< אִיּוֹב 4 >

וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ 1
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and sayde,
הֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ תִּלְאֶ֑ה וַעְצֹ֥ר בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין מִ֣י יוּכָֽל׃ 2
If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieued? but who can withholde himselfe from speaking?
הִ֭נֵּה יִסַּ֣רְתָּ רַבִּ֑ים וְיָדַ֖יִם רָפֹ֣ות תְּחַזֵּֽק׃ 3
Behold, thou hast taught many, and hast strengthened the wearie hands.
כֹּ֖ושֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְעֹ֣ות תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃ 4
Thy wordes haue confirmed him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the weake knees.
כִּ֤י עַתָּ֨ה ׀ תָּבֹ֣וא אֵלֶ֣יךָ וַתֵּ֑לֶא תִּגַּ֥ע עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ וַתִּבָּהֵֽל׃ 5
But now it is come vpon thee, and thou art grieued: it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
הֲלֹ֣א יִ֭רְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ וְתֹ֣ם דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃ 6
Is not this thy feare, thy confidence, thy pacience, and the vprightnesse of thy wayes?
זְכָר־נָ֗א מִ֤י ה֣וּא נָקִ֣י אָבָ֑ד וְ֝אֵיפֹ֗ה יְשָׁרִ֥ים נִכְחָֽדוּ׃ 7
Remember, I pray thee: who euer perished, being an innocent? or where were the vpright destroyed?
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתִי חֹ֣רְשֵׁי אָ֑וֶן וְזֹרְעֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל יִקְצְרֻֽהוּ׃ 8
As I haue seene, they that plow iniquitie, and sowe wickednesse, reape the same.
מִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת אֱלֹ֣והַ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וּמֵר֖וּחַ אַפֹּ֣ו יִכְלֽוּ׃ 9
With the blast of God they perish, and with the breath of his nostrels are they cosumed.
שַׁאֲגַ֣ת אַ֭רְיֵה וְקֹ֣ול שָׁ֑חַל וְשִׁנֵּ֖י כְפִירִ֣ים נִתָּֽעוּ׃ 10
The roaring of the Lion, and the voyce of the Lionesse, and the teeth of the Lions whelpes are broken.
לַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃ 11
The Lyon perisheth for lacke of pray, and the Lyons whelpes are scattered abroade.
וְ֭אֵלַי דָּבָ֣ר יְגֻנָּ֑ב וַתִּקַּ֥ח אָ֝זְנִ֗י שֵׁ֣מֶץ מֽ͏ֶנְהֽוּ׃ 12
But a thing was brought to me secretly, and mine eare hath receiued a litle thereof.
בִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנֹ֣ות לָ֑יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֥ל תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה עַל־אֲנָשִֽׁים׃ 13
In the thoughtes of ye visions of the night, when sleepe falleth on men,
פַּ֣חַד קְ֭רָאַנִי וּרְעָדָ֑ה וְרֹ֖ב עַצְמֹותַ֣י הִפְחִֽיד׃ 14
Feare came vpon me, and dread which made all my bones to tremble.
וְ֭רוּחַ עַל־פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃ 15
And the wind passed before me, and made the heares of my flesh to stande vp.
יַעֲמֹ֤ד ׀ וְֽלֹא־אַכִּ֬יר מַרְאֵ֗הוּ תְּ֭מוּנָה לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י דְּמָמָ֖ה וָקֹ֣ול אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ 16
Then stoode one, and I knewe not his face: an image was before mine eyes, and in silence heard I a voyce, saying,
הַֽ֭אֱנֹושׁ מֵאֱלֹ֣והַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר׃ 17
Shall man be more iust then God? or shall a man be more pure then his maker?
הֵ֣ן בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו יָשִׂ֥ים תָּהֳלָֽה׃ 18
Beholde, he founde no stedfastnesse in his Seruants, and laid follie vpon his Angels.
אַ֤ף ׀ שֹׁכְנֵ֬י בָֽתֵּי־חֹ֗מֶר אֲשֶׁר־בֶּעָפָ֥ר יְסֹודָ֑ם יְ֝דַכְּא֗וּם לִפְנֵי־עָֽשׁ׃ 19
Howe much more in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which shalbe destroyed before the moth?
מִבֹּ֣קֶר לָעֶ֣רֶב יֻכַּ֑תּוּ מִבְּלִ֥י מֵ֝שִׂ֗ים לָנֶ֥צַח יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ 20
They be destroyed from the morning vnto the euening: they perish for euer, without regarde.
הֲלֹא־נִסַּ֣ע יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחָכְמָֽה׃ 21
Doeth not their dignitie goe away with them? do they not die, and that without wisdom?

< אִיּוֹב 4 >