איוב 20
| ויען צפר הנעמתי ויאמר׃ | 1 |
Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
| לכן שעפי ישיבוני ובעבור חושי בי׃ | 2 |
“So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me.
| מוסר כלמתי אשמע ורוח מבינתי יענני׃ | 3 |
I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.
| הזאת ידעת מני עד מני שים אדם עלי ארץ׃ | 4 |
Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth,
| כי רננת רשעים מקרוב ושמחת חנף עדי רגע׃ | 5 |
the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
| אם יעלה לשמים שיאו וראשו לעב יגיע׃ | 6 |
Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds,
| כגללו לנצח יאבד ראיו יאמרו איו׃ | 7 |
he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’
| כחלום יעוף ולא ימצאוהו וידד כחזיון לילה׃ | 8 |
He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.
| עין שזפתו ולא תוסיף ולא עוד תשורנו מקומו׃ | 9 |
The eye that saw him will see him no more, and his place will no longer behold him.
| בניו ירצו דלים וידיו תשבנה אונו׃ | 10 |
His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
| עצמותיו מלאו עלומו ועמו על עפר תשכב׃ | 11 |
The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.
| אם תמתיק בפיו רעה יכחידנה תחת לשונו׃ | 12 |
Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,
| יחמל עליה ולא יעזבנה וימנענה בתוך חכו׃ | 13 |
though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth,
| לחמו במעיו נהפך מרורת פתנים בקרבו׃ | 14 |
yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.
| חיל בלע ויקאנו מבטנו יורשנו אל׃ | 15 |
He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
| ראש פתנים יינק תהרגהו לשון אפעה׃ | 16 |
He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.
| אל ירא בפלגות נהרי נחלי דבש וחמאה׃ | 17 |
He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
| משיב יגע ולא יבלע כחיל תמורתו ולא יעלס׃ | 18 |
He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
| כי רצץ עזב דלים בית גזל ולא יבנהו׃ | 19 |
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.
| כי לא ידע שלו בבטנו בחמודו לא ימלט׃ | 20 |
Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure.
| אין שריד לאכלו על כן לא יחיל טובו׃ | 21 |
Nothing is left for him to consume; thus his prosperity will not endure.
| במלאות שפקו יצר לו כל יד עמל תבואנו׃ | 22 |
In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will come upon him.
| יהי למלא בטנו ישלח בו חרון אפו וימטר עלימו בלחומו׃ | 23 |
When he has filled his stomach, God will vent His fury upon him, raining it down on him as he eats.
| יברח מנשק ברזל תחלפהו קשת נחושה׃ | 24 |
Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him.
| שלף ויצא מגוה וברק ממררתו יהלך עליו אמים׃ | 25 |
It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.
| כל חשך טמון לצפוניו תאכלהו אש לא נפח ירע שריד באהלו׃ | 26 |
Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.
| יגלו שמים עונו וארץ מתקוממה לו׃ | 27 |
The heavens will expose his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.
| יגל יבול ביתו נגרות ביום אפו׃ | 28 |
The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.
| זה חלק אדם רשע מאלהים ונחלת אמרו מאל׃ | 29 |
This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the inheritance God has appointed him.”
