איוב 21
| ויען איוב ויאמר׃ | 1 |
But Job answered and said:
| שמעו שמוע מלתי ותהי זאת תנחומתיכם׃ | 2 |
Hear attentively my words, And let this be your consolation.
| שאוני ואנכי אדבר ואחר דברי תלעיג׃ | 3 |
Bear with me, that I may speak; And after I have spoken, mock on!
| האנכי לאדם שיחי ואם מדוע לא תקצר רוחי׃ | 4 |
Is my complaint concerning man? Why then should I not be angry?
| פנו אלי והשמו ושימו יד על פה׃ | 5 |
Look upon me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth!
| ואם זכרתי ונבהלתי ואחז בשרי פלצות׃ | 6 |
When I think of it, I am confounded; Trembling taketh hold of my flesh.
| מדוע רשעים יחיו עתקו גם גברו חיל׃ | 7 |
Why is it that the wicked live, Grow old, yea, become mighty in substance?
| זרעם נכון לפניהם עמם וצאצאיהם לעיניהם׃ | 8 |
Their children are established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
| בתיהם שלום מפחד ולא שבט אלוה עליהם׃ | 9 |
Their houses are in peace, without fear, And the rod of God cometh not upon them.
| שורו עבר ולא יגעל תפלט פרתו ולא תשכל׃ | 10 |
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
| ישלחו כצאן עויליהם וילדיהם ירקדון׃ | 11 |
They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
| ישאו כתף וכנור וישמחו לקול עוגב׃ | 12 |
They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
| יבלו בטוב ימיהם וברגע שאול יחתו׃ (Sheol h7585) | 13 |
They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment go down to the under-world. (Sheol h7585)
| ויאמרו לאל סור ממנו ודעת דרכיך לא חפצנו׃ | 14 |
And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us! We desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
| מה שדי כי נעבדנו ומה נועיל כי נפגע בו׃ | 15 |
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what will it profit us, if we pray to him?”
| הן לא בידם טובם עצת רשעים רחקה מני׃ | 16 |
[[Ye say, ]] “Lo! their prosperity is not secure in their hands! Far from me be the conduct of the wicked!”
| כמה נר רשעים ידעך ויבא עלימו אידם חבלים יחלק באפו׃ | 17 |
How often is it, that the lamp of the wicked is put out? And that destruction cometh upon them, And that He dispenseth to them tribulations in his anger?
| יהיו כתבן לפני רוח וכמץ גנבתו סופה׃ | 18 |
How often are they as stubble before the wind, Or as chaff, which the whirlwind carrieth away?
| אלוה יצפן לבניו אונו ישלם אליו וידע׃ | 19 |
“But” [[say ye]] “God layeth up his iniquity for his children.” Let him requite the offender, and let him feel it!
| יראו עינו כידו ומחמת שדי ישתה׃ | 20 |
Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty!
| כי מה חפצו בביתו אחריו ומספר חדשיו חצצו׃ | 21 |
For what concern hath he for his household after him, When the number of his own months is completed?
| הלאל ילמד דעת והוא רמים ישפוט׃ | 22 |
Who then shall impart knowledge to God, —To him that judgeth the highest?
| זה ימות בעצם תמו כלו שלאנן ושליו׃ | 23 |
One dieth in the fulness of his prosperity, Being wholly at ease and quiet;
| עטיניו מלאו חלב ומח עצמותיו ישקה׃ | 24 |
His sides are full of fat, And his bones moist with marrow.
| וזה ימות בנפש מרה ולא אכל בטובה׃ | 25 |
Another dieth in bitterness of soul, And hath not tasted pleasure.
| יחד על עפר ישכבו ורמה תכסה עליהם׃ | 26 |
Alike they lie down in the dust, And the worms cover them.
| הן ידעתי מחשבותיכם ומזמות עלי תחמסו׃ | 27 |
Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices by which ye wrong me.
| כי תאמרו איה בית נדיב ואיה אהל משכנות רשעים׃ | 28 |
For ye say, “Where is the house of the oppressor, And where the dwelling-places of the wicked?”
| הלא שאלתם עוברי דרך ואתתם לא תנכרו׃ | 29 |
Have ye never inquired of travellers, And do ye not know their tokens,
| כי ליום איד יחשך רע ליום עברות יובלו׃ | 30 |
That the wicked is spared in the day of destruction, And that he is borne to his grave in the day of wrath?
| מי יגיד על פניו דרכו והוא עשה מי ישלם לו׃ | 31 |
Who will charge him with his conduct to his face, And who will requite him for the evil he hath done?
| והוא לקברות יובל ועל גדיש ישקוד׃ | 32 |
Even this man is borne with honor to the grave; Yea, he watcheth over his tomb.
| מתקו לו רגבי נחל ואחריו כל אדם ימשוך ולפניו אין מספר׃ | 33 |
Sweet to him are the sods of the valley: And all men move after him, As multitudes without number before him.
| ואיך תנחמוני הבל ותשובתיכם נשאר מעל׃ | 34 |
Why then do ye offer your vain consolations? Your answers continue false.
