איוב 11

1 וַיַּעַן צֹפַר הַֽנַּעֲמָתִי וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:

2 הֲרֹב דְּבָרִים לֹא יֵעָנֶה וְאִם־אִישׁ שְׂפָתַיִם יִצְדָּֽק׃

Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be accounted right?

3 בַּדֶּיךָ מְתִים יַחֲרִישׁו וַתִּלְעַג וְאֵין מַכְלִֽם׃

Thy boastings have made men hold their peace, and thou hast mocked, with none to make thee ashamed;

4 וַתֹּאמֶר זַךְ לִקְחִי וּבַר הָיִיתִי בְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

And thou hast said: 'My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in Thine eyes.'

5 וְֽאוּלָם מִֽי־יִתֵּן אֱלוֹהַּ דַּבֵּר וְיִפְתַּח שְׂפָתָיו עִמָּֽךְ׃

But oh that God would speak, and open His lips against thee;

6 וְיַגֶּד־לְךָ ׀ תַּֽעֲלֻמוֹת חָכְמָה כִּֽי־כִפְלַיִם לְֽתוּשִׁיָּה וְדַע כִּֽי־יַשֶּׁה לְךָ אֱלוֹהַ מֵעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃

And that He would tell thee the secrets of wisdom, that sound wisdom is manifold! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

7 הַחֵקֶר אֱלוֹהַ תִּמְצָא אִם עַד־תַּכְלִית שַׁדַּי תִּמְצָֽא׃

Canst thou find out the deep things of God? Canst thou attain unto the purpose of the Almighty?

8 גָּבְהֵי שָׁמַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָל עֲמֻקָּה מִשְּׁאוֹל מַה־תֵּדָֽע׃ (Sheol h7585)

It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than the nether-world; what canst thou know? (Sheol h7585)

9 אֲרֻכָּה מֵאֶרֶץ מִדָּהּ וּרְחָבָה מִנִּי־יָֽם׃

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

10 אִם־יַחֲלֹף וְיַסְגִּיר וְיַקְהִיל וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃

If He pass by, and shut up, or gather in, then who can hinder Him?

11 כִּי־הוּא יָדַע מְתֵי־שָׁוְא וַיַּרְא־אָוֶן וְלֹא יִתְבּוֹנָֽן׃

For He knoweth base men; and when He seeth iniquity, will He not then consider it?

12 וְאִישׁ נָבוּב יִלָּבֵב וְעַיִר פֶּרֶא אָדָם יִוָּלֵֽד׃

But an empty man will get understanding, when a wild ass's colt is born a man.

13 אִם־אַתָּה הֲכִינוֹתָ לִבֶּךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ אֵלָיו כַּפֶּֽךָ׃

If thou set thy heart aright, and stretch out thy hands toward Him —

14 אִם־אָוֶן בְּיָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵהוּ וְאַל־תַּשְׁכֵּן בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ עַוְלָֽה׃

If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away, and let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents —

15 כִּי־אָז ׀ תִּשָּׂא פָנֶיךָ מִמּוּם וְהָיִיתָ מֻצָק וְלֹא תִירָֽא׃

Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear;

16 כִּי־אַתָּה עָמָל תִּשְׁכָּח כְּמַיִם עָבְרוּ תִזְכֹּֽר׃

For thou shalt forget thy misery; thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away;

17 וּֽמִצָּהֳרַיִם יָקוּם חָלֶד תָּעֻפָה כַּבֹּקֶר תִּהְיֶֽה׃

And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday; though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

18 וּֽבָטַחְתָּ כִּי־יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה וְחָפַרְתָּ לָבֶטַח תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt look about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety.

19 וְֽרָבַצְתָּ וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד וְחִלּוּ פָנֶיךָ רַבִּֽים׃

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

20 וְעֵינֵי רְשָׁעִים תִּכְלֶינָה וּמָנוֹס אָבַד מִנְהֶם וְתִקְוָתָם מַֽפַּח־נָֽפֶשׁ׃

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall have no way to flee, and their hope shall be the drooping of the soul.