איוב 4

1 ויען אליפז התימני ויאמר

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 הנסה דבר אליך תלאה ועצר במלין מי יוכל

If anyone tries to speak with you, will you be impatient? But who can stop himself from speaking?

3 הנה יסרת רבים וידים רפות תחזק

See, you have instructed many; you have strengthened weak hands.

4 כושל יקימון מליך וברכים כרעות תאמץ

Your words have supported him who was falling; you have made feeble knees firm.

5 כי עתה תבוא אליך ותלא תגע עדיך ותבהל

But now trouble has come to you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled.

6 הלא יראתך כסלתך תקותך ותם דרכיך

Is not your fear your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?

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

Think about this, please: Who has ever perished when innocent? Or when were the upright people ever cut off?

8 כאשר ראיתי חרשי און וזרעי עמל יקצרהו

According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap it.

9 מנשמת אלוה יאבדו ומרוח אפו יכלו

By the breath of God they perish; by the blast of his anger they are consumed.

10 שאגת אריה וקול שחל ושני כפירים נתעו

The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions—they are broken.

11 ליש אבד מבלי-טרף ובני לביא יתפרדו

The old lion perishes for lack of victims; the cubs of the lioness are scattered everywhere.

12 ואלי דבר יגנב ותקח אזני שמץ מנהו

Now a certain matter was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper about it.

13 בשעפים מחזינות לילה בנפל תרדמה על-אנשים

Then came thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on people.

14 פחד קראני ורעדה ורב עצמותי הפחיד

It was at night when fear and trembling came upon me, and all my bones shook.

15 ורוח על-פני יחלף תסמר שערת בשרי

Then a spirit passed before my face, and the hair of my flesh stood up.

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

The spirit stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, and I heard a voice that said,

17 האנוש מאלוה יצדק אם מעשהו יטהר-גבר

“Can a mortal man be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?

18 הן בעבדיו לא יאמין ובמלאכיו ישים תהלה

See, if God puts no trust in his servants; if he accuses his angels of folly,

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

how much more is this true of those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed sooner than a moth?

20 מבקר לערב יכתו מבלי משים לנצח יאבדו

Between morning and evening they are destroyed; they perish forever without anyone noticing them.

21 הלא-נסע יתרם בם ימותו ולא בחכמה

Are not their tent cords plucked up among them? They die; they die without wisdom.