איוב 15
| ויען אליפז התימני ויאמר׃ | 1 |
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
| החכם יענה דעת רוח וימלא קדים בטנו׃ | 2 |
“Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
| הוכח בדבר לא יסכון ומלים לא יועיל בם׃ | 3 |
He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
| אף אתה תפר יראה ותגרע שיחה לפני אל׃ | 4 |
But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
| כי יאלף עונך פיך ותבחר לשון ערומים׃ | 5 |
It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
| ירשיעך פיך ולא אני ושפתיך יענו בך׃ | 6 |
Your own mouth is condemning you, not me; your own lips are testifying against you.
| הראישון אדם תולד ולפני גבעות חוללת׃ | 7 |
Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
| הבסוד אלוה תשמע ותגרע אליך חכמה׃ | 8 |
Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
| מה ידעת ולא נדע תבין ולא עמנו הוא׃ | 9 |
What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
| גם שב גם ישיש בנו כביר מאביך ימים׃ | 10 |
We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
| המעט ממך תנחמות אל ודבר לאט עמך׃ | 11 |
Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
| מה יקחך לבך ומה ירזמון עיניך׃ | 12 |
Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
| כי תשיב אל אל רוחך והצאת מפיך מלין׃ | 13 |
Why do your eyes flash in anger that you turn against God and let yourself speak this way?
| מה אנוש כי יזכה וכי יצדק ילוד אשה׃ | 14 |
Who can say they are clean? Which human being can say that they do what is right?
| הן בקדשו לא יאמין ושמים לא זכו בעיניו׃ | 15 |
Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
| אף כי נתעב ונאלח איש שתה כמים עולה׃ | 16 |
How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
| אחוך שמע לי וזה חזיתי ואספרה׃ | 17 |
If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
| אשר חכמים יגידו ולא כחדו מאבותם׃ | 18 |
This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
| להם לבדם נתנה הארץ ולא עבר זר בתוכם׃ | 19 |
those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
| כל ימי רשע הוא מתחולל ומספר שנים נצפנו לעריץ׃ | 20 |
The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
| קול פחדים באזניו בשלום שודד יבואנו׃ | 21 |
Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
| לא יאמין שוב מני חשך וצפו הוא אלי חרב׃ | 22 |
They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
| נדד הוא ללחם איה ידע כי נכון בידו יום חשך׃ | 23 |
They wander around looking for food, asking ‘Where is it?’ They know that their day of darkness is close at hand.
| יבעתהו צר ומצוקה תתקפהו כמלך עתיד לכידור׃ | 24 |
Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
| כי נטה אל אל ידו ואל שדי יתגבר׃ | 25 |
They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
| ירוץ אליו בצואר בעבי גבי מגניו׃ | 26 |
insolently attacking him with their shields.
| כי כסה פניו בחלבו ויעש פימה עלי כסל׃ | 27 |
They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
| וישכון ערים נכחדות בתים לא ישבו למו אשר התעתדו לגלים׃ | 28 |
But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
| לא יעשר ולא יקום חילו ולא יטה לארץ מנלם׃ | 29 |
They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
| לא יסור מני חשך ינקתו תיבש שלהבת ויסור ברוח פיו׃ | 30 |
They will not escape from the darkness. Like a tree whose shoots are burned up in a forest fire, the breath of God will blow him away.
| אל יאמן בשו נתעה כי שוא תהיה תמורתו׃ | 31 |
They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
| בלא יומו תמלא וכפתו לא רעננה׃ | 32 |
This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
| יחמס כגפן בסרו וישלך כזית נצתו׃ | 33 |
like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
| כי עדת חנף גלמוד ואש אכלה אהלי שחד׃ | 34 |
For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
| הרה עמל וילד און ובטנם תכין מרמה׃ | 35 |
They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
