איוב 36

1 וַיֹּסֶף אֱלִיהוּא וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And Elihu continued:

2 כַּתַּר־לִי זְעֵיר וַאֲחַוֶּךָּ כִּי עוֹד לֶאֱלוֹהַּ מִלִּֽים׃

“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.

3 אֶשָּׂא דֵעִי לְמֵרָחוֹק וּלְפֹעֲלִי אֶֽתֵּֽן־צֶֽדֶק׃

I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

4 כִּֽי־אׇמְנָם לֹא־שֶׁקֶר מִלָּי תְּמִים דֵּעוֹת עִמָּֽךְ׃

For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 הֶן־אֵל כַּבִּיר וְלֹא יִמְאָס כַּבִּיר כֹּחַֽ לֵֽב׃

Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

6 לֹא־יְחַיֶּה רָשָׁע וּמִשְׁפַּט עֲנִיִּים יִתֵּֽן׃

He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.

7 לֹֽא־יִגְרַע מִצַּדִּיק עֵינָיו וְאֶת־מְלָכִים לַכִּסֵּא וַיֹּשִׁיבֵם לָנֶצַח וַיִּגְבָּֽהוּ׃

He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.

8 וְאִם־אֲסוּרִים בַּזִּקִּים יִלָּכְדוּן בְּחַבְלֵי־עֹֽנִי׃

And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,

9 וַיַּגֵּד לָהֶם פׇּעֳלָם וּפִשְׁעֵיהֶם כִּי יִתְגַּבָּֽרוּ׃

then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

10 וַיִּגֶל אׇזְנָם לַמּוּסָר וַיֹּאמֶר כִּֽי־יְשׁוּבוּן מֵאָֽוֶן׃

He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.

11 אִֽם־יִשְׁמְעוּ וְֽיַעֲבֹדוּ יְכַלּוּ יְמֵיהֶם בַּטּוֹב וּשְׁנֵיהֶם בַּנְּעִימִֽים׃

If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.

12 וְאִם־לֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ בְּשֶׁלַח יַעֲבֹרוּ וְיִגְוְעוּ בִּבְלִי־דָֽעַת׃

But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.

13 וְֽחַנְפֵי־לֵב יָשִׂימוּ אָף לֹא יְשַׁוְּעוּ כִּי אֲסָרָֽם׃

The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.

14 תָּמֹת בַּנֹּעַר נַפְשָׁם וְחַיָּתָם בַּקְּדֵשִֽׁים׃

They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.

15 יְחַלֵּץ עָנִי בְעׇנְיוֹ וְיִגֶל בַּלַּחַץ אׇזְנָֽם׃

God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.

16 וְאַף הֲסִֽיתְךָ ׀ מִפִּי־צָר רַחַב לֹא־מוּצָק תַּחְתֶּיהָ וְנַחַת שֻׁלְחָנְךָ מָלֵא דָֽשֶׁן׃

Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.

17 וְדִין־רָשָׁע מָלֵאתָ דִּין וּמִשְׁפָּט יִתְמֹֽכוּ׃

But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.

18 כִּֽי־חֵמָה פֶּן־יְסִֽיתְךָ בְסָפֶק וְרׇב־כֹּפֶר אַל־יַטֶּֽךָּ׃

Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.

19 הֲיַעֲרֹךְ שׁוּעֲךָ לֹא בְצָר וְכֹל מַאֲמַצֵּי־כֹֽחַ׃

Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?

20 אַל־תִּשְׁאַף הַלָּיְלָה לַעֲלוֹת עַמִּים תַּחְתָּֽם׃

Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.

21 הִשָּׁמֶר אַל־תֵּפֶן אֶל־אָוֶן כִּֽי־עַל־זֶה בָּחַרְתָּ מֵעֹֽנִי׃

Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.

22 הֶן־אֵל יַשְׂגִּיב בְּכֹחוֹ מִי כָמֹהוּ מוֹרֶֽה׃

Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?

23 מִֽי־פָקַד עָלָיו דַּרְכּוֹ וּמִי־אָמַר פָּעַלְתָּ עַוְלָֽה׃

Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?

24 זְכֹר כִּֽי־תַשְׂגִּיא פׇעֳלוֹ אֲשֶׁר שֹׁרְרוּ אֲנָשִֽׁים׃

Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.

25 כׇּל־אָדָם חָזוּ־בוֹ אֱנוֹשׁ יַבִּיט מֵרָחֽוֹק׃

All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.

26 הֶן־אֵל שַׂגִּיא וְלֹא נֵדָע מִסְפַּר שָׁנָיו וְלֹא־חֵֽקֶר׃

Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.

27 כִּי יְגָרַע נִטְפֵי־מָיִם יָזֹקּוּ מָטָר לְאֵדֽוֹ׃

For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,

28 אֲשֶֽׁר־יִזְּלוּ שְׁחָקִים יִרְעֲפוּ עֲלֵי ׀ אָדָם רָֽב׃

which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.

29 אַף אִם־יָבִין מִפְרְשֵׂי־עָב תְּשֻׁאוֹת סֻכָּתֽוֹ׃

Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?

30 הֵן־פָּרַשׂ עָלָיו אוֹרוֹ וְשׇׁרְשֵׁי הַיָּם כִּסָּֽה׃

See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.

31 כִּי־בָם יָדִין עַמִּים יִֽתֶּן־אֹכֶל לְמַכְבִּֽיר׃

For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.

32 עַל־כַּפַּיִם כִּסָּה־אוֹר וַיְצַו עָלֶיהָ בְמַפְגִּֽיעַ׃

He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.

33 יַגִּיד עָלָיו רֵעוֹ מִקְנֶה אַף עַל־עוֹלֶֽה׃

The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.