< Job 8 >

1 Then Baldad the Sauchite answered, and said,
וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י וַיֹאמַֽר׃
2 How long wilt thou speak these things, [how long shall] the breath of thy mouth [be] abundant in words?
עַד־אָ֥ן תְּמַלֶּל־אֵ֑לֶּה וְר֥וּחַ כַּ֝בִּיר אִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ׃
3 Will the Lord be unjust when he judges; or will he that has made all things pervert justice?
הַ֭אֵל יְעַוֵּ֣ת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְאִם־שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יְעַוֵּֽת־צֶֽדֶק׃
4 If thy sons have sinned before him, he has cast them away because of their transgression.
אִם־בָּנֶ֥יךָ חָֽטְאוּ־לֹ֑ו וַֽ֝יְשַׁלְּחֵ֗ם בְּיַד־פִּשְׁעָֽם׃
5 But be thou early in prayer to the Lord Almighty.
אִם־אַ֭תָּה תְּשַׁחֵ֣ר אֶל־אֵ֑ל וְאֶל־שַׁ֝דַּ֗י תִּתְחַנָּֽן׃
6 If thou art pure and true, he will hearken to thy supplication, and will restore to thee the habitation of righteousness.
אִם־זַ֥ךְ וְיָשָׁ֗ר אָ֥תָּה כִּי־עַ֭תָּה יָעִ֣יר עָלֶ֑יךָ וְ֝שִׁלַּ֗ם נְוַ֣ת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃
7 Though then thy beginning should be small, yet thy end should be unspeakably great.
וְהָיָ֣ה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ֣ מִצְעָ֑ר וְ֝אַחֲרִיתְךָ֗ יִשְׂגֶּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
8 For ask of the former generation, and search diligently among the race of [our] fathers:
כִּֽי־שְׁאַל־נָ֭א לְדֹ֣ר רִישֹׁ֑ון וְ֝כֹונֵ֗ן לְחֵ֣קֶר אֲבֹותָֽם׃
9 (for we are of yesterday, and know nothing; for our life upon the earth is a shadow: )
כִּֽי־תְמֹ֣ול אֲ֭נַחְנוּ וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע כִּ֤י צֵ֖ל יָמֵ֣ינוּ עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
10 shall not these teach thee, and report [to thee], and bring out words from [their] heart?
הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם יֹ֭ורוּךָ יֹ֣אמְרוּ לָ֑ךְ וּ֝מִלִּבָּ֗ם יֹוצִ֥אוּ מִלִּֽים׃
11 Does the rush flourish without water, or shall the flag grow up without moisture?
הֲיִֽגְאֶה־גֹּ֭מֶא בְּלֹ֣א בִצָּ֑ה יִשְׂגֶּה־אָ֥חוּ בְלִי־מָֽיִם׃
12 When it is yet on the root, and [though] it has not been cut down, does not any herb wither before it has received moisture?
עֹדֶ֣נּוּ בְ֭אִבֹּו לֹ֣א יִקָּטֵ֑ף וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָל־חָצִ֣יר יִיבָֽשׁ׃
13 Thus then shall be the end of all that forget the Lord: for the hope of the ungodly shall perish.
כֵּ֗ן אָ֭רְחֹות כָּל־שֹׁ֣כְחֵי אֵ֑ל וְתִקְוַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף תֹּאבֵֽד׃
14 For his house shall be without inhabitants, and his tent shall prove a spider's web.
אֲשֶׁר־יָקֹ֥וט כִּסְלֹ֑ו וּבֵ֥ית עַ֝כָּבִ֗ישׁ מִבְטַחֹֽו׃
15 If he should prop up his house, it shall not stand: and when he has taken hold of it, it shall not remain.
יִשָּׁעֵ֣ן עַל־בֵּ֭יתֹו וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹ֑ד יַחֲזִ֥יק בֹּ֝֗ו וְלֹ֣א יָקֽוּם׃
16 For it is moist under the sun, and his branch shall come forth out of his dung-heap.
רָטֹ֣ב ה֖וּא לִפְנֵי־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וְעַ֥ל גַּ֝נָּתֹ֗ו יֹֽנַקְתֹּ֥ו תֵצֵֽא׃
17 He lies down upon a gathering of stones, and shall live in the mist of flints.
עַל־גַּ֭ל שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יְסֻבָּ֑כוּ בֵּ֖ית אֲבָנִ֣ים יֶחֱזֶֽה׃
18 If [God] should destroy [him], his place shall deny him. Hast thou not seen such things,
אִם־יְבַלְּעֶ֥נּוּ מִמְּקֹומֹ֑ו וְכִ֥חֶשׁ בֹּ֝֗ו לֹ֣א רְאִיתִֽיךָ׃
19 that such is the overthrow of the ungodly? and out of the earth another shall grow.
הֶן־ה֭וּא מְשֹׂ֣ושׂ דַּרְכֹּ֑ו וּ֝מֵעָפָ֗ר אַחֵ֥ר יִצְמָֽחוּ׃
20 For the Lord will by no means reject the harmless man; but he will not receive any gift of the ungodly.
הֶן־אֵ֭ל לֹ֣א יִמְאַס־תָּ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יַ֝חֲזִ֗יק בְּיַד־מְרֵעִֽים׃
21 But he will fill with laughter the mouth of the sincere, and their lips with thanksgiving.
עַד־יְמַלֵּ֣ה שְׂחֹ֣וק פִּ֑יךָ וּשְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ תְרוּעָֽה׃
22 But their adversaries shall clothe themselves with shame; and the habitation of the ungodly shall perish.
שֹׂנְאֶ֥יךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹ֑שֶׁת וְאֹ֖הֶל רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ פ

< Job 8 >