¹

Then Sophar the Minæan answered and said,

¹

ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ Σωφὰρ ὁ Μιναῖος λέγει·

²

He that speaks much, should also hear on the other side: or does the fluent speaker think himself to be righteous? blessed is the short-lived offspring of woman.

²

ὁ τὰ πολλὰ λέγων, καὶ ἀντακούσεται· ἢ καὶ ὁ εὔλαλος οἴεται εἶναι δίκαιος; εὐλογημένος γεννητὸς γυναικὸς ὀλιγόβιος.

³

Be not a speaker of many words; for is there none to answer thee?

³

μὴ πολὺς ἐν ρήμασι γίνου, οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἀντικρινόμενός σοι·

⁴

For say not, I am pure in my works, and blameless before him.

⁴

μὴ γὰρ λέγε ὅτι καθαρός εἰμι τοῖς ἔργοις καὶ ἄμεμπτος ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ.

⁵

But oh that the Lord would speak to thee, and open his lips with thee!

⁵

ἀλλὰ πῶς ἂν ὁ Κύριος λαλήσαι πρός σε, καὶ ἀνοίξει χείλη αὐτοῦ μετὰ σοῦ;

⁶

Then shall he declare to thee the power of wisdom; for it shall be double of that which is with thee: and then shalt thou know, that a just recompence of thy sins has come to thee from the Lord.

⁶

εἶτα ἀναγγελεῖ σοι δύναμιν σοφίας, ὅτι διπλοῦς ἔσται τῶν κατά σέ· καὶ τότε γνώσῃ ὅτι ἄξιά σοι ἀπέβη ἀπὸ Κυρίου ὧν ἡμάρτηκας.

⁷

Wilt thou find out the traces of the Lord? or hast thou come to the end of that which the Almighty has made?

⁷

ἦ ἴχνος Κυρίου εὑρήσεις ἢ εἰς τὰ ἔσχατα ἀφίκου, ἃ ἐποίησεν ὁ Παντοκράτωρ;

⁸

Heaven is high; and what wilt thou do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what dost thou know?

⁸

ὑψηλὸς ὁ οὐρανός, καὶ τί ποιήσεις; βαθύτερα δὲ τῶν ἐν ᾃδου τί οἶδας;

⁹

Or longer than the measure of the earth, or the breadth of the sea.

⁹

ἢ μακρότερα μέτρου γῆς ἢ εὔρους θαλάσσης;

¹⁰

And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What hast thou done?

¹⁰

ἐὰν δὲ καταστρέψῃ τὰ πάντα, τίς ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ· τί ἐποίησας;

¹¹

For he knows the works of transgressors; and when he sees wickedness, he will not overlook it.

¹¹

αὐτὸς γὰρ οἶδεν ἔργα ἀνόμων, ἰδὼν δὲ ἄτοπα οὐ παρόψεται.

¹²

But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman is like an ass of the desert.

¹²

ἄνθρωπος δὲ ἄλλως νήχεται λόγοις, βροτὸς δὲ γεννητὸς γυναικὸς ἴσα ὄνῳ ἐρημίτῃ.

¹³

For if thou hast made thine heart pure, and liftest up thine hands towards him;

¹³

εἰ γὰρ σὺ καθαρὰν ἔθου τὴν καρδίαν σου, ὑπτιάζεις δὲ χεῖρας πρὸς αὐτόν,

¹⁴

if there is any iniquity in thy hands, put it far from thee, and let not unrighteousness lodge in thy habitation.

¹⁴

εἰ ἄνομόν τί ἐστιν ἐν χερσί σου, πόρρω ποίησον αὐτὸ ἀπὸ σοῦ, ἀδικία δὲ ἐν διαίτῃ σου μὴ αὐλισθήτω.

¹⁵

For thus shall thy countenance shine again, as pure water; and thou shalt divest thyself of uncleanness, and shalt not fear.

¹⁵

οὕτως γὰρ ἀναλάμψει σου τὸ πρόσωπον ὥσπερ ὕδωρ καθαρόν, ἐκδύσῃ δὲ ρύπον, καὶ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῇς·

¹⁶

And thou shalt forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and thou shalt not be scared.

¹⁶

καὶ τὸν κόπον ἐπιλήσῃ ὥσπερ κῦμα παρελθὸν καὶ οὐ πτοηθήσῃ.

¹⁷

And thy prayer shall be as the morning star, and life shall arise to thee as from the noon-day.

¹⁷

ἡ δὲ εὐχή σου ὥσπερ ἑωσφόρος, ἐκ δὲ μεσημβρίας ἀνατελεῖ σοι ζωή·

¹⁸

And thou shalt be confident, because thou hast hope; and peace shall dawn to thee from out of anxiety and care.

¹⁸

πεποιθώς τε ἔσῃ ὅτι ἔστι σοι ἐλπίς, ἐκ δὲ μερίμνης καὶ φροντίδος ἀναφανεῖταί σοι εἰρήνη.

¹⁹

For thou shalt be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against thee; and many shall charge, and make supplication to thee.

¹⁹

ἡσυχάσεις γάρ, καὶ οὐ ἔσται ὁ πολεμῶν σε· μεταβαλόμενοι δὲ πολλοί σου δεηθήσονται.

²⁰

But safety shall fail them; for their hope is destruction, and the eyes of the ungodly shall waste away.

²⁰

σωτηρία δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀπολείψει· ἡ γὰρ ἐλπὶς αὐτῶν ἀπώλεια, ὀφθαλμοὶ δὲ ἀσεβῶν τακήσονται.