איוב 20

1 ויען צפר הנעמתי ויאמר

And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —

2 לכן שעפי ישיבוני ובעבור חושי בי

Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.

3 מוסר כלמתי אשמע ורוח מבינתי יענני

The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:

4 הזאת ידעת מני-עד מני שים אדם עלי-ארץ

This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?

5 כי רננת רשעים מקרוב ושמחת חנף עדי-רגע

That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

6 אם-יעלה לשמים שיאו וראשו לעב יגיע

Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike —

7 כגללו לנצח יאבד ראיו יאמרו איו

As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: 'Where [is] he?'

8 כחלום יעוף ולא ימצאהו וידד כחזיון לילה

As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,

9 עין שזפתו ולא תוסיף ולא-עוד תשורנו מקומו

The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.

10 בניו ירצו דלים וידיו תשבנה אונו

His sons do the poor oppress, And his hands give back his wealth.

11 עצמותיו מלאו עלומו ועמו על-עפר תשכב

His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

12 אם-תמתיק בפיו רעה-- יכחידנה תחת לשנו

Though he doth sweeten evil in his mouth, Doth hide it under his tongue,

13 יחמל עליה ולא יעזבנה וימנענה בתוך חכו

Hath pity on it, and doth not forsake it, And keep it back in the midst of his palate,

14 לחמו במעיו נהפך מרורת פתנים בקרבו

His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart.

15 חיל בלע ויקאנו מבטנו ירשנו אל

Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.

16 ראש-פתנים יינק תהרגהו לשון אפעה

Gall of asps he sucketh, Slay him doth the tongue of a viper.

17 אל-ירא בפלגות-- נהרי נחלי דבש וחמאה

He looketh not on rivulets, Flowing of brooks of honey and butter.

18 משיב יגע ולא יבלע כחיל תמורתו ולא יעלס

He is giving back [what] he laboured for, And doth not consume [it]; As a bulwark [is] his exchange, and he exults not.

19 כי-רצץ עזב דלים בית גזל ולא יבנהו

For he oppressed — he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.

20 כי לא-ידע שלו בבטנו בחמודו לא ימלט

For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.

21 אין-שריד לאכלו על-כן לא-יחיל טובו

There is not a remnant to his food, Therefore his good doth not stay.

22 במלאות שפקו יצר לו כל-יד עמל תבאנו

In the fulness of his sufficiency he is straitened. Every perverse hand doth meet him.

23 יהי למלא בטנו--ישלח-בו חרון אפו וימטר עלימו בלחומו

It cometh to pass, at the filling of his belly, He sendeth forth against him The fierceness of His anger, Yea, He raineth on him in his eating.

24 יברח מנשק ברזל תחלפהו קשת נחושה

He fleeth from an iron weapon, Pass through him doth a bow of brass.

25 שלף ויצא מגוה וברק ממררתו יהלך עליו אמים

One hath drawn, And it cometh out from the body, And a glittering weapon from his gall proceedeth. On him [are] terrors.

26 כל-חשך טמון לצפוניו תאכלהו אש לא-נפח ירע שריד באהלו

All darkness is hid for his treasures, Consume him doth a fire not blown, Broken is the remnant in his tent.

27 יגלו שמים עונו וארץ מתקוממה לו

Reveal do the heavens his iniquity, And earth is raising itself against him.

28 יגל יבול ביתו נגרות ביום אפו

Remove doth the increase of his house, Poured forth in a day of His anger.

29 זה חלק-אדם רשע--מאלהים ונחלת אמרו מאל

This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God. And an inheritance appointed him by God.