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