< איוב 12 >

וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ 1
And Job answered and said,
אָמְנָם כִּי אַתֶּם־עָם וְעִמָּכֶם תָּמוּת חָכְמָֽה׃ 2
So then you [alone] are men, and wisdom shall die with you?
גַּם־לִי לֵבָב ׀ כְּֽמוֹכֶם לֹא־נֹפֵל אָנֹכִי מִכֶּם וְאֶת־מִי־אֵין כְּמוֹ־אֵֽלֶּה׃ 3
[But] I also have a heart as well as you.
שְׂחֹק לְרֵעֵהוּ ׀ אֶֽהְיֶה קֹרֵא לֶאֱלוֹהַּ וַֽיַּעֲנֵהוּ שְׂחוֹק צַדִּיק תָּמִֽים׃ 4
For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.
לַפִּיד בּוּז לְעַשְׁתּוּת שַׁאֲנָן נָכוֹן לְמוֹעֲדֵי רָֽגֶל׃ 5
For it had been ordained that he should fall under others at the appointed time, and that his houses should be spoiled by transgressors: let not however any one trust that, being evil, he shall be [held] guiltless,
יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹֽהָלִים ׀ לְשֹׁדְדִים וּֽבַטֻּחוֹת לְמַרְגִּיזֵי אֵל לַאֲשֶׁר הֵבִיא אֱלוֹהַּ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ 6
even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.
וְֽאוּלָם שְׁאַל־נָא בְהֵמוֹת וְתֹרֶךָּ וְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְיַגֶּד־לָֽךְ׃ 7
But ask now the beasts, if they may speak to you; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to you.
אוֹ שִׂיחַ לָאָרֶץ וְתֹרֶךָּ וִֽיסַפְּרוּ לְךָ דְּגֵי הַיָּֽם׃ 8
Tell the earth, if it may speak to you: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to you.
מִי לֹא־יָדַע בְּכָל־אֵלֶּה כִּי יַד־יְהוָה עָשְׂתָה זֹּֽאת׃ 9
Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?
אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל־חָי וְרוּחַ כָּל־בְּשַׂר־אִֽישׁ׃ 10
Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.
הֲלֹא־אֹזֶן מִלִּין תִּבְחָן וְחֵךְ אֹכֶל יִטְעַם־לֽוֹ׃ 11
For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.
בִּֽישִׁישִׁים חָכְמָה וְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים תְּבוּנָֽה׃ 12
In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.
עִמּוֹ חָכְמָה וּגְבוּרָה לוֹ עֵצָה וּתְבוּנָֽה׃ 13
With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.
הֵן יַהֲרוֹס וְלֹא יִבָּנֶה יִסְגֹּר עַל־אִישׁ וְלֹא יִפָּתֵֽחַ׃ 14
If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?
הֵן יַעְצֹר בַּמַּיִם וְיִבָשׁוּ וִֽישַׁלְּחֵם וְיַהַפְכוּ אָֽרֶץ׃ 15
If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.
עִמּוֹ עֹז וְתֽוּשִׁיָּה לוֹ שֹׁגֵג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃ 16
With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.
מוֹלִיךְ יוֹעֲצִים שׁוֹלָל וְֽשֹׁפְטִים יְהוֹלֵֽל׃ 17
He leads counselors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.
מוּסַר מְלָכִים פִּתֵּחַ וַיֶּאְסֹר אֵזוֹר בְּמָתְנֵיהֶֽם׃ 18
He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.
מוֹלִיךְ כֹּהֲנִים שׁוֹלָל וְאֵֽתָנִים יְסַלֵּֽף׃ 19
He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.
מֵסִיר שָׂפָה לְנֶאֱמָנִים וְטַעַם זְקֵנִים יִקָּֽח׃ 20
He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.
שׁוֹפֵךְ בּוּז עַל־נְדִיבִים וּמְזִיחַ אֲפִיקִים רִפָּֽה׃ 21
He pours dishonor upon princes, and heals the lowly.
מְגַלֶּה עֲמֻקוֹת מִנִּי־חֹשֶׁךְ וַיֹּצֵא לָאוֹר צַלְמָֽוֶת׃ 22
Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.
מַשְׂגִּיא לַגּוֹיִם וַֽיְאַבְּדֵם שֹׁטֵחַ לַגּוֹיִם וַיַּנְחֵֽם׃ 23
Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].
מֵסִיר לֵב רָאשֵׁי עַם־הָאָרֶץ וַיַּתְעֵם בְּתֹהוּ לֹא־דָֽרֶךְ׃ 24
Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],
יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אוֹר וַיַּתְעֵם כַּשִּׁכּֽוֹר׃ 25
Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.

< איוב 12 >