1 هذا كله رأته عيني. سمعته اذني وفطنت به. | 1 I have seen all this with my own eyes, heard with my own ears and understood. |
2 ما تعرفونه عرفته انا ايضا. لست دونكم. | 2 Whatever you know, I know too; I am in no way inferior to you. |
3 ولكني اريد ان اكلم القدير وان أحاكم الى الله. | 3 But my words are intended for Shaddai; I mean to remonstrate with God. |
4 اما انتم فملفقو كذب. اطباء بطالون كلكم. | 4 As for you, you are only charlatans, all worthless as doctors! |
5 ليتكم تصمتون صمتا. يكون ذلك لكم حكمة. | 5 Wil no one teach you to be quiet -- the only wisdom that becomes you! |
6 اسمعوا الآن حجتي واصغوا الى دعاوي شفتيّ. | 6 Kindly listen to my accusation and give your attention to the way I shall plead. |
7 أتقولون لاجل الله ظلما وتتكلمون بغش لاجله. | 7 Do you mean to defend God by prevarication and by dishonest argument, |
8 أتحابون وجهه ام عن الله تخاصمون. | 8 and, taking his side like this, appoint yourselves as his advocates? |
9 أخير لكم ان يفحصكم ام تخاتلونه كما يخاتل الانسان. | 9 How would you fare, if he were to scrutinise you? Can he be duped as mortals are duped? |
10 توبيخا يوبخكم ان حابيتم الوجوه خفية. | 10 He would inflict a harsh rebuke on you for your covert partiality. |
11 فهلا يرهبكم جلاله ويسقط عليكم رعبه. | 11 Does his majesty not affright you? Does his terror not overcome you? |
12 خطبكم امثال رماد وحصونكم حصون من طين | 12 Your received ideas are maxims of ash, your retorts, retorts of clay. |
13 اسكتوا عني فاتكلم انا وليصبني مهما اصاب. | 13 Be quiet! Kindly let me do the talking, happen to me what may. |
14 لماذا آخذ لحمي باسناني واضع نفسي في كفي. | 14 I am putting my flesh between my teeth, I am taking my life in my hands; |
15 هوذا يقتلني. لا انتظر شيئا. فقط ازكي طريقي قدامه. | 15 let him kill me if he will; I have no other hope than to justify my conduct in his eyes. |
16 فهذا يعود الى خلاصي ان الفاجر لا يأتي قدامه. | 16 And this is what wil save me, for the wicked would not dare to appear before him. |
17 سمعا اسمعوا اقوالي وتصريحي بمسامعكم. | 17 Listen careful y to my words, and pay attention to what I am going to say. |
18 هانذا قد احسنت الدعوى. اعلم اني اتبرر. | 18 You see, I shal proceed by form of law, knowing that I am upright. |
19 من هو الذي يخاصمني حتى اصمت الآن واسلم الروح | 19 Who wants to contest my case? In advance, I agree to be silenced and to die! |
20 انما أمرين لا تفعل بي فحينئذ لا اختفي من حضرتك. | 20 Only grant me two concessions, and then I shal not hide away from your face: |
21 ابعد يديك عني ولا تدع هيبتك ترعبني | 21 remove your hand, which lies so heavy on me, no longer make me cower from your terror. |
22 ثم ادع فانا اجيب او اتكلم فتجاوبني. | 22 Then cal me forward and I shal answer, or rather, I shall speak and you wil answer. |
23 كم لي من الآثام والخطايا. اعلمني ذنبي وخطيتي. | 23 How many faults and crimes have I committed? Tell me what my misdeed has been, what my sin? |
24 لماذا تحجب وجهك وتحسبني عدوا لك. | 24 Why do you hide your face and look on me as your enemy? |
25 اترعب ورقة مندفعة وتطارد قشا يابسا. | 25 Do you want to intimidate a wind-blown leaf, do you want to pursue a dry straw? |
26 لانك كتبت عليّ أمورا مرّة وورثتني اثام صباي | 26 You who lay bitter al egations against me and tax me with the faults of my youth |
27 فجعلت رجليّ في المقطرة ولاحظت جميع مسالكي وعلى اصول رجليّ نبشت. | 27 and have put my feet in the stocks; you examine my every step and measure my footprints one byone! |
28 وانا كمتسوس يبلى كثوب اكله العث | 28 For his part, he crumbles away like rotten wood, or like a moth-eaten garment, |