איוב 22
| ויען אליפז התמני ויאמר׃ | 1 |
Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded and said,
| הלאל יסכן גבר כי יסכן עלימו משכיל׃ | 2 |
“How can anyone be of help to God? Even wise people are only helpful to themselves.
| החפץ לשדי כי תצדק ואם בצע כי תתם דרכיך׃ | 3 |
Is it any benefit to the Almighty if you're a good person? What does he gain if you do what's right?
| המיראתך יכיחך יבוא עמך במשפט׃ | 4 |
Does he correct you and bring charges against you because of your reverence?
| הלא רעתך רבה ואין קץ לעונתיך׃ | 5 |
No: it's because you're so wicked! Your sins are never-ending!
| כי תחבל אחיך חנם ובגדי ערומים תפשיט׃ | 6 |
For no reason at all you took your brother's clothing as a security for a debt, and left them stripped naked.
| לא מים עיף תשקה ומרעב תמנע לחם׃ | 7 |
You refused water to the thirsty; you denied food to the hungry.
| ואיש זרוע לו הארץ ונשוא פנים ישב בה׃ | 8 |
Is it because the land belongs to the powerful, and only the privileged have a right to live there?
| אלמנות שלחת ריקם וזרעות יתמים ידכא׃ | 9 |
You have sent widows away empty-handed; you have crushed the outstretched arms of orphans, begging for help.
| על כן סביבותיך פחים ויבהלך פחד פתאם׃ | 10 |
That's why you're surrounded by traps to catch you, and why you suddenly panic in terror.
| או חשך לא תראה ושפעת מים תכסך׃ | 11 |
That's why it's so dark you cannot see, and why you feel like you're drowning.
| הלא אלוה גבה שמים וראה ראש כוכבים כי רמו׃ | 12 |
Doesn't God live in highest heaven and looks down on even the highest stars?
| ואמרת מה ידע אל הבעד ערפל ישפוט׃ | 13 |
But you ask, ‘What does God know? How can he see and judge what happens in down here in darkness?
| עבים סתר לו ולא יראה וחוג שמים יתהלך׃ | 14 |
Thick clouds cover him so he can't see anything as he walks around in heaven.’
| הארח עולם תשמר אשר דרכו מתי און׃ | 15 |
Why do you insist on following the traditional thinking of the wicked?
| אשר קמטו ולא עת נהר יוצק יסודם׃ | 16 |
They were taken before their time; all they had built was washed away.
| האמרים לאל סור ממנו ומה יפעל שדי למו׃ | 17 |
They had told God, ‘Get lost! What can the Almighty do to us?’
| והוא מלא בתיהם טוב ועצת רשעים רחקה מני׃ | 18 |
And yet he was the one who had filled their homes with good things—but I don't accept their way of thinking.
| יראו צדיקים וישמחו ונקי ילעג למו׃ | 19 |
Those who do right rejoice when they see the destruction of the wicked, and the innocent mock them,
| אם לא נכחד קימנו ויתרם אכלה אש׃ | 20 |
saying, ‘Our enemies are destroyed, and fire has burned up all that's left of them.’
| הסכן נא עמו ושלם בהם תבואתך טובה׃ | 21 |
Come back to God and be reconciled to him, and you'll be prosperous again.
| קח נא מפיו תורה ושים אמריו בלבבך׃ | 22 |
Listen to what he tells you and keep his words in mind.
| אם תשוב עד שדי תבנה תרחיק עולה מאהלך׃ | 23 |
If you return to God you will be restored. If you renounce your sinful life
| ושית על עפר בצר ובצור נחלים אופיר׃ | 24 |
and give up your love of money and desire for possessions,
| והיה שדי בצריך וכסף תועפות לך׃ | 25 |
then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.
| כי אז על שדי תתענג ותשא אל אלוה פניך׃ | 26 |
Then you will find delight in the Almighty, and be able to face him without feeling ashamed.
| תעתיר אליו וישמעך ונדריך תשלם׃ | 27 |
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will keep your promises to him.
| ותגזר אומר ויקם לך ועל דרכיך נגה אור׃ | 28 |
Whatever you decide to do will be successful, and wherever you go, light will shine on you.
| כי השפילו ותאמר גוה ושח עינים יושע׃ | 29 |
When others are humbled, and you say, ‘please help them,’ God will save them.
| ימלט אי נקי ונמלט בבר כפיך׃ | 30 |
God saves those who are innocent, and you will be saved if you do what is right.”
