אִיּוֹב 4

1 וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 הֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ תִּלְאֶ֑ה וַעְצֹ֥ר בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין מִ֣י יוּכָֽל׃

“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

3 הִ֭נֵּה יִסַּ֣רְתָּ רַבִּ֑ים וְיָדַ֖יִם רָפֹ֣ות תְּחַזֵּֽק׃

Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.

4 כֹּ֖ושֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְעֹ֣ות תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃

Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm.

5 כִּ֤י עַתָּ֨ה ׀ תָּבֹ֣וא אֵלֶ֣יךָ וַתֵּ֑לֶא תִּגַּ֥ע עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ וַתִּבָּהֵֽל׃

But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.

6 הֲלֹ֣א יִ֭רְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ וְתֹ֣ם דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃

Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?

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

“Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

8 כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתִי חֹ֣רְשֵׁי אָ֑וֶן וְזֹרְעֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל יִקְצְרֻֽהוּ׃

According to what I have seen, those who plough iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.

9 מִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת אֱלֹ֣והַ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וּמֵר֖וּחַ אַפֹּ֣ו יִכְלֽוּ׃

By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.

10 שַׁאֲגַ֣ת אַ֭רְיֵה וְקֹ֣ול שָׁ֑חַל וְשִׁנֵּ֖י כְפִירִ֣ים נִתָּֽעוּ׃

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

11 לַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃

The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 וְ֭אֵלַי דָּבָ֣ר יְגֻנָּ֑ב וַתִּקַּ֥ח אָ֝זְנִ֗י שֵׁ֣מֶץ מֽ͏ֶנְהֽוּ׃

“Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.

13 בִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנֹ֣ות לָ֑יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֥ל תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה עַל־אֲנָשִֽׁים׃

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

14 פַּ֣חַד קְ֭רָאַנִי וּרְעָדָ֑ה וְרֹ֖ב עַצְמֹותַ֣י הִפְחִֽיד׃

fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

15 וְ֭רוּחַ עַל־פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃

Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.

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

It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,

17 הַֽ֭אֱנֹושׁ מֵאֱלֹ֣והַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר׃

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

18 הֵ֣ן בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו יָשִׂ֥ים תָּהֳלָֽה׃

Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.

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

How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

20 מִבֹּ֣קֶר לָעֶ֣רֶב יֻכַּ֑תּוּ מִבְּלִ֥י מֵ֝שִׂ֗ים לָנֶ֥צַח יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.

21 הֲלֹא־נִסַּ֣ע יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחָכְמָֽה׃

Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’