< Job 11 >

1 Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said.
וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַֽנַּעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2 Shall a multitude of words not be answered? and is it so that a man full of talk shall be deemed in the right?
הֲרֹ֣ב דְּ֭בָרִים לֹ֣א יֵעָנֶ֑ה וְאִם־אִ֖ישׁ שְׂפָתַ֣יִם יִצְדָּֽק׃
3 Thy inventions are to bring men to silence; and when thou utterest thy mocking no one is to cause thee to feel abashed!
בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃
4 For thou hast said [to God], My doctrine is pure, and I am become clean in thy eyes.
וַ֭תֹּאמֶר זַ֣ךְ לִקְחִ֑י וּ֝בַ֗ר הָיִ֥יתִי בְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
5 But oh that God would but speak, and open his lips against thee;
וְֽאוּלָ֗ם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן אֱל֣וֹהַּ דַּבֵּ֑ר וְיִפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתָ֣יו עִמָּֽךְ׃
6 And that he would declare unto thee the secrets of wisdom; for it is double to that which is really in our possession: and thou wouldst experience that God overlooketh unto thee much of thy iniquity.
וְיַגֶּד־לְךָ֨ ׀ תַּֽעֲלֻמ֣וֹת חָכְמָה֮ כִּֽי־כִפְלַ֪יִם לְֽת֫וּשִׁיָּ֥ה וְדַ֡ע כִּֽי־יַשֶּׁ֥ה לְךָ֥ אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ מֵעֲוֹנֶֽךָ׃
7 Canst thou find out the experience of God? or canst thou find [the way] unto the utmost limit of the Almighty?
הַחֵ֣קֶר אֱל֣וֹהַ תִּמְצָ֑א אִ֤ם עַד־תַּכְלִ֖ית שַׁדַּ֣י תִּמְצָֽא׃
8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou effect? it is deeper than the nether world; what canst thou know? (Sheol h7585)
גָּבְהֵ֣י שָׁ֭מַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָ֑ל עֲמֻקָּ֥ה מִ֝שְּׁא֗וֹל מַה־תֵּדָֽע׃ (Sheol h7585)
9 Longer than the earth is its measure, and broader than the sea.
אֲרֻכָּ֣ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִדָּ֑הּ וּ֝רְחָבָ֗ה מִנִּי־יָֽם׃
10 If he pass by, and surrender [one to suffering], and call together an assembly, who can hinder him?
אִם־יַחֲלֹ֥ף וְיַסְגִּ֑יר וְ֝יַקְהִ֗יל וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃
11 For he knoweth the men of vanity: he seeth the wrong-doer and him who considereth not;
כִּי־ה֭וּא יָדַ֣ע מְתֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וַיַּרְא־אָ֝֗וֶן וְלֹ֣א יִתְבּוֹנָֽן׃
12 And the heartless who acquireth intelligence, and him who is [like] the colt of the wild ass who is transformed into a man.
וְאִ֣ישׁ נָ֭בוּב יִלָּבֵ֑ב וְעַ֥יִר פֶּ֝֗רֶא אָדָ֥ם יִוָּלֵֽד׃
13 If thou truly direct [aright] thy heart, and spread out thy hands toward him: —
אִם־אַ֭תָּ֗ה הֲכִינ֣וֹתָ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֖ אֵלָ֣יו כַּפֶּֽךָ׃
14 If wrong be in thy hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tents.
אִם־אָ֣וֶן בְּ֭יָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵ֑הוּ וְאַל־תַּשְׁכֵּ֖ן בְּאֹהָלֶ֣יךָ עַוְלָֽה׃
15 For then canst thou lift up thy face free from blemish: yea, thou wilt stand steadfast, and needest not to fear;
כִּי־אָ֤ז ׀ תִּשָּׂ֣א פָנֶ֣יךָ מִמּ֑וּם וְהָיִ֥יתָ מֻ֝צָ֗ק וְלֹ֣א תִירָֽא׃
16 Because thou wilt truly forget thy trouble, and as a waterflood that is passed away wilt thou remember it;
כִּי־אַ֭תָּה עָמָ֣ל תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח כְּמַ֖יִם עָבְר֣וּ תִזְכֹּֽר׃
17 And brighter than the noon of day will thy earthly existence arise; and thy obscurity will be like thy morning.
וּֽ֭מִצָּהֳרַיִם יָק֣וּם חָ֑לֶד תָּ֝עֻ֗פָה כַּבֹּ֥קֶר תִּהְיֶֽה׃
18 And thou wilt feel trust, because there is hope: yea, thou wilt search about carefully, and thou wilt lie down in safety.
וּֽ֭בָטַחְתָּ כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְ֝חָפַרְתָּ֗ לָבֶ֥טַח תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃
19 Also thou wilt stretch thyself out [to rest], with none to make thee afraid; and many will entreat thy favor.
וְֽ֭רָבַצְתָּ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְחִלּ֖וּ פָנֶ֣יךָ רַבִּֽים׃
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and the means of escape will vanish from them, and their [sole] hope shall be the breathing out of their soul.
וְעֵינֵ֥י רְשָׁעִ֗ים תִּ֫כְלֶ֥ינָה וּ֭מָנוֹס אָבַ֣ד מִנְהֶ֑ם וְ֝תִקְוָתָ֗ם מַֽפַּח־נָֽפֶשׁ׃ פ

< Job 11 >