< Job 36 >

1 Then continued Elihu, and said,
ויסף אליהוא ויאמר׃
2 Wait for me a little, and I will instruct thee; for [I have] still some words on God's behalf.
כתר לי זעיר ואחוך כי עוד לאלוה מלים׃
3 I will lift up my knowledge for him who is afar, and for my Maker will I obtain righteousness.
אשא דעי למרחוק ולפעלי אתן צדק׃
4 For truly no falsehood is [in] my words: one that is upright in [his] opinions [dealeth now] with thee.
כי אמנם לא שקר מלי תמים דעות עמך׃
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength of intellect.
הן אל כביר ולא ימאס כביר כח לב׃
6 He permitteth not the wicked to live; but he procureth justice for the afflicted.
לא יחיה רשע ומשפט עניים יתן׃
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous; but [he placeth them] with kings on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
לא יגרע מצדיק עיניו ואת מלכים לכסא וישיבם לנצח ויגבהו׃
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and if they be entangled in the cords of affliction:
ואם אסורים בזקים ילכדון בחבלי עני׃
9 Then doth he tell them of their work, and of their transgressions, when they had become strong.
ויגד להם פעלם ופשעיהם כי יתגברו׃
10 And he openeth thus their ear to correction, and saith that they should return from wrong-doing.
ויגל אזנם למוסר ויאמר כי ישבון מאון׃
11 If they hearken and serve [him], they will spend their days in happiness, and their years in pleasures.
אם ישמעו ויעבדו יכלו ימיהם בטוב ושניהם בנעימים׃
12 But if they hearken not, they will pass away through the sword, and they will perish in want of knowledge.
ואם לא ישמעו בשלח יעברו ויגועו בבלי דעת׃
13 But the hypocrites in heart persevere in wrath; they will not offer entreaty when he bindeth them:
וחנפי לב ישימו אף לא ישועו כי אסרם׃
14 Their soul will die in youth, and their life, among the incestuous.
תמת בנער נפשם וחיתם בקדשים׃
15 He delivereth the afflicted through his affliction, and openeth through oppression his ear.
יחלץ עני בעניו ויגל בלחץ אזנם׃
16 And also thee hath he incited away from the jaws of distress into a wide space, on the site of which there is no straitness; and what is set on thy table is full of fatness.
ואף הסיתך מפי צר רחב לא מוצק תחתיה ונחת שלחנך מלא דשן׃
17 But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: [divine] judgment and decree will support each other.
ודין רשע מלאת דין ומשפט יתמכו׃
18 For there would be fury, If aught were to incite thee to utter an abundance [of rebellious words]; and the greatness of the infliction must not mislead thee.
כי חמה פן יסיתך בספק ורב כפר אל יטך׃
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold ore, nor all the highest forces of strength.
היערך שועך לא בצר וכל מאמצי כח׃
20 Desire then not eagerly the night, when nations pass away in their place.
אל תשאף הלילה לעלות עמים תחתם׃
21 Take heed, turn not thyself to wrong-doing, so that thou wouldst choose this because of [thy] affliction.
השמר אל תפן אל און כי על זה בחרת מעני׃
22 Behold, God is exalted by his power: who is an instructer like him?
הן אל ישגיב בכחו מי כמהו מורה׃
23 Who hath given him a charge concerning his way? or who hath ever said, Thou hast acted unjustly?
מי פקד עליו דרכו ומי אמר פעלת עולה׃
24 Reflect, that thou shouldst magnify his work, which [other] men have beheld.
זכר כי תשגיא פעלו אשר שררו אנשים׃
25 All men have looked at it [with astonishment]; the mortal gazeth at it from afar.
כל אדם חזו בו אנוש יביט מרחוק׃
26 Behold, God is great, and we comprehend him not, the number of his years can truly not be searched out.
הן אל שגיא ולא נדע מספר שניו ולא חקר׃
27 For he taketh away drops of water, which are purified into rain in his mist:
כי יגרע נטפי מים יזקו מטר לאדו׃
28 These drop down out of the skies; they distil upon the multitude of men.
אשר יזלו שחקים ירעפו עלי אדם רב׃
29 But [what man] can understand the outspreadings of the clouds? the tumult of his tabernacle?
אף אם יבין מפרשי עב תשאות סכתו׃
30 Behold, he spreadeth out over it his light, and covereth up the roots of the sea.
הן פרש עליו אורו ושרשי הים כסה׃
31 For by means of them he judgeth nations, he giveth food in superfluity.
כי בם ידין עמים יתן אכל למכביר׃
32 [His] hands he covereth with light; and he commandeth it to strike the one who striveth against him.
על כפים כסה אור ויצו עליה במפגיע׃
33 The noise of his storm telleth of it, yea, the cattle also, of the rising tempest.
יגיד עליו רעו מקנה אף על עולה׃

< Job 36 >