אִיּוֹב 4

1 וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then spake Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

2 הֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ תִּלְאֶ֑ה וַעְצֹ֥ר בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין מִ֣י יוּכָֽל׃

If one attempt a word with thee, wilt thou be offended? But who can refrain from speaking?

3 הִ֭נֵּה יִסַּ֣רְתָּ רַבִּ֑ים וְיָדַ֖יִם רָפֹ֣ות תְּחַזֵּֽק׃

Behold, thou hast admonished many; Thou hast strengthened feeble hands;

4 כֹּ֖ושֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְעֹ֣ות תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃

Thy words have upheld him that was falling, And thou hast given strength to feeble knees.

5 כִּ֤י עַתָּ֨ה ׀ תָּבֹ֣וא אֵלֶ֣יךָ וַתֵּ֑לֶא תִּגַּ֥ע עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ וַתִּבָּהֵֽל׃

But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art confounded!

6 הֲלֹ֣א יִ֭רְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ וְתֹ֣ם דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃

Is not thy fear of God thy hope, And the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence?

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

Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? Or where have the righteous been cut off?

8 כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתִי חֹ֣רְשֵׁי אָ֑וֶן וְזֹרְעֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל יִקְצְרֻֽהוּ׃

According to what I have seen, they who plough iniquity, And sow mischief, reap the same.

9 מִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת אֱלֹ֣והַ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וּמֵר֖וּחַ אַפֹּ֣ו יִכְלֽוּ׃

By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of his nostrils they are consumed.

10 שַׁאֲגַ֣ת אַ֭רְיֵה וְקֹ֣ול שָׁ֑חַל וְשִׁנֵּ֖י כְפִירִ֣ים נִתָּֽעוּ׃

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken.

11 לַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃

The fierce lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 וְ֭אֵלַי דָּבָ֣ר יְגֻנָּ֑ב וַתִּקַּ֥ח אָ֝זְנִ֗י שֵׁ֣מֶץ מֽ͏ֶנְהֽוּ׃

A word was once secretly brought to me, And mine ear caught a whisper thereof.

13 בִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנֹ֣ות לָ֑יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֥ל תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה עַל־אֲנָשִֽׁים׃

Amid thoughts from visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men,

14 פַּ֣חַד קְ֭רָאַנִי וּרְעָדָ֑ה וְרֹ֖ב עַצְמֹותַ֣י הִפְחִֽיד׃

A fear and a horror came upon me, Which made all my bones to shake.

15 וְ֭רוּחַ עַל־פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃

Then a spirit passed before my face, The hair of my flesh rose on end;

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

It stood still, but its form I could not discern; An image was before mine eyes; There was silence, and I heard a voice:

17 הַֽ֭אֱנֹושׁ מֵאֱלֹ֣והַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר׃

“Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall man be more pure than his Maker?

18 הֵ֣ן בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו יָשִׂ֥ים תָּהֳלָֽה׃

Behold, he putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And his angels he chargeth with frailty.

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

What then are they who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who crumble to pieces, as if moth-eaten!

20 מִבֹּ֣קֶר לָעֶ֣רֶב יֻכַּ֑תּוּ מִבְּלִ֥י מֵ֝שִׂ֗ים לָנֶ֥צַח יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

Between morning and evening are they destroyed; They perish for ever, and none regardeth it.

21 הֲלֹא־נִסַּ֣ע יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחָכְמָֽה׃

The excellency that is in them is torn away; They die before they have become wise.”