איוב 36
| ויסף אליהוא ויאמר׃ | 1 |
Then continued Elihu, and said,
| כתר לי זעיר ואחוך כי עוד לאלוה מלים׃ | 2 |
Wait for me a little, and I will instruct thee; for [I have] still some words on God's behalf.
| אשא דעי למרחוק ולפעלי אתן צדק׃ | 3 |
I will lift up my knowledge for him who is afar, and for my Maker will I obtain righteousness.
| כי אמנם לא שקר מלי תמים דעות עמך׃ | 4 |
For truly no falsehood is [in] my words: one that is upright in [his] opinions [dealeth now] with thee.
| הן אל כביר ולא ימאס כביר כח לב׃ | 5 |
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength of intellect.
| לא יחיה רשע ומשפט עניים יתן׃ | 6 |
He permitteth not the wicked to live; but he procureth justice for the afflicted.
| לא יגרע מצדיק עיניו ואת מלכים לכסא וישיבם לנצח ויגבהו׃ | 7 |
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous; but [he placeth them] with kings on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
| ואם אסורים בזקים ילכדון בחבלי עני׃ | 8 |
And if they be bound in fetters, and if they be entangled in the cords of affliction:
| ויגד להם פעלם ופשעיהם כי יתגברו׃ | 9 |
Then doth he tell them of their work, and of their transgressions, when they had become strong.
| ויגל אזנם למוסר ויאמר כי ישבון מאון׃ | 10 |
And he openeth thus their ear to correction, and saith that they should return from wrong-doing.
| אם ישמעו ויעבדו יכלו ימיהם בטוב ושניהם בנעימים׃ | 11 |
If they hearken and serve [him], they will spend their days in happiness, and their years in pleasures.
| ואם לא ישמעו בשלח יעברו ויגועו בבלי דעת׃ | 12 |
But if they hearken not, they will pass away through the sword, and they will perish in want of knowledge.
| וחנפי לב ישימו אף לא ישועו כי אסרם׃ | 13 |
But the hypocrites in heart persevere in wrath; they will not offer entreaty when he bindeth them:
| תמת בנער נפשם וחיתם בקדשים׃ | 14 |
Their soul will die in youth, and their life, among the incestuous.
| יחלץ עני בעניו ויגל בלחץ אזנם׃ | 15 |
He delivereth the afflicted through his affliction, and openeth through oppression his ear.
| ואף הסיתך מפי צר רחב לא מוצק תחתיה ונחת שלחנך מלא דשן׃ | 16 |
And also thee hath he incited away from the jaws of distress into a wide space, on the site of which there is no straitness; and what is set on thy table is full of fatness.
| ודין רשע מלאת דין ומשפט יתמכו׃ | 17 |
But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: [divine] judgment and decree will support each other.
| כי חמה פן יסיתך בספק ורב כפר אל יטך׃ | 18 |
For there would be fury, If aught were to incite thee to utter an abundance [of rebellious words]; and the greatness of the infliction must not mislead thee.
| היערך שועך לא בצר וכל מאמצי כח׃ | 19 |
Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold ore, nor all the highest forces of strength.
| אל תשאף הלילה לעלות עמים תחתם׃ | 20 |
Desire then not eagerly the night, when nations pass away in their place.
| השמר אל תפן אל און כי על זה בחרת מעני׃ | 21 |
Take heed, turn not thyself to wrong-doing, so that thou wouldst choose this because of [thy] affliction.
| הן אל ישגיב בכחו מי כמהו מורה׃ | 22 |
Behold, God is exalted by his power: who is an instructer like him?
| מי פקד עליו דרכו ומי אמר פעלת עולה׃ | 23 |
Who hath given him a charge concerning his way? or who hath ever said, Thou hast acted unjustly?
| זכר כי תשגיא פעלו אשר שררו אנשים׃ | 24 |
Reflect, that thou shouldst magnify his work, which [other] men have beheld.
| כל אדם חזו בו אנוש יביט מרחוק׃ | 25 |
All men have looked at it [with astonishment]; the mortal gazeth at it from afar.
| הן אל שגיא ולא נדע מספר שניו ולא חקר׃ | 26 |
Behold, God is great, and we comprehend him not, the number of his years can truly not be searched out.
| כי יגרע נטפי מים יזקו מטר לאדו׃ | 27 |
For he taketh away drops of water, which are purified into rain in his mist:
| אשר יזלו שחקים ירעפו עלי אדם רב׃ | 28 |
These drop down out of the skies; they distil upon the multitude of men.
| אף אם יבין מפרשי עב תשאות סכתו׃ | 29 |
But [what man] can understand the outspreadings of the clouds? the tumult of his tabernacle?
| הן פרש עליו אורו ושרשי הים כסה׃ | 30 |
Behold, he spreadeth out over it his light, and covereth up the roots of the sea.
| כי בם ידין עמים יתן אכל למכביר׃ | 31 |
For by means of them he judgeth nations, he giveth food in superfluity.
| על כפים כסה אור ויצו עליה במפגיע׃ | 32 |
[His] hands he covereth with light; and he commandeth it to strike the one who striveth against him.
| יגיד עליו רעו מקנה אף על עולה׃ | 33 |
The noise of his storm telleth of it, yea, the cattle also, of the rising tempest.
