אִיּוֹב 4

1 וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,

2 הֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ תִּלְאֶ֑ה וַעְצֹ֥ר בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין מִ֣י יוּכָֽל׃

Hast you been often spoken to in distress? but who shall endure the force of your words?

3 הִ֭נֵּה יִסַּ֣רְתָּ רַבִּ֑ים וְיָדַ֖יִם רָפֹ֣ות תְּחַזֵּֽק׃

For whereas you have instructed many, and have strengthened the hands of the weak one,

4 כֹּ֖ושֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְעֹ֣ות תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃

and have supported the failing with words, and have imparted courage to feeble knees.

5 כִּ֤י עַתָּ֨ה ׀ תָּבֹ֣וא אֵלֶ֣יךָ וַתֵּ֑לֶא תִּגַּ֥ע עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ וַתִּבָּהֵֽל׃

Yet now [that] pain has come upon you, and touched you, you are troubled.

6 הֲלֹ֣א יִ֭רְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ וְתֹ֣ם דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃

Is not your fear [founded] in folly, your hope also, and the mischief of your way?

7 זְכָר־נָ֗א מִ֤י ה֣וּא נָקִ֣י אָבָ֑ד וְ֝אֵיפֹ֗ה יְשָׁרִ֥ים נִכְחָֽדוּ׃

Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed?

8 כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתִי חֹ֣רְשֵׁי אָ֑וֶן וְזֹרְעֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל יִקְצְרֻֽהוּ׃

Accordingly as I have seen men plowing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.

9 מִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת אֱלֹ֣והַ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וּמֵר֖וּחַ אַפֹּ֣ו יִכְלֽוּ׃

They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath of his wrath.

10 שַׁאֲגַ֣ת אַ֭רְיֵה וְקֹ֣ול שָׁ֑חַל וְשִׁנֵּ֖י כְפִירִ֣ים נִתָּֽעוּ׃

The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched.

11 לַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃

The old lion has perished for lack of food, and the lions' whelps have forsaken one another.

12 וְ֭אֵלַי דָּבָ֣ר יְגֻנָּ֑ב וַתִּקַּ֥ח אָ֝זְנִ֗י שֵׁ֣מֶץ מֽ͏ֶנְהֽוּ׃

But if there had been any truth in your words, none of these evils would have befallen you. Shall not mine ear receive excellent [revelations] from him?

13 בִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנֹ֣ות לָ֑יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֥ל תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה עַל־אֲנָשִֽׁים׃

But [as when] terror falls upon men, with dread and a sound in the night,

14 פַּ֣חַד קְ֭רָאַנִי וּרְעָדָ֑ה וְרֹ֖ב עַצְמֹותַ֣י הִפְחִֽיד׃

horror and trembling seized me, and caused all my bones greatly to shake.

15 וְ֭רוּחַ עַל־פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃

And a spirit came before my face; and my hair and flesh quivered.

16 יַעֲמֹ֤ד ׀ וְֽלֹא־אַכִּ֬יר מַרְאֵ֗הוּ תְּ֭מוּנָה לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י דְּמָמָ֖ה וָקֹ֣ול אֶשְׁמָֽע׃

I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, [saying],

17 הַֽ֭אֱנֹושׁ מֵאֱלֹ֣והַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר׃

What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in regard to his works?

18 הֵ֣ן בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו יָשִׂ֥ים תָּהֳלָֽה׃

Whereas he trust not in his servants, and perceives perverseness in his angels.

19 אַ֤ף ׀ שֹׁכְנֵ֬י בָֽתֵּי־חֹ֗מֶר אֲשֶׁר־בֶּעָפָ֥ר יְסֹודָ֑ם יְ֝דַכְּא֗וּם לִפְנֵי־עָֽשׁ׃

But [as for] them that dwell in houses of clay, of whom we also are formed of the same clay, he smites them like a moth.

20 מִבֹּ֣קֶר לָעֶ֣רֶב יֻכַּ֑תּוּ מִבְּלִ֥י מֵ֝שִׂ֗ים לָנֶ֥צַח יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

And from the morning to evening they no longer exist: they have perished, because they can’t help themselves.

21 הֲלֹא־נִסַּ֣ע יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחָכְמָֽה׃

For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for lack of wisdom.