אִיּוֹב 21
| וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ | 1 |
Then Job made answer and said,
| שִׁמְע֣וּ שָׁ֭מוֹעַ מִלָּתִ֑י וּתְהִי־זֹ֝֗את תַּנְח֥וּמֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ | 2 |
Give attention with care to my words; and let this be your comfort.
| שָׂ֭אוּנִי וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְאַחַ֖ר דַּבְּרִ֣י תַלְעִֽיג׃ | 3 |
Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.
| הֶ֭אָנֹכִי לְאָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְאִם־מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ לֹא־תִקְצַ֥ר רוּחִֽי׃ | 4 |
As for me, is my outcry against man? is it then to be wondered at if my spirit is troubled?
| פְּנוּ־אֵלַ֥י וְהָשַׁ֑מּוּ וְשִׂ֖ימוּ יָ֣ד עַל־פֶּֽה׃ | 5 |
Take note of me and be full of wonder, put your hand on your mouth.
| וְאִם־זָכַ֥רְתִּי וְנִבְהָ֑לְתִּי וְאָחַ֥ז בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י פַּלָּצֽוּת׃ | 6 |
At the very thought of it my flesh is shaking with fear.
| מַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם־גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל׃ | 7 |
Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power?
| זַרְעָ֤ם נָכ֣וֹן לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם עִמָּ֑ם וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֗ם לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃ | 8 |
Their children are ever with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
| בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם שָׁל֣וֹם מִפָּ֑חַד וְלֹ֤א שֵׁ֖בֶט אֱל֣וֹהַּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ | 9 |
Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them.
| שׁוֹר֣וֹ עִ֭בַּר וְלֹ֣א יַגְעִ֑ל תְּפַלֵּ֥ט פָּ֝רָת֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א תְשַׁכֵּֽל׃ | 10 |
Their ox is ready at all times to give seed; their cow gives birth, without dropping her young.
| יְשַׁלְּח֣וּ כַ֭צֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝יַלְדֵיהֶ֗ם יְרַקֵּדֽוּן׃ | 11 |
They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance,
| יִ֭שְׂאוּ כְּתֹ֣ף וְכִנּ֑וֹר וְ֝יִשְׂמְח֗וּ לְק֣וֹל עוּגָֽב׃ | 12 |
They make songs to the instruments of music, and are glad at the sound of the pipe.
| יְכַלּ֣וּ בַטּ֣וֹב יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝בְרֶ֗גַע שְׁא֣וֹל יֵחָֽתּוּ׃ (Sheol h7585) | 13 |
Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
| וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָ֭אֵל ס֣וּר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְדַ֥עַת דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א חָפָֽצְנוּ׃ | 14 |
Though they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways.
| מַה־שַׁדַּ֥י כִּֽי־נַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ וּמַה־נּ֝וֹעִ֗יל כִּ֣י נִפְגַּע־בּֽוֹ׃ | 15 |
What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him?
| הֵ֤ן לֹ֣א בְיָדָ֣ם טוּבָ֑ם עֲצַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים רָ֣חֲקָה מֶֽנִּי׃ | 16 |
Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)
| כַּמָּ֤ה ׀ נֵר־רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים יִדְעָ֗ךְ וְיָבֹ֣א עָלֵ֣ימוֹ אֵידָ֑ם חֲ֝בָלִ֗ים יְחַלֵּ֥ק בְּאַפּֽוֹ׃ | 17 |
How frequently is the light of the evil-doers put out, or does trouble come on them? how frequently does his wrath take them with cords?
| יִהְי֗וּ כְּתֶ֥בֶן לִפְנֵי־ר֑וּחַ וּ֝כְמֹ֗ץ גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ סוּפָֽה׃ | 18 |
How frequently are they as dry stems before the wind, or as grass taken away by the storm-wind?
| אֱל֗וֹהַּ יִצְפֹּן־לְבָנָ֥יו אוֹנ֑וֹ יְשַׁלֵּ֖ם אֵלָ֣יו וְיֵדָֽע׃ | 19 |
You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it!
| יִרְא֣וּ עֵינָ֣יו כִּיד֑וֹ וּמֵחֲמַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יִשְׁתֶּֽה׃ | 20 |
Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all!
| כִּ֤י מַה־חֶפְצ֣וֹ בְּבֵית֣וֹ אַחֲרָ֑יו וּמִסְפַּ֖ר חֳדָשָׁ֣יו חֻצָּֽצוּ׃ | 21 |
For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended?
| הַלְאֵ֥ל יְלַמֶּד־דָּ֑עַת וְ֝ה֗וּא רָמִ֥ים יִשְׁפּֽוֹט׃ | 22 |
Is anyone able to give teaching to God? for he is the judge of those who are on high.
| זֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּעֶ֣צֶם תֻּמּ֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ שַׁלְאֲנַ֥ן וְשָׁלֵֽיו׃ | 23 |
One comes to his end in complete well-being, full of peace and quiet:
| עֲ֭טִינָיו מָלְא֣וּ חָלָ֑ב וּמֹ֖חַ עַצְמוֹתָ֣יו יְשֻׁקֶּֽה׃ | 24 |
His buckets are full of milk, and there is no loss of strength in his bones.
| וְזֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ מָרָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־אָ֝כַ֗ל בַּטּוֹבָֽה׃ | 25 |
And another comes to his end with a bitter soul, without ever tasting good.
| יַ֭חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ וְ֝רִמָּ֗ה תְּכַסֶּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ | 26 |
Together they go down to the dust, and are covered by the worm.
| הֵ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וּ֝מְזִמּ֗וֹת עָלַ֥י תַּחְמֹֽסוּ׃ | 27 |
See, I am conscious of your thoughts, and of your violent purposes against me;
| כִּ֤י תֹֽאמְר֗וּ אַיֵּ֥ה בֵית־נָדִ֑יב וְ֝אַיֵּ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל ׀ מִשְׁכְּנ֬וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים׃ | 28 |
For you say, Where is the house of the ruler, and where is the tent of the evil-doer?
| הֲלֹ֣א שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם ע֣וֹבְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗ם לֹ֣א תְנַכֵּֽרוּ׃ | 29 |
Have you not put the question to the travellers, and do you not take note of their experience?
| כִּ֤י לְי֣וֹם אֵ֭יד יֵחָ֣שֶׂךְ רָ֑ע לְי֖וֹם עֲבָר֣וֹת יוּבָֽלוּ׃ | 30 |
How the evil man goes free in the day of trouble, and has salvation in the day of wrath?
| מִֽי־יַגִּ֣יד עַל־פָּנָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְהֽוּא־עָ֝שָׂ֗ה מִ֣י יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ׃ | 31 |
Who will make his way clear to his face? and if he has done a thing, who gives him punishment for it?
| וְ֭הוּא לִקְבָר֣וֹת יוּבָ֑ל וְֽעַל־גָּדִ֥ישׁ יִשְׁקֽוֹד׃ | 32 |
He is taken to his last resting-place, and keeps watch over it.
| מָֽתְקוּ־ל֗וֹ רִגְבֵ֫י נָ֥חַל וְ֭אַחֲרָיו כָּל־אָדָ֣ם יִמְשׁ֑וֹךְ וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃ | 33 |
The earth of the valley covering his bones is sweet to him, and all men come after him, as there were unnumbered before him.
| וְ֭אֵיךְ תְּנַחֲמ֣וּנִי הָ֑בֶל וּ֝תְשֽׁוּבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם נִשְׁאַר־מָֽעַל׃ ס | 34 |
Why then do you give me comfort with words in which there is no profit, when you see that there is nothing in your answers but deceit?
