Respondens autem Sophar Naamathites, dixit:

Then Sophar the Naamathite answered, and said:

Then answered Sophar the Naamathite:

Numquid qui multa loquitur, non et audiet? aut vir verbosus justificabitur?

Shall not he that speaketh much, hear also? or shall a man full of talk be justified?

Ready to speak should be ready to listen; glibness will not make an innocent man of thee.

Tibi soli tacebunt homines? et cum ceteros irriseris, a nullo confutaberis?

Shall men hold their peace to thee only? and when thou hast mocked others, shall no man confute thee?

Must all keep silence till thou hast done; shall none make answer to thy raillery?

Dixisti enim: Purus est sermo meus, et mundus sum in conspectu tuo.

For thou hast said: My word is pure, and I am clean in thy sight.

Still thou wilt have it that all thy dealings are upright, that thy heart, as God sees it, is pure.

Atque utinam Deus loqueretur tecum, et aperiret labia sua tibi,

And I wish that God would speak with thee, and would open his lips to thee,

Would he but speak one word in thy ear, make thee his confidant!

ut ostenderet tibi secreta sapientiæ, et quod multiplex esset lex ejus: et intelligeres quod multo minora exigaris ab eo quam meretur iniquitas tua!

That he might shew thee the secrets of wisdom, and that his law is manifold, and thou mightest understand that he exacteth much less of thee, than thy iniquity deserveth.

Would he but reveal to thee the secrets of his wisdom, in its ordered variety! Then wouldst thou learn that the penalty he is exacting of thee is less, far less, than thy sins deserve.

Forsitan vestigia Dei comprehendes, et usque ad perfectum Omnipotentem reperies?

Peradventure thou wilt comprehend the steps of God, and wilt find out the Almighty perfectly?

What, wouldst thou search out the ways of God, have knowledge unconfined of his omnipotence?

Excelsior cælo est, et quid facies? profundior inferno, et unde cognosces?

He is higher than heaven, and what wilt thou do? he is deeper than hell, and how wilt thou know?

High as heaven is that wisdom, and thy reach so small; deep as hell itself, and thy thought so shallow!

Longior terra mensura ejus, et latior mari.

The measure of him is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

Far as earth it stretches, wide as ocean;

Si subverterit omnia, vel in unum coarctaverit, quis contradicet ei?

If he shall overturn all things, or shall press them together, who shall contradict him?

will he sweep them all away, or confine them all in a little space, there is no gainsaying him.

Ipse enim novit hominum vanitatem; et videns iniquitatem, nonne considerat?

For he knoweth the vanity of men, and when he seeth iniquity, doth he not consider it?

He knows the false hearts of men, sees wickedness there, and wouldst thou have him overlook it?

Vir vanus in superbiam erigitur, et tamquam pullum onagri se liberum natum putat.

A vain man is lifted up into pride, and thinketh himself born free like a wild ass’s colt.

Poor fools, that will have a mind of their own, and think they were born free as the wild ass!

Tu autem firmasti cor tuum, et expandisti ad eum manus tuas.

But thou hast hardened thy heart, and hast spread thy hands to him.

But see, thy heart once guided aright, thy hands outspread to him in prayer,

Si iniquitatem quæ est in manu tua abstuleris a te, et non manserit in tabernaculo tuo injustitia,

If thou wilt put away from thee the iniquity that is in thy hand, and let not injustice remain in thy tabernacle:

thou hast but to cleanse thy hands of their wrong-doing, rid thy dwelling-place of the guilt that defies it.

tunc levare poteris faciem tuam absque macula; et eris stabilis, et non timebis.

Then mayst thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear.

Then thou mayst lift up thy head again, free from reproach, waver no more, tremble no more.

Miseriæ quoque oblivisceris, et quasi aquarum quæ præterierunt recordaberis.

Thou shalt also forget misery, and remember it only as waters that are passed away.

These miseries of thine shall be forgotten, or remembered gratefully, like floods that are overpast.

Et quasi meridianus fulgor consurget tibi ad vesperam; et cum te consumptum putaveris, orieris ut lucifer.

And brightness like that of the noonday, shall arise to thee at evening: and when thou shalt think thyself consumed, thou shalt rise as the day star.

Radiance of noon shall dispel twilight, dawn shall rise where darkness seemed to envelop thee;

Et habebis fiduciam, proposita tibi spe: et defossus securus dormies.

And thou shalt have confidence, hope being set before thee, and being buried thou shalt sleep secure.

fresh confidence shall be thine, fresh hope; hidden away in safety thou shalt sleep secure;

Requiesces, et non erit qui te exterreat; et deprecabuntur faciem tuam plurimi.

Thou shalt rest, and there shall be none to make thee afraid: and many shall entreat thy face.

and that rest of thine, none shall disturb, suitors a many shall come to court thy favour.

Oculi autem impiorum deficient, et effugium peribit ab eis: et spes illorum abominatio animæ.

But the eyes of the wicked shall decay, and the way to escape shall fail them, and their hope the abomination of the soul.

The godless another doom awaits; their eyes shall grow faint with watching, and no rescue shall ever reach them; no other prospect they have but despair.