< איוב 21 >
Then responded Job, and said: —
שמעו שמוע מלתי ותהי-זאת תנחומתיכם | 2 |
Hear ye patiently my words, and let this be your consolation:
שאוני ואנכי אדבר ואחר דברי תלעיג | 3 |
Suffer me, that, I, may speak, and, after I have spoken, thou canst mock!
האנכי לאדם שיחי ואם-מדוע לא-תקצר רוחי | 4 |
Did, I, unto man, make my complaint? Wherefore, then, should my spirit not be impatient?
פנו-אלי והשמו ושימו יד על-פה | 5 |
Turn round to me, and be astonished, and lay hand on mouth!
ואם-זכרתי ונבהלתי ואחז בשרי פלצות | 6 |
When I call to mind, then am I dismayed, and there seizeth my flesh a shuddering: —
מדוע רשעים יחיו עתקו גם-גברו חיל | 7 |
Wherefore do, lawless men, live, advance in years, even wax mighty in power?
זרעם נכון לפניהם עמם וצאצאיהם לעיניהם | 8 |
Their seed, is established in their sight, along with them, yea their offspring, before their eyes;
בתיהם שלום מפחד ולא שבט אלוה עליהם | 9 |
Their houses, are at peace, without dread, neither is, the rod of GOD, upon them;
שורו עבר ולא יגעל תפלט פרתו ולא תשכל | 10 |
His bull, covereth, and causeth not aversion, His cow safely calveth, and casteth not her young;
ישלחו כצאן עויליהם וילדיהם ירקדון | 11 |
They send forth—like a flock—their young ones, and, their children, skip about for joy;
ישאו כתף וכנור וישמחו לקול עוגב | 12 |
They rejoice aloud as [with] timbrel and lyre, and make merry to the sound of the pipe;
יבלו (יכלו) בטוב ימיהם וברגע שאול יחתו (Sheol ) | 13 |
They complete, in prosperity, their days, and, in a moment to hades, they sink down. (Sheol )
ויאמרו לאל סור ממנו ודעת דרכיך לא חפצנו | 14 |
Yet they said unto GOD, Depart from us, and, In the knowledge of thy ways, find we no pleasure.
מה-שדי כי-נעבדנו ומה-נועיל כי נפגע-בו | 15 |
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? Or what shall we profit, that we should urge him?
הן לא בידם טובם עצת רשעים רחקה מני | 16 |
Lo! not in their own hand, is their welfare, The counsel of lawless men, is far from me!
כמה נר-רשעים ידעך-- ויבא עלימו אידם חבלים יחלק באפו | 17 |
How oft, the lamp of the lawless, goeth out, and their calamity, cometh upon them, Sorrows, apportioneth he in his anger;
יהיו כתבן לפני-רוח וכמץ גנבתו סופה | 18 |
They become as straw before the wind, and as chaff, which the storm stealeth away.
אלוה יצפן-לבניו אונו ישלם אליו וידע | 19 |
Shall, GOD, reserve, for his children, his sorrow? Let him recompense him so that he may know it;
יראו עינו כידו ומחמת שדי ישתה | 20 |
His own eyes, shall see his misfortune, and, the wrath of the Almighty, shall he drink.
כי מה-חפצו בביתו אחריו ומספר חדשיו חצצו | 21 |
For what shall be his pleasure in his house after him, when, the number of his months, is cut in twain?
הלאל ילמד-דעת והוא רמים ישפוט | 22 |
Is it, to GOD, one can teach knowledge, seeing that, he, shall judge, them who are on high?
זה--ימות בעצם תמו כלו שלאנן ושליו | 23 |
This, man dieth, in the very perfection of his prosperity, wholly tranquil and secure;
עטיניו מלאו חלב ומח עצמותיו ישקה | 24 |
His veins, are filled with nourishment, and, the marrow of his bones, is fresh;
וזה--ימות בנפש מרה ולא-אכל בטובה | 25 |
Whereas, this other man, dieth, in bitterness of soul, and hath never tasted good fortune:
יחד על-עפר ישכבו ורמה תכסה עליהם | 26 |
Together, in the dust, they lie down, and, the worm, spreadeth a covering over them.
הן ידעתי מחשבותיכם ומזמות עלי תחמסו | 27 |
Lo! I know your plans, and the devices, wherewith ye would do me violence!
כי תאמרו איה בית-נדיב ואיה אהל משכנות רשעים | 28 |
For ye say, Where is the house of the noble-minded? And where the dwelling-tent of the lawless?
הלא שאלתם עוברי דרך ואתתם לא תנכרו | 29 |
Have ye not asked the passers-by in the way? And, their signs, can ye not recognise?
כי ליום איד יחשך רע ליום עברות יובלו | 30 |
That, to the day of calamity, is the wicked reserved, to the day of indignant visitation, are they led.
מי-יגיד על-פניו דרכו והוא-עשה מי ישלם-לו | 31 |
Who can declare—to his face—his way? And, what, he, hath done, who shall recompense to him?
והוא לקברות יובל ועל-גדיש ישקוד | 32 |
Yet, he, to the graves, is borne, and, over the tomb, one keepeth watch;
מתקו-לו רגבי-נחל ואחריו כל-אדם ימשוך ולפניו אין מספר | 33 |
Pleasant to him are the mounds of the torrent-bed, —and, after him, doth every man march, as, before him, there were without number.
ואיך תנחמוני הבל ותשובתיכם נשאר-מעל | 34 |
How then should ye comfort me with vanity, since, as for your replies, there lurketh, [in them] treachery?