אִיּוֹב 8

1 וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י וַיֹאמַֽר׃

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

2 עַד־אָ֥ן תְּמַלֶּל־אֵ֑לֶּה וְר֥וּחַ כַּ֝בִּיר אִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ׃

“How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

3 הַ֭אֵל יְעַוֵּ֣ת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְאִם־שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יְעַוֵּֽת־צֶֽדֶק׃

Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

4 אִם־בָּנֶ֥יךָ חָֽטְאוּ־ל֑וֹ וַֽ֝יְשַׁלְּחֵ֗ם בְּיַד־פִּשְׁעָֽם׃

If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.

5 אִם־אַ֭תָּה תְּשַׁחֵ֣ר אֶל־אֵ֑ל וְאֶל־שַׁ֝דַּ֗י תִּתְחַנָּֽן׃

If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.

6 אִם־זַ֥ךְ וְיָשָׁ֗ר אָ֥תָּה כִּי־עַ֭תָּה יָעִ֣יר עָלֶ֑יךָ וְ֝שִׁלַּ֗ם נְוַ֣ת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃

If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.

7 וְהָיָ֣ה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ֣ מִצְעָ֑ר וְ֝אַחֲרִיתְךָ֗ יִשְׂגֶּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.

8 כִּֽי־שְׁאַל־נָ֭א לְדֹ֣ר רִישׁ֑וֹן וְ֝כוֹנֵ֗ן לְחֵ֣קֶר אֲבוֹתָֽם׃

“Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.

9 כִּֽי־תְמ֣וֹל אֲ֭נַחְנוּ וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע כִּ֤י צֵ֖ל יָמֵ֣ינוּ עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)

10 הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם י֭וֹרוּךָ יֹ֣אמְרוּ לָ֑ךְ וּ֝מִלִּבָּ֗ם יוֹצִ֥אוּ מִלִּֽים׃

Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?

11 הֲיִֽגְאֶה־גֹּ֭מֶא בְּלֹ֣א בִצָּ֑ה יִשְׂגֶּה־אָ֥חוּ בְלִי־מָֽיִם׃

“Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?

12 עֹדֶ֣נּוּ בְ֭אִבּוֹ לֹ֣א יִקָּטֵ֑ף וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָל־חָצִ֣יר יִיבָֽשׁ׃

While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.

13 כֵּ֗ן אָ֭רְחוֹת כָּל־שֹׁ֣כְחֵי אֵ֑ל וְתִקְוַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף תֹּאבֵֽד׃

So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,

14 אֲשֶׁר־יָק֥וֹט כִּסְל֑וֹ וּבֵ֥ית עַ֝כָּבִ֗ישׁ מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃

whose confidence will break apart, whose trust is a spider’s web.

15 יִשָּׁעֵ֣ן עַל־בֵּ֭יתוֹ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹ֑ד יַחֲזִ֥יק בּ֝֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א יָקֽוּם׃

He will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.

16 רָטֹ֣ב ה֭וּא לִפְנֵי־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וְעַ֥ל גַּ֝נָּת֗וֹ יֹֽנַקְתּ֥וֹ תֵצֵֽא׃

He is green before the sun. His shoots go out along his garden.

17 עַל־גַּ֭ל שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יְסֻבָּ֑כוּ בֵּ֖ית אֲבָנִ֣ים יֶחֱזֶֽה׃

His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.

18 אִם־יְבַלְּעֶ֥נּוּ מִמְּקוֹמ֑וֹ וְכִ֥חֶשׁ בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִֽיךָ׃

If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’

19 הֶן־ה֭וּא מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּ֝מֵעָפָ֗ר אַחֵ֥ר יִצְמָֽחוּ׃

Behold, this is the joy of his way. Out of the earth, others will spring.

20 הֶן־אֵ֭ל לֹ֣א יִמְאַס־תָּ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יַ֝חֲזִ֗יק בְּיַד־מְרֵעִֽים׃

“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.

21 עַד־יְמַלֵּ֣ה שְׂח֣וֹק פִּ֑יךָ וּשְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ תְרוּעָֽה׃

He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.

22 שֹׂנְאֶ֥יךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹ֑שֶׁת וְאֹ֖הֶל רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ פ

Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”