1 É lihu reprit et dit:

Elihu answered (continued his discourse) and said,

2 S ages, écoutez mes discours! Vous qui êtes intelligents, prêtez-moi l'oreille!

Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

3 C ar l'oreille discerne les paroles, Comme le palais savoure les aliments.

For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.

4 C hoisissons ce qui est juste, Voyons entre nous ce qui est bon.

Let us choose for ourselves that which is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.

5 J ob dit: Je suis innocent, Et Dieu me refuse justice;

For Job has said, I am righteous, but God has taken away my right;

6 J 'ai raison, et je passe pour menteur; Ma plaie est douloureuse, et je suis sans péché.

Would I lie against my right? Yet, notwithstanding my right, I am counted a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

7 Y a-t-il un homme semblable à Job, Buvant la raillerie comme l'eau,

What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing and scorning like water,

8 M archant en société de ceux qui font le mal, Cheminant de pair avec les impies?

Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity and walks with wicked men?

9 C ar il a dit: Il est inutile à l'homme De mettre son plaisir en Dieu.

For he has said, It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God and consent to Him.

10 É coutez-moi donc, hommes de sens! Loin de Dieu l'injustice, Loin du Tout Puissant l'iniquité!

Therefore hear me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God that He should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that He should commit iniquity.

11 I l rend à l'homme selon ses oeuvres, Il rétribue chacun selon ses voies.

For according to the deeds of a man God will proportion his pay, and He will cause every man to find according to his ways.

12 N on certes, Dieu ne commet pas l'iniquité; Le Tout Puissant ne viole pas la justice.

Truly God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

13 Q ui l'a chargé de gouverner la terre? Qui a confié l'univers à ses soins?

Who put in charge over the earth? Or who laid on Him the whole world?

14 S 'il ne pensait qu'à lui-même, S'il retirait à lui son esprit et son souffle,

If should set His heart upon him and withdraw His spirit and His breath to Himself,

15 T oute chair périrait soudain, Et l'homme rentrerait dans la poussière.

All flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.

16 S i tu as de l'intelligence, écoute ceci, Prête l'oreille au son de mes paroles!

If now you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.

17 U n ennemi de la justice régnerait-il? Et condamneras-tu le juste, le puissant,

Is it possible that an enemy of right should govern? And will you condemn Him Who is just and mighty?

18 Q ui proclame la méchanceté des rois Et l'iniquité des princes,

Who says to a king, You are worthless and vile, or to princes and nobles, You are ungodly and evil?

19 Q ui n'a point égard à l'apparence des grands Et ne distingue pas le riche du pauvre, Parce que tous sont l'ouvrage de ses mains?

is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of His hands.

20 E n un instant, ils perdent la vie; Au milieu de la nuit, un peuple chancelle et périt; Le puissant disparaît, sans la main d'aucun homme.

In a moment they die; even at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no hand.

21 C ar Dieu voit la conduite de tous, Il a les regards sur les pas de chacun.

For eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.

22 I l n'y a ni ténèbres ni ombre de la mort, Où puissent se cacher ceux qui commettent l'iniquité.

There is no darkness nor thick gloom where the evildoers may hide themselves.

23 D ieu n'a pas besoin d'observer longtemps, Pour qu'un homme entre en jugement avec lui;

sets before man no appointed time, that he should appear before in judgment.

24 I l brise les grands sans information, Et il met d'autres à leur place;

He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry and in ways past finding out and sets others in their stead.

25 C ar il connaît leurs oeuvres. Ils les renverse de nuit, et ils sont écrasés;

Therefore He takes knowledge of their works, and He overturns them in the night, so that they are crushed and destroyed.

26 I l les frappe comme des impies, A la face de tous les regards.

God strikes them down as wicked men in the open sight of beholders,

27 E n se détournant de lui, En abandonnant toutes ses voies,

Because they turned aside from Him and would not consider or show regard for any of His ways,

28 I ls ont fait monter à Dieu le cri du pauvre, Ils l'ont rendu attentif aux cris des malheureux.

So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, and He heard the cry of the afflicted.

29 S 'il donne le repos, qui répandra le trouble? S'il cache sa face, qui pourra le voir? Il traite à l'égal soit une nation, soit un homme,

When He gives quietness (peace and security from oppression), who then can condemn? When He hides His face, who then can behold Him, whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—

30 A fin que l'impie ne domine plus, Et qu'il ne soit plus un piège pour le peuple.

That the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.

31 C ar a-t-il jamais dit à Dieu: J'ai été châtié, je ne pécherai plus;

For has anyone said to God, I have borne my chastisement; I will not offend any more;

32 M ontre-moi ce que je ne vois pas; Si j'ai commis des injustices, je n'en commettrai plus?

Teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

33 E st-ce d'après toi que Dieu rendra la justice? C'est toi qui rejettes, qui choisis, mais non pas moi; Ce que tu sais, dis-le donc!

Should recompense be as you will it, when you refuse to accept it? For you must do the choosing, and not I; therefore say what is your truthful conclusion.

34 L es hommes de sens seront de mon avis, Le sage qui m'écoute pensera comme moi.

Men of understanding will tell me, indeed, every wise man who hears me,

35 J ob parle sans intelligence, Et ses discours manquent de raison.

That Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom and insight.

36 Q u'il continue donc à être éprouvé, Puisqu'il répond comme font les méchants!

he be tried to the end because of his answering like wicked men!

37 C ar il ajoute à ses fautes de nouveaux péchés; Il bat des mains au milieu de nous, Il multiplie ses paroles contre Dieu.

For he adds rebellion to his unacknowledged sin; he claps his hands among us, and he multiplies his words of accusation against God.