Job 20
1 Then responded Zophar the Naamathite, and said: —
| ויען צפר הנעמתי ויאמר |
2 Not so, do my thoughts answer me, and to this end, is my haste within me:
| לכן שעפי ישיבוני ובעבור חושי בי |
3 The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit—out of my understanding, will give me a reply.
| מוסר כלמתי אשמע ורוח מבינתי יענני |
4 Knowest thou, this—from antiquity, from the placing of man upon earth: —
| הזאת ידעת מני-עד מני שים אדם עלי-ארץ |
5 That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?
| כי רננת רשעים מקרוב ושמחת חנף עדי-רגע |
6 Though his elevation mount up to the heavens, and, his head, to the clouds, doth reach,
| אם-יעלה לשמים שיאו וראשו לעב יגיע |
7 Like his own stubble, shall he utterly perish, They who had seen him, shall say, Where is he?
| כגללו לנצח יאבד ראיו יאמרו איו |
8 Like a dream, shall he fly away, and they shall not find him, yea he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night.
| כחלום יעוף ולא ימצאהו וידד כחזיון לילה |
9 The eye that hath scanned him, shall not do it again, neither, any more, shall his place behold him:
| עין שזפתו ולא תוסיף ולא-עוד תשורנו מקומו |
10 His children, shall seek the favour of the poor, and, his own hand, shall give back his wealth.
| בניו ירצו דלים וידיו תשבנה אונו |
11 His bones, are full of youthful vigour, yet, with him—in the dust, shall it lie down.
| עצמותיו מלאו עלומו ועמו על-עפר תשכב |
12 Though, a sweet taste in his mouth, be given by vice, though he hide it under his tongue;
| אם-תמתיק בפיו רעה-- יכחידנה תחת לשנו |
13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go, but retain it in the midst of his mouth,
| יחמל עליה ולא יעזבנה וימנענה בתוך חכו |
14 His food, in his stomach, is changed, the gall of adders, within him!
| לחמו במעיו נהפך מרורת פתנים בקרבו |
15 Wealth, hath he swallowed, and hath vomited the same, Out of his belly, shall, GOD, drive it forth:
| חיל בלע ויקאנו מבטנו ירשנו אל |
16 The poison of adders, shall he suck, The tongue of the viper shall slay him;
| ראש-פתנים יינק תהרגהו לשון אפעה |
17 Let him not see in the channels the flowings of torrents of honey and milk.
| אל-ירא בפלגות-- נהרי נחלי דבש וחמאה |
18 In vain, he toiled, he shall not swallow, like wealth to be restored, in which he cannot exult!
| משיב יגע ולא יבלע כחיל תמורתו ולא יעלס |
19 For he hath oppressed—hath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.
| כי-רצץ עזב דלים בית גזל ולא יבנהו |
20 Surely he hath known no peace in his inmost mind, —With his dearest thing, shall he not get away:
| כי לא-ידע שלו בבטנו בחמודו לא ימלט |
21 Nothing escaped his devouring greed, —For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:
| אין-שריד לאכלו על-כן לא-יחיל טובו |
22 When his abundance is gone, he shall be in straits, All the power of distress, shall come upon him.
| במלאות שפקו יצר לו כל-יד עמל תבאנו |
23 It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain [it] upon him for his punishment.
| יהי למלא בטנו--ישלח-בו חרון אפו וימטר עלימו בלחומו |
24 He shall flee from the armour of iron, —There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!
| יברח מנשק ברזל תחלפהו קשת נחושה |
25 He hath drawn it out, and it hath come forth out of his back, —yea the flashing arrow-head, out of his gall, There shall march on him—terrors:
| שלף ויצא מגוה וברק ממררתו יהלך עליו אמים |
26 Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures, —There shall consume, a fire, not blown up, —it shall destroy what remaineth in his tent:
| כל-חשך טמון לצפוניו תאכלהו אש לא-נפח ירע שריד באהלו |
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and, the earth, be rising up against him:
| יגלו שמים עונו וארץ מתקוממה לו |
28 The increase of his house shall vanish, melting away in the day of his anger.
| יגל יבול ביתו נגרות ביום אפו |
29 This, is the portion of the lawless man, from God, and the inheritance decreed him from the Mighty One.
| זה חלק-אדם רשע--מאלהים ונחלת אמרו מאל |
