Eliphaz's Third Speech
What Use Are We Humans to God?
1 Eliphaz from Teman said:
2 What use are we humans
to God,
even the wisest of us?
3 If you were completely sinless,
that would still mean nothing
to God All-Powerful.
4 Is he correcting you
for worshiping him?
5 No! It's because of
your terrible and endless sins.
6 To guarantee payment of a debt,
you have taken clothes
from innocent people.
7 And you refused bread and water
to the hungry and thirsty,
8 although you were rich,
respected, and powerful.
9 You have turned away widows
and have broken the arms
of orphans.
10 That's why you were suddenly
trapped by terror,
11 blinded by darkness,
and drowned in a flood.
God Lives in the Heavens
12 God lives in the heavens
above the highest stars,
where he sees everything.
13 Do you think the deep darkness
hides you from God?
14 Do thick clouds cover his eyes,
as he walks around heaven's dome
high above the earth?
15 Give up those ancient ideas
believed by sinners,
16 who were swept away
without warning.
17 They rejected God All-Powerful,
feeling he was helpless,
18 although he had been kind
to their families.
The beliefs of these sinners
are truly disgusting.
19 When God's people see
the godless swept away,
they celebrate, 20 saying,
“Our enemies are gone,
and fire has destroyed
their possessions.”
Surrender to God All-Powerful
21 Surrender to God All-Powerful!
You will find peace
and prosperity.
22 Listen to his teachings
and take them to heart.
23 If you return to God
and turn from sin,
all will go well for you.
24 So get rid of your finest gold,
as though it were sand.
25 Let God All-Powerful
be your silver and gold,
26 and you will find happiness
by worshiping him.
27 God will answer your prayers,
and you will keep the promises
you made to him.
28 He will do whatever you ask,
and life will be bright.
29 When others are disgraced,
God will clear their names
in answer to your prayers.
30 Even those who are guilty
will be forgiven,
because you obey God.
ǃNonaǁî ǂgaenamǃgâgus
1 Ob ge Elifasi Temanǁîba ǁkhawa ge ǃeream:
2 “Khoe-e Eloba xū-e harebeba ǁkhā-e?
ǁNâuǃāxa khoe-i ge ǁî-aitsama ǀgui ra ûibasen.
3 Mâ ǃgâiǃgâibasensab Hoaǀgaixaba
sa ǂhanu-aisiba xu ra hō,
tamas ka io sa ǂnao-osiba xu Eloba tare-eb ra hō?
4 ǃAoǃgâsib ǃnâts ra ǃoaba bi, amagab ǂgōǀau tsi
tsî sa ǃoagu ǀgoraǃgâs ǃnâ ra ǂgâ?
5 Sa ǁorena kai tama hâ?
Sa ǁoren ge ǀam-e ūhâ tama hâ?
6 ǂHanuo ǀgaub aits ge sa ǀaokhoen māde ǀhana
tsî ǁîna ǁhûǀkhā tsî ǀōǀkhāse ge ǁnāxū.
7 Tsau hânats ge ǁgam-i xare-e mā tama ge hâ i
tsî ǃâsa khoena pere-e māsa gere ǂkhā.
8 ǃKhūsib ǃnâ hân ge ǃhūba ra ǀhana
tsî ǃkhōǂuisa khoen ǀguina ǁnāpa ra hâ kai.
9 ǃOataradets ge ǀkhaiǃomse ge sîbē
tsî ǃguniǀgôana ǃâubasenoǃnâse ge ǁnāxū.
10 ǁNā-amaga di ge ǃnuide sa ǂnamipe hâ
tsîb ge ǃnapetamase ǃaoba xāǂgā tsi hâ.
11 Kaise i ge mû ǁoats ase a ǃkhae
tsî kai ǁgammi ge ra dâuǂam tsi.
12 “Eloba kha ǀgapiseb ǀhommi ǃnâ hâ tama?
ǀGamirodi ǀgapise ǂnoa ǀgauba kō re!
13 Xawets ge ‘Tare-eb Eloba a ǂan?
Nēti ī kai ǃkhaenas ǃnâ-u ǀgoraǃgâ ǁkhāb a? ti ra dî.
14 ǁAu ǃâudi ge mû ǁkhāb tidese ǃgūǂgan bi hâ
tsîb ra ǀhommi ǃāǂuisab ai ra ǃgû.’
15 “ǂKhabadī-aon gere sao,
ǀoro daob aits ra hâǀgara ǂgao?
16 ǁÎn ǁaeb aiǃân ge ge tsububēhe;
ǁîn ǃgaoǃgaob ge kai ǁgammi xa ge dâubēhe.
17 ǁÎn ge Elob ǃoa: ‘ǁNāxūǂui da!’
tsî ‘Tare-eb Hoaǀgaixaba a dī da ǁkhā?’ ti ge mî.
18 Elob ge ǁîn omde ǃgâiǃgâb ǀkha ǀoaǀoa hîa!
ǁNā-amaga ta ge eloxoresan ǀapede xu ǃnūse ra hâ.
19 ǂHanu-ain ge mû tsî ra ǃgâiaǂgao;
ǀhapio khoen ge ǁîna âiǂui tsî ra ǃhō.
20 Amase sada khākhoen ge go hîkākāhe
tsî ǁîn ǃkhūsib ge ǀaes xa go ǂhubiǂuihe.
21 “Nēsi, Elob aiǃâ ǃgamǃgamsen, îts ǂkhîba hō;
nēsats ga dī, ots ge nî ǃgâiǃgâ.
22 ǁÎb amsa xu ra ǂoaxa ǁgauǃnâsa ūǃoa,
î ǁîb mîde sa ǂgaob ǃnâ ǃkhōǀgaipe.
23 Hoaǀgaixab ǃoats ga dabasen, ots ge nî ǂgauǂgauhe;
sa tentomsa xuts ga ǂhanuoǃnâsiba ǃnūǃnū,
24 sa ǃhuniǀuribats ga ǃhūb ǃnâ aoxū
tsî Ofiri di ǃhuniǀuriba, ǂnâsa ǃārogu ǃhaogu tawa,
25 ob ge Hoaǀgaixa Eloba sa ǃhuniǀurise
tsî sa ǃgomǀgausa ǀhaiǀurise ī.
26 Ots ge hoaǁae Hoaǀgaixab ǃnâ nî ǃgâiaǂgao,
tsî sa aisa Elob ǃoa nî ǃhâkhâi.
27 ǁÎb ǃoats ga ǀgore, ob ge nî ǁnâu-am tsi
tsîts ge sa mîmâide nî dīǀoaǀoa.
28 Mîǁguisats ga ū, os ge ǁnāsa nî ama kai,
tsîb ge ǃnâba sa daogu hoagu ai nî ǃnâ.
29 Elob ge ǀgapiǂâixana nî mâǃoa,
xaweb ge ǃgamǃgamsen rana nî huiǂui.
30 ǁÎb ge ǀhapiots ka, ob nî ore tsi;
sa ǃomkha di ǃanusib ge nî ǃnoraǃnora tsi.”
