< Job 12 >

1 And Job answered and said,
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2 So then you [alone] are men, and wisdom shall die with you?
אָ֭מְנָם כִּ֣י אַתֶּם־עָ֑ם וְ֝עִמָּכֶ֗ם תָּמ֥וּת חָכְמָֽה׃
3 [But] I also have a heart as well as you.
גַּם־לִ֤י לֵבָ֨ב ׀ כְּֽמֹוכֶ֗ם לֹא־נֹפֵ֣ל אָנֹכִ֣י מִכֶּ֑ם וְאֶת־מִי־אֵ֥ין כְּמֹו־אֵֽלֶּה׃
4 For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.
שְׂחֹ֤ק לְרֵעֵ֨הוּ ׀ אֶֽהְיֶ֗ה קֹרֵ֣א לֶ֭אֱלֹוהַּ וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ שְׂ֝חֹ֗וק צַדִּ֥יק תָּמִֽים׃
5 For it had been ordained that he should fall under others at the appointed time, and that his houses should be spoiled by transgressors: let not however any one trust that, being evil, he shall be [held] guiltless,
לַפִּ֣יד בּ֭וּז לְעַשְׁתּ֣וּת שַׁאֲנָ֑ן נָ֝כֹ֗ון לְמֹ֣ועֲדֵי רָֽגֶל׃
6 even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.
יִשְׁלָ֤יוּ אֹֽהָלִ֨ים ׀ לְשֹׁ֥דְדִ֗ים וּֽ֭בַטֻּחֹות לְמַרְגִּ֣יזֵי אֵ֑ל לַאֲשֶׁ֤ר הֵבִ֖יא אֱלֹ֣והַּ בְּיָדֹֽו׃
7 But ask now the beasts, if they may speak to you; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to you.
וְֽאוּלָ֗ם שְׁאַל־נָ֣א בְהֵמֹ֣ות וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ וְעֹ֥וף הַ֝שָּׁמַ֗יִם וְיַגֶּד־לָֽךְ׃
8 Tell the earth, if it may speak to you: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to you.
אֹ֤ו שִׂ֣יחַ לָאָ֣רֶץ וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ דְּגֵ֣י הַיָּֽם׃
9 Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?
מִ֭י לֹא־יָדַ֣ע בְּכָל־אֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֥י יַד־יְ֝הוָה עָ֣שְׂתָה זֹּֽאת׃
10 Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּ֭יָדֹו נֶ֣פֶשׁ כָּל־חָ֑י וְ֝ר֗וּחַ כָּל־בְּשַׂר־אִֽישׁ׃
11 For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.
הֲלֹא־אֹ֭זֶן מִלִּ֣ין תִּבְחָ֑ן וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ אֹ֣כֶל יִטְעַם־לֹֽו׃
12 In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.
בִּֽישִׁישִׁ֥ים חָכְמָ֑ה וְאֹ֖רֶךְ יָמִ֣ים תְּבוּנָֽה׃
13 With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.
עִ֭מֹּו חָכְמָ֣ה וּגְבוּרָ֑ה לֹ֝֗ו עֵצָ֥ה וּתְבוּנָֽה׃
14 If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?
הֵ֣ן יַ֭הֲרֹוס וְלֹ֣א יִבָּנֶ֑ה יִסְגֹּ֥ר עַל־אִ֝֗ישׁ וְלֹ֣א יִפָּתֵֽחַ׃
15 If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.
הֵ֤ן יַעְצֹ֣ר בַּמַּ֣יִם וְיִבָ֑שׁוּ וִֽ֝ישַׁלְּחֵ֗ם וְיַ֖הַפְכוּ אָֽרֶץ׃
16 With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.
עִ֭מֹּו עֹ֣ז וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה לֹ֝֗ו שֹׁגֵ֥ג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃
17 He leads counselors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.
מֹולִ֣יךְ יֹועֲצִ֣ים שֹׁולָ֑ל וְֽשֹׁפְטִ֥ים יְהֹולֵֽל׃
18 He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.
מוּסַ֣ר מְלָכִ֣ים פִּתֵּ֑חַ וַיֶּאְסֹ֥ר אֵ֝זֹ֗ור בְּמָתְנֵיהֶֽם׃
19 He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.
מֹולִ֣יךְ כֹּהֲנִ֣ים שֹׁולָ֑ל וְאֵֽתָנִ֣ים יְסַלֵּֽף׃
20 He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.
מֵסִ֣יר שָׂ֭פָה לְנֶאֱמָנִ֑ים וְטַ֖עַם זְקֵנִ֣ים יִקָּֽח׃
21 He pours dishonor upon princes, and heals the lowly.
שֹׁופֵ֣ךְ בּ֭וּז עַל־נְדִיבִ֑ים וּמְזִ֖יחַ אֲפִיקִ֣ים רִפָּֽה׃
22 Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.
מְגַלֶּ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקֹות מִנִּי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיֹּצֵ֖א לָאֹ֣ור צַלְמָֽוֶת׃
23 Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].
מַשְׂגִּ֣יא לַ֭גֹּויִם וַֽיְאַבְּדֵ֑ם שֹׁטֵ֥חַ לַ֝גֹּויִ֗ם וַיַּנְחֵֽם׃
24 Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],
מֵסִ֗יר לֵ֭ב רָאשֵׁ֣י עַם־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם בְּתֹ֣הוּ לֹא־דָֽרֶךְ׃
25 Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.
יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֹ֑ור וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם כַּשִּׁכֹּֽור׃

< Job 12 >