איוב 4

1 ויען אליפז התימני ויאמר

And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,

2 הנסה דבר אליך תלאה ועצר במלין מי יוכל

If one says a word, will it be a weariness to you? but who is able to keep from saying what is in his mind?

3 הנה יסרת רבים וידים רפות תחזק

Truly, you have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong;

4 כושל יקימון מליך וברכים כרעות תאמץ

He who was near to falling has been lifted up by your words, and you have given strength to bent knees.

5 כי עתה תבוא אליך ותלא תגע עדיך ותבהל

But now it has come on you and it is a weariness to you; you are touched by it and your mind is troubled.

6 הלא יראתך כסלתך תקותך ותם דרכיך

Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?

7 זכר-נא--מי הוא נקי אבד ואיפה ישרים נכחדו

Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?

8 כאשר ראיתי חרשי און וזרעי עמל יקצרהו

What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.

9 מנשמת אלוה יאבדו ומרוח אפו יכלו

By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.

10 שאגת אריה וקול שחל ושני כפירים נתעו

Though the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.

11 ליש אבד מבלי-טרף ובני לביא יתפרדו

The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions.

12 ואלי דבר יגנב ותקח אזני שמץ מנהו

A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.

13 בשעפים מחזינות לילה בנפל תרדמה על-אנשים

In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,

14 פחד קראני ורעדה ורב עצמותי הפחיד

Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;

15 ורוח על-פני יחלף תסמר שערת בשרי

And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:

16 יעמד ולא אכיר מראהו-- תמונה לנגד עיני דממה וקול אשמע

Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:

17 האנוש מאלוה יצדק אם מעשהו יטהר-גבר

May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?

18 הן בעבדיו לא יאמין ובמלאכיו ישים תהלה

Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;

19 אף שכני בתי-חמר--אשר-בעפר יסודם ידכאום לפני-עש

How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;

20 מבקר לערב יכתו מבלי משים לנצח יאבדו

Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.

21 הלא-נסע יתרם בם ימותו ולא בחכמה

If their tent-cord is pulled up, do they not come to an end, and without wisdom?