אִיּוֹב 12

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job, answering, said:

2 אָ֭מְנָם כִּ֣י אַתֶּם־עָ֑ם וְ֝עִמָּכֶ֗ם תָּמ֥וּת חָכְמָֽה׃

Are you, therefore, alone among men, and will wisdom die with you?

3 גַּם־לִ֤י לֵבָ֨ב ׀ כְּֽמֹוכֶ֗ם לֹא־נֹפֵ֣ל אָנֹכִ֣י מִכֶּ֑ם וְאֶת־מִי־אֵ֥ין כְּמֹו־אֵֽלֶּה׃

And I have a heart just as you also do, and I am not inferior to you. For who is ignorant of these things, which you know?

4 שְׂחֹ֤ק לְרֵעֵ֨הוּ ׀ אֶֽהְיֶ֗ה קֹרֵ֣א לֶ֭אֱלֹוהַּ וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ שְׂ֝חֹ֗וק צַדִּ֥יק תָּמִֽים׃

He who is mocked by his friends as I am, will call upon God, and he will listen to him because it is the sincerity of the just that is being mocked.

5 לַפִּ֣יד בּ֭וּז לְעַשְׁתּ֣וּת שַׁאֲנָ֑ן נָ֝כֹ֗ון לְמֹ֣ועֲדֵי רָֽגֶל׃

The lamp that is despised in the thoughts of the rich is ready for the appointed time.

6 יִשְׁלָ֤יוּ אֹֽהָלִ֨ים ׀ לְשֹׁ֥דְדִ֗ים וּֽ֭בַטֻּחֹות לְמַרְגִּ֣יזֵי אֵ֑ל לַאֲשֶׁ֤ר הֵבִ֖יא אֱלֹ֣והַּ בְּיָדֹֽו׃

The tabernacles of robbers are numerous, and they provoke God boldly; whereas, it is he who has given all things into their hands.

7 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם שְׁאַל־נָ֣א בְהֵמֹ֣ות וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ וְעֹ֥וף הַ֝שָּׁמַ֗יִם וְיַגֶּד־לָֽךְ׃

In truth, ask the mules, and they will teach you, and the birds of the sky, and they will reveal to you.

8 אֹ֤ו שִׂ֣יחַ לָאָ֣רֶץ וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ דְּגֵ֣י הַיָּֽם׃

Speak with the earth, and it will respond to you, and the fish of the sea will explain.

9 מִ֭י לֹא־יָדַ֣ע בְּכָל־אֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֥י יַד־יְ֝הוָה עָ֣שְׂתָה זֹּֽאת׃

Who is ignorant that the hand of the Lord has made all these things?

10 אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּ֭יָדֹו נֶ֣פֶשׁ כָּל־חָ֑י וְ֝ר֗וּחַ כָּל־בְּשַׂר־אִֽישׁ׃

In his hand is the soul of all the living and the spirit of all the flesh of mankind.

11 הֲלֹא־אֹ֭זֶן מִלִּ֣ין תִּבְחָ֑ן וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ אֹ֣כֶל יִטְעַם־לֹֽו׃

Does not the ear perceive words, and the palate, when eating, perceive flavor?

12 בִּֽישִׁישִׁ֥ים חָכְמָ֑ה וְאֹ֖רֶךְ יָמִ֣ים תְּבוּנָֽה׃

In old age is wisdom, and in length of days is prudence.

13 עִ֭מֹּו חָכְמָ֣ה וּגְבוּרָ֑ה לֹ֝֗ו עֵצָ֥ה וּתְבוּנָֽה׃

With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding.

14 הֵ֣ן יַ֭הֲרֹוס וְלֹ֣א יִבָּנֶ֑ה יִסְגֹּ֥ר עַל־אִ֝֗ישׁ וְלֹ֣א יִפָּתֵֽחַ׃

If he tears down, there is no one who can build up; if he encloses a man, there is no one who can open.

15 הֵ֤ן יַעְצֹ֣ר בַּמַּ֣יִם וְיִבָ֑שׁוּ וִֽ֝ישַׁלְּחֵ֗ם וְיַ֖הַפְכוּ אָֽרֶץ׃

If he restrains the waters, everything will dry up; and if he sends them forth, they will subdue the land.

16 עִ֭מֹּו עֹ֣ז וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה לֹ֝֗ו שֹׁגֵ֥ג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃

With him is strength and wisdom; he knows both the deceiver and he who is deceived.

17 מֹולִ֣יךְ יֹועֲצִ֣ים שֹׁולָ֑ל וְֽשֹׁפְטִ֥ים יְהֹולֵֽל׃

He leads advisors to a foolish end and judges to stupidity.

18 מוּסַ֣ר מְלָכִ֣ים פִּתֵּ֑חַ וַיֶּאְסֹ֥ר אֵ֝זֹ֗ור בְּמָתְנֵיהֶֽם׃

He removes the belt of kings and encircles their waist with a rope.

19 מֹולִ֣יךְ כֹּהֲנִ֣ים שֹׁולָ֑ל וְאֵֽתָנִ֣ים יְסַלֵּֽף׃

He leads away priests in dishonor and displaces nobles,

20 מֵסִ֣יר שָׂ֭פָה לְנֶאֱמָנִ֑ים וְטַ֖עַם זְקֵנִ֣ים יִקָּֽח׃

altering the lips of those who speak the truth and sweeping away the teaching of the aged.

21 שֹׁופֵ֣ךְ בּ֭וּז עַל־נְדִיבִ֑ים וּמְזִ֖יחַ אֲפִיקִ֣ים רִפָּֽה׃

He pours disdain upon the leaders, relieving those who had been oppressed.

22 מְגַלֶּ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקֹות מִנִּי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיֹּצֵ֖א לָאֹ֣ור צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

He reveals the depths of the darkness, and he brings the shadow of death into the light.

23 מַשְׂגִּ֣יא לַ֭גֹּויִם וַֽיְאַבְּדֵ֑ם שֹׁטֵ֥חַ לַ֝גֹּויִ֗ם וַיַּנְחֵֽם׃

He multiplies peoples, and destroys them, and, having been overthrown, he restores them anew.

24 מֵסִ֗יר לֵ֭ב רָאשֵׁ֣י עַם־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם בְּתֹ֣הוּ לֹא־דָֽרֶךְ׃

He transforms the heart of the leaders of the people on earth, and misleads those who in vain advance upon the inviolable.

25 יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֹ֑ור וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם כַּשִּׁכֹּֽור׃

They will grope as in the darkness, not the light, and he will make them stagger like drunkards.