איוב 22
| ויען אליפז התמני ויאמר | 1 |
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
| הלאל יסכן-גבר-- כי-יסכן עלימו משכיל | 2 |
“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
| החפץ לשדי כי תצדק ואם-בצע כי-תתם דרכיך | 3 |
Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
| המיראתך יכיחך יבוא עמך במשפט | 4 |
Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
| הלא רעתך רבה ואין-קץ לעונתיך | 5 |
Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
| כי-תחבל אחיך חנם ובגדי ערומים תפשיט | 6 |
For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
| לא-מים עיף תשקה ומרעב תמנע-לחם | 7 |
You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
| ואיש זרוע לו הארץ ונשוא פנים ישב בה | 8 |
while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
| אלמנות שלחת ריקם וזרעות יתמים ידכא | 9 |
You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
| על-כן סביבותיך פחים ויבהלך פחד פתאם | 10 |
Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
| או-חשך לא-תראה ושפעת-מים תכסך | 11 |
it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
| הלא-אלוה גבה שמים וראה ראש כוכבים כי-רמו | 12 |
Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
| ואמרת מה-ידע אל הבעד ערפל ישפוט | 13 |
Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
| עבים סתר-לו ולא יראה וחוג שמים יתהלך | 14 |
Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
| הארח עולם תשמור-- אשר דרכו מתי-און | 15 |
Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
| אשר-קמטו ולא-עת נהר יוצק יסודם | 16 |
They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
| האמרים לאל סור ממנו ומה-יפעל שדי למו | 17 |
They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
| והוא מלא בתיהם טוב ועצת רשעים רחקה מני | 18 |
But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
| יראו צדיקים וישמחו ונקי ילעג-למו | 19 |
The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
| אם-לא נכחד קימנו ויתרם אכלה אש | 20 |
‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
| הסכן-נא עמו ושלם בהם תבואתך טובה | 21 |
Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
| קח-נא מפיו תורה ושים אמריו בלבבך | 22 |
Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
| אם-תשוב עד-שדי תבנה תרחיק עולה מאהלך | 23 |
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
| ושית-על-עפר בצר ובצור נחלים אופיר | 24 |
and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
| והיה שדי בצריך וכסף תועפות לך | 25 |
then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
| כי-אז על-שדי תתענג ותשא אל-אלוה פניך | 26 |
Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
| תעתיר אליו וישמעך ונדריך תשלם | 27 |
You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
| ותגזר-אמר ויקם לך ועל-דרכיך נגה אור | 28 |
Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
| כי-השפילו ותאמר גוה ושח עינים יושע | 29 |
When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
| ימלט אי-נקי ונמלט בבר כפיך | 30 |
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
