< Job 18 >

1 And Bildad the Shuhite answers and says:
וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשֻּׁחִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2 “When do you set an end to words? Consider, and afterward we speak.
עַד־אָ֤נָה ׀ תְּשִׂימ֣וּן קִנְצֵ֣י לְמִלִּ֑ין תָּ֝בִ֗ינוּ וְאַחַ֥ר נְדַבֵּֽר׃
3 Why have we been reckoned as livestock? We have been defiled in your eyes!
מַ֭דּוּעַ נֶחְשַׁ֣בְנוּ כַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נִ֝טְמִ֗ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃
4 He is tearing himself in his anger. Is earth forsaken for your sake? And is a rock removed from its place?
טֹֽרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֗וֹ בְּאַ֫פּ֥וֹ הַ֭לְמַעַנְךָ תֵּעָ֣זַב אָ֑רֶץ וְיֶעְתַּק־צ֝֗וּר מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ׃
5 Also, the light of the wicked is extinguished. And there does not shine a spark of his fire.
גַּ֤ם א֣וֹר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־יִ֝גַּ֗הּ שְׁבִ֣יב אִשּֽׁוֹ׃
6 The light has been dark in his tent, And his lamp over him is extinguished.
א֭וֹר חָשַׁ֣ךְ בְּאָהֳל֑וֹ וְ֝נֵר֗וֹ עָלָ֥יו יִדְעָֽךְ׃
7 The steps of his strength are restricted, And his own counsel casts him down.
יֵֽ֭צְרוּ צַעֲדֵ֣י אוֹנ֑וֹ וְֽתַשְׁלִיכֵ֥הוּ עֲצָתֽוֹ׃
8 For he is sent into a net by his own feet, And he habitually walks on a snare.
כִּֽי־שֻׁלַּ֣ח בְּרֶ֣שֶׁת בְּרַגְלָ֑יו וְעַל־שְׂ֝בָכָ֗ה יִתְהַלָּֽךְ׃
9 A trap seizes on the heel, The designing prevails over him.
יֹאחֵ֣ז בְּעָקֵ֣ב פָּ֑ח יַחֲזֵ֖ק עָלָ֣יו צַמִּֽים׃
10 His cord is hidden in the earth, And his trap on the path.
טָמ֣וּן בָּאָ֣רֶץ חַבְל֑וֹ וּ֝מַלְכֻּדְתּ֗וֹ עֲלֵ֣י נָתִֽיב׃
11 Terrors have terrified him all around, And they have scattered him—at his feet.
סָ֭בִיב בִּֽעֲתֻ֣הוּ בַלָּה֑וֹת וֶהֱפִיצֻ֥הוּ לְרַגְלָֽיו׃
12 His sorrow is hungry, And calamity is ready at his side.
יְהִי־רָעֵ֥ב אֹנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֵ֗יד נָכ֥וֹן לְצַלְעֽוֹ׃
13 It consumes the parts of his skin, Death’s firstborn consumes his parts.
יֹ֭אכַל בַּדֵּ֣י עוֹר֑וֹ יֹאכַ֥ל בַּ֝דָּ֗יו בְּכ֣וֹר מָֽוֶת׃
14 His confidence is drawn from his tent, And it causes him to step to the king of terrors.
יִנָּתֵ֣ק מֵ֭אָהֳלוֹ מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְ֝תַצְעִדֵ֗הוּ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃
15 It dwells in his tent—out of his provender, Sulfur is scattered over his habitation.
תִּשְׁכּ֣וֹן בְּ֭אָהֳלוֹ מִבְּלִי ל֑וֹ יְזֹרֶ֖ה עַל־נָוֵ֣הוּ גָפְרִֽית׃
16 From beneath his roots are dried up, And from above his crop is cut off.
מִ֭תַּחַת שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יִבָ֑שׁוּ וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל יִמַּ֥ל קְצִירֽוֹ׃
17 His memorial has perished from the land, And he has no name on the street.
זִֽכְרוֹ־אָ֭בַד מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶץ וְלֹא־שֵׁ֥ם ל֝֗וֹ עַל־פְּנֵי־חֽוּץ׃
18 They thrust him from light to darkness, And cast him out from the habitable earth.
יֶ֭הְדְּפֻהוּ מֵא֣וֹר אֶל־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּֽמִתֵּבֵ֥ל יְנִדֻּֽהוּ׃
19 He has no continuator, Nor successor among his people, And none is remaining in his dwellings.
לֹ֘א נִ֤ין ל֣וֹ וְלֹא־נֶ֣כֶד בְּעַמּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ין שָׂ֝רִ֗יד בִּמְגוּרָֽיו׃
20 At this day, those [in the] west have been astonished, And those [in the] east have taken fright.
עַל־י֭וֹמוֹ נָשַׁ֣מּוּ אַחֲרֹנִ֑ים וְ֝קַדְמֹנִ֗ים אָ֣חֲזוּ שָֽׂעַר׃
21 Only these [are] dwelling places of the perverse, And this [is] the place God has not known.”
אַךְ־אֵ֭לֶּה מִשְׁכְּנ֣וֹת עַוָּ֑ל וְ֝זֶ֗ה מְק֣וֹם לֹא־יָדַֽע־אֵֽל׃ ס

< Job 18 >