْفَظُ اللهُ عِقابَ الشِّرِّيرَ لأبنائِهِ.› وَأقُولُ: «بَلْ لِيُجازِهِ هُوَ فَيَعْرِفَ إثمَهُ.»

You say, God lays up iniquity for his children. Let Him recompense it to the man himself, that he may know and feel it.

20 ل ِيَرَ الشِّرِّيرُ دَمارَهُ بِعَينَيهِ، وَلِيَشرَبْ مِنْ غَضَبِ القَدِيرِ.

Let his own eyes see his destruction, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21 ل أنَّهُ ماذا يُرِيدُ مِنْ بَيتِهِ بَعدَهُ، عِندَما تَنقَضِي شُهُورُ حَياتِهِ؟

For what pleasure or interest has a man in his house and family after he is dead, when the number of his months is cut off?

22 « هَلْ يُعَلِّمُ أحَدٌ اللهَ شَيئاً، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُدِينُ أعلَى النّاسِ شأناً؟

Shall any teach God knowledge, seeing that He judges those who are on high?

23 ي َمُوتُ أحَدُهُمْ فِي قِمَّةِ نَجاحِهِ مُرتاحاً مُطمَئِنّاً.

One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;

24 أ وعِيَتُهُ مَلِيئَةٌ بِاللَّبَنِ، وَمُخُّ عِظامِهِ مَملُوءٌ حَياةً.

His pails are full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is fresh and moist,

25 و َيَمُوتُ آخَرُ بِمَرارَةِ نَفسِهِ، دُونَ أنْ يَتَذَوَّقَ خَيراً.

Whereas another man dies in bitterness of soul and never tastes of pleasure or good fortune.

26 ف َيَضْطَجِعُ الاثنانُ مَعاً فِي التُّرابِ، وَسَرْعانَ ما يُغَطِّيهِما الدُّودُ.

They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm spreads a covering over them.

27 « أنا أعرِفُ أفكارَكُمْ، وَكَيفَ تَتَّفِقُونَ لاتِّهامي ظُلماً.

Behold, I know your thoughts and plans and the devices with which you would wrong me.

28 ت َقُولُونَ: ‹شَتّانَ بَينَ بَيتِ الشَّرِيفِ، وَبَينَ خَيمَةِ الأشرارِ!›

For you say, Where is the house of the rich and liberal prince ? And where is the tent in which the wicked dwelt?

29 « ألَمْ تَسألُوا عابِرِي السَّبِيلِ؟ قَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ شِهاداتِهِمْ:

Have you not asked those who travel this way, and do you not accept their testimony and evidences—

30 إ نَّ الشِّرِّيرَ يَنجُو يَومَ البَلوَى، وَأنَّ الأشرارَ يُنقَذُونَ فِي يَومِ الغَضَبِ؟

That the evil man is spared in the day of calamity and destruction, and they are led forth and away on the day of wrath?

31 م َنِ وَاجَهَ الشِّرِّيرَ بِأفْعالِهِ يَوماً؟ وَمَن يُجازيهِ بِمِثلِ ما فَعَلَهُ بِالآخَرِينَ؟

But who declares way him to his face? And who pays him back for what he has done?

32 ي ُحمَلُ إلَى المَقابِرِ، وَيَسهَرُ حارِسٌ عَلَى قَبرِهِ لِيَحْرُسَهُ.

When he is borne to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.

33 ي ُسَرُّ بِتُرابِ الوادِي، وَيَمشِي الجَمِيعُ وَراءَ مَوكِبِ جَنازَتِهِ، وَأمامَهُ جُمهُورٌ بِلا عَدَدٍ.

The clods of the valley are sweet to him, and every man shall follow him to a grave, as innumerable people before him.

34 « فَكَيفَ تُعَزُّونَنِي بِكَلِماتٍ فارِغَةٍ، وَأجوِبَتُكُمْ بَعيدَةٌ عَنِ الحَقِّ؟»

How then can you comfort me with empty and futile words, since in your replies there lurks falsehood?