איוב 34

1 וַיַּעַן אֱלִיהוּא וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And Elihu proceeded, and said:

2 שִׁמְעוּ חֲכָמִים מִלָּי וְיֹֽדְעִים הַֽאֲזִינוּ לִֽי׃

Hear my words, ye wise men! Give ear to me, ye that have knowledge!

3 כִּי־אֹזֶן מִלִּין תִּבְחָן וְחֵךְ יִטְעַם לֶאֱכֹֽל׃

For the ear trieth words, As the mouth tasteth meat.

4 מִשְׁפָּט נִבְחֲרָה־לָּנוּ נֵדְעָה בֵינֵינוּ מַה־טּֽוֹב׃

Let us examine for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is true.

5 כִּֽי־אָמַר אִיּוֹב צָדַקְתִּי וְאֵל הֵסִיר מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

Job hath said, “I am righteous, And God refuseth me justice.

6 עַל־מִשְׁפָּטִי אֲכַזֵּב אָנוּשׁ חִצִּי בְלִי־פָֽשַׁע׃

Though I am innocent, I am made a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am free from transgression.”

7 מִי־גֶבֶר כְּאִיּוֹב יִֽשְׁתֶּה־לַּעַג כַּמָּֽיִם׃

Where is the man like Job, Who drinketh impiety like water;

8 וְאָרַח לְחֶבְרָה עִם־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן וְלָלֶכֶת עִם־אַנְשֵׁי־רֶֽשַׁע׃

Who goeth in company with evil-doers, And walketh with wicked men?

9 כִּֽי־אָמַר לֹא יִסְכׇּן־גָּבֶר בִּרְצֹתוֹ עִם־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

For he hath said, “A man hath no advantage, When he delighteth himself in God.”

10 לָכֵן ׀ אַנְשֵׁי לֵבָב שִׁמְעוּ ־ לִי חָלִלָה לָאֵל מֵרֶשַׁע וְשַׁדַּי מֵעָֽוֶל׃

Wherefore hearken to me, ye men of understanding! Far be iniquity from God; Yea, far be injustice from the Almighty!

11 כִּי פֹעַל אָדָם יְשַׁלֶּם־לוֹ וּֽכְאֹרַח אִישׁ יַמְצִאֶֽנּוּ׃

For what a man hath done he will requite him, And render to every one according to his deeds.

12 אַף־אׇמְנָם אֵל לֹֽא־יַרְשִׁיעַ וְשַׁדַּי לֹא־יְעַוֵּת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

Surely God will not do iniquity, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

13 מִֽי־פָקַד עָלָיו אָרְצָה וּמִי שָׂם תֵּבֵל כֻּלָּֽהּ׃

Who hath given him the charge of the earth? Or who hath created the whole world?

14 אִם־יָשִׂים אֵלָיו לִבּוֹ רוּחוֹ וְנִשְׁמָתוֹ אֵלָיו יֶאֱסֹֽף׃

Should he set his heart against man, Should he take back his spirit and his breath,

15 יִגְוַע כׇּל־בָּשָׂר יָחַד וְאָדָם עַל־עָפָר יָשֽׁוּב׃

Then would all flesh expire together; Yea, man would return to the dust.

16 וְאִם־בִּינָה שִׁמְעָה־זֹּאת הַאֲזִינָה לְקוֹל מִלָּֽי׃

If thou hast understanding, hear this! Give ear to the voice of my words!

17 הַאַף שׂוֹנֵא מִשְׁפָּט יַחֲבוֹשׁ וְאִם־צַדִּיק כַּבִּיר תַּרְשִֽׁיעַ׃

Shall he, that hateth justice, govern? Wilt thou then condemn the just and mighty One?

18 הַאֲמֹר לְמֶלֶךְ בְּלִיָּעַל רָשָׁע אֶל־נְדִיבִֽים׃

Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked; Or to princes, Ye are unrighteous?

19 אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־נָשָׂא ׀ פְּנֵי שָׂרִים וְלֹא נִכַּר־שׁוֹעַ לִפְנֵי־דָל כִּֽי־מַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו כֻּלָּֽם׃

How much less to him that is not partial to princes, Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? For they are all the work of his hands.

20 רֶגַע ׀ יָמֻתוּ וַחֲצוֹת לָיְלָה יְגֹעֲשׁוּ עָם וְיַעֲבֹרוּ וְיָסִירוּ אַבִּיר לֹא בְיָֽד׃

In a moment they die; yea, at midnight Do the people stagger and pass away, And the mighty are destroyed without hand.

21 כִּֽי־עֵינָיו עַל־דַּרְכֵי־אִישׁ וְֽכׇל־צְעָדָיו יִרְאֶֽה׃

For his eyes are upon the ways of man; He seeth all his steps.

22 אֵֽין־חֹשֶׁךְ וְאֵין צַלְמָוֶת לְהִסָּתֶר שָׁם פֹּעֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃

There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, Where evil-doers may hide themselves.

23 כִּי לֹא עַל־אִישׁ יָשִׂים עוֹד לַהֲלֹךְ אֶל־אֵל בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

He needeth not attend long to a man, That he may go into judgment before God;

24 יָרֹעַ כַּבִּירִים לֹא־חֵקֶר וַיַּעֲמֵד אֲחֵרִים תַּחְתָּֽם׃

He dasheth in pieces the mighty without inquiry, And setteth up others in their stead.

25 לָכֵן יַכִּיר מַעְבָּדֵיהֶם וְהָפַךְ לַיְלָה וְיִדַּכָּֽאוּ׃

Therefore he knoweth their works, And in a night he overthroweth them, so that they are destroyed.

26 תַּֽחַת־רְשָׁעִים סְפָקָם בִּמְקוֹם רֹאִֽים׃

On account of their wickedness he smiteth them, In the presence of many beholders;

27 אֲשֶׁר עַל־כֵּן סָרוּ מֵאַחֲרָיו וְכׇל־דְּרָכָיו לֹא הִשְׂכִּֽילוּ׃

Because they turned away from him, And had no regard to his ways,

28 לְהָבִיא עָלָיו צַעֲקַת־דָּל וְצַעֲקַת עֲנִיִּים יִשְׁמָֽע׃

And caused the cry of the poor to come before him; For he heareth the cry of the oppressed.

29 וְהוּא יַשְׁקִט ׀ וּמִי יַרְשִׁעַ וְיַסְתֵּר פָּנִים וּמִי יְשׁוּרֶנּוּ וְעַל־גּוֹי וְעַל־אָדָם יָֽחַד׃

When he giveth rest, who can cause trouble? And when he hideth his face, Who can behold him?

30 מִמְּלֹךְ אָדָם חָנֵף מִמֹּקְשֵׁי עָֽם׃

So is it with nations and individuals alike! That the wicked may no more rule, And may not be snares to the people.

31 כִּֽי־אֶל־אֵל הֶאָמַר נָשָׂאתִי לֹא אֶחְבֹּֽל׃

Surely thou shouldst say unto God, “I have received chastisement; I will no more offend;

32 בִּלְעֲדֵי אֶחֱזֶה אַתָּה הֹרֵנִי אִֽם־עָוֶל פָּעַלְתִּי לֹא אֹסִֽיף׃

What I see not, teach thou me! If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more.”

33 הֲֽמֵעִמְּךָ יְשַׁלְּמֶנָּה ׀ כִּֽי־מָאַסְתָּ כִּֽי־אַתָּה תִבְחַר וְלֹא־אָנִי וּֽמַה־יָּדַעְתָּ דַבֵּֽר׃

Shall he recompense according to thy mind, Because thou refusest, or because thou choosest, and not he? Speak, if thou hast knowledge!

34 אַנְשֵׁי לֵבָב יֹאמְרוּ לִי וְגֶבֶר חָכָם שֹׁמֵעַֽ לִֽי׃

Men of understanding, Wise men, who hear me, will say,

35 אִיּוֹב לֹא־בְדַעַת יְדַבֵּר וּדְבָרָיו לֹא בְהַשְׂכֵּֽיל׃

“Job hath spoken without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.”

36 אָבִי יִבָּחֵן אִיּוֹב עַד־נֶצַח עַל־תְּשֻׁבֹת בְּאַנְשֵׁי־אָֽוֶן׃

I desire that Job may be tried to the last, For answering like wicked men.

37 כִּי יֹסִיף עַֽל־חַטָּאתוֹ פֶשַׁע בֵּינֵינוּ יִשְׂפּוֹק וְיֶרֶב אֲמָרָיו לָאֵֽל׃

For he addeth impiety to his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth words against God.