אִיּוֹב 20

1 וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַנַּֽעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 לָ֭כֵן שְׂעִפַּ֣י יְשִׁיב֑וּנִי וּ֝בַעֲב֗וּר ח֣וּשִׁי בִֽי׃

I did not suppose that you would answer thus: neither do you understand more than I.

3 מוּסַ֣ר כְּלִמָּתִ֣י אֶשְׁמָ֑ע וְ֝ר֗וּחַ מִֽבִּינָתִ֥י יַעֲנֵֽנִי׃

I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.

4 הֲזֹ֣את יָ֭דַעְתָּ מִנִּי־עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

Hast you [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?

5 כִּ֤י רִנְנַ֣ת רְ֭שָׁעִים מִקָּר֑וֹב וְשִׂמְחַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף עֲדֵי־רָֽגַע׃

But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:

6 אִם־יַעֲלֶ֣ה לַשָּׁמַ֣יִם שִׂיא֑וֹ וְ֝רֹאשׁ֗וֹ לָעָ֥ב יַגִּֽיעַ׃

although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.

7 כְּֽ֭גֶלֲלוֹ לָנֶ֣צַח יֹאבֵ֑ד רֹ֝אָ֗יו יֹאמְר֥וּ אַיּֽוֹ׃

For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?

8 כַּחֲל֣וֹם יָ֭עוּף וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָא֑וּהוּ וְ֝יֻדַּ֗ד כְּחֶזְי֥וֹן לָֽיְלָה׃

Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.

9 עַ֣יִן שְׁ֭זָפַתּוּ וְלֹ֣א תוֹסִ֑יף וְלֹא־ע֝֗וֹד תְּשׁוּרֶ֥נּוּ מְקוֹמֽוֹ׃

The eye has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.

10 בָּ֭נָיו יְרַצּ֣וּ דַלִּ֑ים וְ֝יָדָ֗יו תָּשֵׁ֥בְנָה אוֹנֽוֹ׃

Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.

11 עַ֭צְמוֹתָיו מָלְא֣וּ עלומו וְ֝עִמּ֗וֹ עַל־עָפָ֥ר תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃

His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 אִם־תַּמְתִּ֣יק בְּפִ֣יו רָעָ֑ה יַ֝כְחִידֶ֗נָּה תַּ֣חַת לְשׁוֹנֽוֹ׃

Though evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will hide it under his tongue;

13 יַחְמֹ֣ל עָ֭לֶיהָ וְלֹ֣א יַֽעַזְבֶ֑נָּה וְ֝יִמְנָעֶ֗נָּה בְּת֣וֹךְ חִכּֽוֹ׃

though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:

14 לַ֭חְמוֹ בְּמֵעָ֣יו נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ מְרוֹרַ֖ת פְּתָנִ֣ים בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃

yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.

15 חַ֣יִל בָּ֭לַע וַיְקִאֶ֑נּוּ מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ יוֹרִשֶׁ֥נּוּ אֵֽל׃

[His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of wrath] shall drag him out of his house.

16 רֹאשׁ־פְּתָנִ֥ים יִינָ֑ק תַּֽ֝הַרְגֵ֗הוּ לְשׁ֣וֹן אֶפְעֶֽה׃

And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent's tongue kill him.

17 אַל־יֵ֥רֶא בִפְלַגּ֑וֹת נַהֲרֵ֥י נַ֝חֲלֵ֗י דְּבַ֣שׁ וְחֶמְאָֽה׃

Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.

18 מֵשִׁ֣יב יָ֭גָע וְלֹ֣א יִבְלָ֑ע כְּחֵ֥יל תְּ֝מוּרָת֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲלֹֽס׃

He has laboured unprofitably and in vain, [for] wealth of which he shall not taste: [it is] as a lean thing, unfit for food, which he can’t swallow.

19 כִּֽי־רִ֭צַּץ עָזַ֣ב דַּלִּ֑ים בַּ֥יִת גָּ֝זַ֗ל וְלֹ֣א יִבֶנֵֽהוּ׃

For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.

20 כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־יָדַ֣ע שָׁלֵ֣ו בְּבִטְנ֑וֹ בַּ֝חֲמוּד֗וֹ לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט׃

There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.

21 אֵין־שָׂרִ֥יד לְאָכְל֑וֹ עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן לֹא־יָחִ֥יל טוּבֽוֹ׃

There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.

22 בִּמְלֹ֣אות שִׂ֭פְקוֹ יֵ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ כָּל־יַ֖ד עָמֵ֣ל תְּבוֹאֶֽנּוּ׃

But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.

23 יְהִ֤י ׀ לְמַלֵּ֬א בִטְנ֗וֹ יְֽשַׁלַּח־בּ֭וֹ חֲר֣וֹן אַפּ֑וֹ וְיַמְטֵ֥ר עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ בִּלְחוּמֽוֹ׃

If by any means he would fill his belly, let [God] send upon him the fury of wrath; let him bring a torrent of pains upon him.

24 יִ֭בְרַח מִנֵּ֣שֶׁק בַּרְזֶ֑ל תַּ֝חְלְפֵ֗הוּ קֶ֣שֶׁת נְחוּשָֽׁה׃

And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.

25 שָׁלַף֮ וַיֵּצֵ֪א מִגֵּ֫וָ֥ה וּ֭בָרָק מִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹ יַהֲלֹ֗ךְ עָלָ֥יו אֵמִֽים׃

And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon him.

26 כָּל־חֹשֶׁךְ֮ טָמ֪וּן לִצְפּ֫וּנָ֥יו תְּ֭אָכְלֵהוּ אֵ֣שׁ לֹֽא־נֻפָּ֑ח יֵ֖רַע שָׂרִ֣יד בְּאָהֳלֽוֹ׃

And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.

27 יְגַלּ֣וּ שָׁמַ֣יִם עֲוֺנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֶ֗רֶץ מִתְקוֹמָ֘מָ֥ה לֽוֹ׃

And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.

28 יִ֭גֶל יְב֣וּל בֵּית֑וֹ נִ֝גָּר֗וֹת בְּי֣וֹם אַפּֽוֹ׃

Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.

29 זֶ֤ה ׀ חֵֽלֶק־אָדָ֣ם רָ֭שָׁע מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְנַחֲלַ֖ת אִמְר֣וֹ מֵאֵֽל׃ פ

This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].