אִיּוֹב 34

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אֱלִיה֗וּא וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And Elihu proceeded, and said:

2 שִׁמְע֣וּ חֲכָמִ֣ים מִלָּ֑י וְ֝יֹדְעִ֗ים הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

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

3 כִּי־אֹ֭זֶן מִלִּ֣ין תִּבְחָ֑ן וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ יִטְעַ֥ם לֶאֱכֹֽל׃

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

4 מִשְׁפָּ֥ט נִבְחֲרָה־לָּ֑נוּ נֵדְעָ֖ה בֵינֵ֣ינוּ מַה־טֹּֽוב׃

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

5 כִּֽי־אָ֭מַר אִיֹּ֣וב צָדַ֑קְתִּי וְ֝אֵ֗ל הֵסִ֥יר מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

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

6 עַל־מִשְׁפָּטִ֥י אֲכַזֵּ֑ב אָנ֖וּשׁ חִצִּ֣י בְלִי־פָֽשַׁע׃

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

7 מִי־גֶ֥בֶר כְּאִיֹּ֑וב יִֽשְׁתֶּה־לַּ֥עַג כַּמָּֽיִם׃

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

8 וְאָרַ֣ח לְ֭חֶבְרָה עִם־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן וְ֝לָלֶ֗כֶת עִם־אַנְשֵׁי־רֶֽשַׁע׃

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

9 כִּֽי־אָ֭מַר לֹ֣א יִסְכָּן־גָּ֑בֶר בִּ֝רְצֹתֹ֗ו עִם־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

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

10 לָכֵ֤ן ׀ אַ֥נֲשֵׁ֥י לֵבָ֗ב שִׁמְע֫וּ לִ֥י חָלִ֖לָה לָאֵ֥ל מֵרֶ֗שַׁע וְשַׁדַּ֥י מֵעָֽוֶל׃

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

11 כִּ֤י פֹ֣עַל אָ֭דָם יְשַׁלֶּם־לֹ֑ו וּֽכְאֹ֥רַח אִ֝֗ישׁ יַמְצִאֶֽנּוּ׃

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

12 אַף־אָמְנָ֗ם אֵ֥ל לֹֽא־יַרְשִׁ֑יעַ וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י לֹֽא־יְעַוֵּ֥ת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

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

13 מִֽי־פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו אָ֑רְצָה וּמִ֥י שָׂ֝֗ם תֵּבֵ֥ל כֻּלָּֽהּ׃

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

14 אִם־יָשִׂ֣ים אֵלָ֣יו לִבֹּ֑ו רוּחֹ֥ו וְ֝נִשְׁמָתֹ֗ו אֵלָ֥יו יֶאֱסֹֽף׃

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

15 יִגְוַ֣ע כָּל־בָּשָׂ֣ר יָ֑חַד וְ֝אָדָ֗ם עַל־עָפָ֥ר יָשֽׁוּב׃

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

16 וְאִם־בִּ֥ינָה שִׁמְעָה־זֹּ֑את הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה לְקֹ֣ול מִלָּֽי׃

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

17 הַאַ֬ף שֹׂונֵ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֣ט יַחֲבֹ֑ושׁ וְאִם־צַדִּ֖יק כַּבִּ֣יר תַּרְשִֽׁיעַ׃

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

18 הַאֲמֹ֣ר לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בְּלִיָּ֑עַל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע אֶל־נְדִיבִֽים׃

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

19 אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־נָשָׂ֨א ׀ פְּנֵ֥י שָׂרִ֗ים וְלֹ֣א נִכַּר־שֹׁ֖ועַ לִפְנֵי־דָ֑ל כִּֽי־מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדָ֣יו 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 רֶ֤גַע ׀ יָמֻתוּ֮ וַחֲצֹ֪ות לָ֥יְלָה יְגֹעֲשׁ֣וּ עָ֣ם וְיַעֲבֹ֑רוּ וְיָסִ֥ירוּ אַ֝בִּ֗יר לֹ֣א בְיָֽד׃

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

21 כִּי־עֵ֭ינָיו עַל־דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְֽכָל־צְעָדָ֥יו יִרְאֶֽה׃

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

22 אֵֽין־חֹ֖שֶׁךְ וְאֵ֣ין צַלְמָ֑וֶת לְהִסָּ֥תֶר שָׁ֝֗ם פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃

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

23 כִּ֤י לֹ֣א עַל־אִ֭ישׁ יָשִׂ֣ים עֹ֑וד לַהֲלֹ֥ךְ אֶל־אֵ֝֗ל בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

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

24 יָרֹ֣עַ כַּבִּירִ֣ים לֹא־חֵ֑קֶר וַיַּעֲמֵ֖ד אֲחֵרִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃

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

25 לָכֵ֗ן יַ֭כִּיר מַעְבָּֽדֵיהֶ֑ם וְהָ֥פַךְ לַ֝֗יְלָה וְיִדַּכָּֽאוּ׃

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

26 תַּֽחַת־רְשָׁעִ֥ים סְפָקָ֗ם בִּמְקֹ֥ום רֹאִֽים׃

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

27 אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־כֵּ֭ן סָ֣רוּ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֑יו וְכָל־דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו לֹ֣א הִשְׂכִּֽילוּ׃

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

28 לְהָבִ֣יא עָ֭לָיו צַֽעֲקַת־דָּ֑ל וְצַעֲקַ֖ת עֲנִיִּ֣ים יִשְׁמָֽע׃

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

29 וְה֤וּא יַשְׁקִ֨ט ׀ וּמִ֥י יַרְשִׁ֗עַ וְיַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נִים וּמִ֣י יְשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ וְעַל־גֹּ֖וי וְעַל־אָדָ֣ם יָֽחַד׃

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

30 מִ֭מְּלֹךְ אָדָ֥ם חָנֵ֗ף מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי 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־אֵ֭ל הֶאָמַ֥ר נָשָׂ֗אתִי לֹ֣א אֶחְבֹּֽל׃

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

32 בִּלְעֲדֵ֣י אֶ֭חֱזֶה אַתָּ֣ה הֹרֵ֑נִי אִֽם־עָ֥וֶל פָּ֝עַ֗לְתִּי לֹ֣א אֹסִֽיף׃

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

33 הַֽמֵעִמְּךָ֬ יְשַׁלְמֶ֨נָּה כִּֽי־מָאַ֗סְתָּ כִּי־אַתָּ֣ה תִבְחַ֣ר וְלֹא־אָ֑נִי וּֽמַה־יָדַ֥עְתָּ דַבֵּֽר׃

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

34 אַנְשֵׁ֣י לֵ֭בָב יֹ֣אמְרוּ לִ֑י וְגֶ֥בֶר חָ֝כָ֗ם שֹׁמֵ֥עַֽ לִֽי׃

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

35 אִ֭יֹּוב לֹא־בְדַ֣עַת יְדַבֵּ֑ר וּ֝דְבָרָ֗יו לֹ֣א בְהַשְׂכֵּֽיל׃

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

36 אָבִ֗י יִבָּחֵ֣ן אִיֹּ֣וב עַד־נֶ֑צַח עַל־תְּ֝שֻׁבֹ֗ת בְּאַנְשֵׁי־אָֽוֶן׃

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

37 כִּ֥י יֹ֘סִ֤יף עַֽל־חַטָּאתֹ֣ו פֶ֭שַׁע בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ יִסְפֹּ֑וק וְיֶ֖רֶב אֲמָרָ֣יו לָאֵֽל׃ ס

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