Job 4 אִיּוֹב

¹וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

vayya'an elifaz hattemani vayyomar

1Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

²הֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ תִּלְאֶ֑ה וַעְצֹ֥ר בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין מִ֣י יוּכָֽל׃

hanissa davar elekha til'e va'tzor bemillin mi yukhal

2If one venture a word unto thee, wilt thou be weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

³הִ֭נֵּה יִסַּ֣רְתָּ רַבִּ֑ים וְיָדַ֖יִם רָפ֣וֹת תְּחַזֵּֽק׃

hinne yissarta rabbim veyadayim rafot techazzek

3Behold, thou hast instructed many, And thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

⁴כּ֭וֹשֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְע֣וֹת תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃

koshel yekimun millekha uvirkayim kor'ot te'ammetz

4Thy words have upholden him that was falling, And thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

⁵כִּ֤י עַתָּ֨ה ׀ תָּב֣וֹא אֵלֶ֣יךָ וַתֵּ֑לֶא תִּגַּ֥ע עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ וַתִּבָּהֵֽל׃

ki atta tavo elekha vattele tigga' adekha vattibbahel

5But now it is come upon thee, and thou art weary; It toucheth thee, and thou art affrighted.

⁶הֲלֹ֣א יִ֭רְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ וְתֹ֣ם דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃

halo yir'atkha kislatekha tikvatkha vetom derakhekha

6Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, And thy hope the integrity of thy ways?

⁷זְכָר־נָ֗א מִ֤י ה֣וּא נָקִ֣י אָבָ֑ד וְ֝אֵיפֹ֗ה יְשָׁרִ֥ים נִכְחָֽדוּ׃

zekhar-na mi hu naki avad ve'efo yesharim nikhchadu

7Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

⁸כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתִי חֹ֣רְשֵׁי אָ֑וֶן וְזֹרְעֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל יִקְצְרֻֽהוּ׃

ka'asher ra'iti chorshe aven vezor'e amal yiktzeruhu

8According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, And sow mischief, reap the same.

⁹מִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת אֱל֣וֹהַ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וּמֵר֖וּחַ אַפּ֣וֹ יִכְלֽוּ׃

minnishmat eloah yovedu umeruach appo yikhlu

9By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of His anger are they consumed.

¹⁰שַׁאֲגַ֣ת אַ֭רְיֵה וְק֣וֹל שָׁ֑חַל וְשִׁנֵּ֖י כְפִירִ֣ים נִתָּֽעוּ׃

sha'agat arye vekol shachal veshinne khefirim nitta'u

10The lion roareth, and the fierce lion howleth— Yet the teeth of the young lions are broken.

¹¹לַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃

layish oved mibbeli-taref uvene lavi yitparadu

11The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

¹²וְ֭אֵלַי דָּבָ֣ר יְגֻנָּ֑ב וַתִּקַּ֥ח אָ֝זְנִ֗י שֵׁ֣מֶץ מֶֽנְהֽוּ׃

ve'elay davar yegunnav vattikkach azni shemetz menhu

12Now a word was secretly brought to me, And mine ear received a whisper thereof.

¹³בִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנ֣וֹת לָ֑יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֥ל תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה עַל־אֲנָשִֽׁים׃

bis'ippim mechezyonot layla binfol tardema al-anashim

13In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men,

¹⁴פַּ֣חַד קְ֭רָאַנִי וּרְעָדָ֑ה וְרֹ֖ב עַצְמוֹתַ֣י הִפְחִֽיד׃

pachad kera'ani ure'ada verov atzmotay hifchid

14Fear came upon me, and trembling, And all my bones were made to shake. .

¹⁵וְ֭רוּחַ עַל־פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃

veruach al-panay yachalof tesammer sa'arat besari

15Then a spirit passed before my face, That made the hair of my flesh to stand up.

¹⁶יַעֲמֹ֤ד ׀ וְֽלֹא־אַכִּ֬יר מַרְאֵ֗הוּ תְּ֭מוּנָה לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י דְּמָמָ֖ה וָק֣וֹל אֶשְׁמָֽע׃

ya'amod velo-akkir mar'ehu temuna leneged enay demama vakol eshma'

16It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; A form was before mine eyes; I heard a still voice:

¹⁷הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר׃

ha'enosh me'eloah yitzdak im me'osehu yithar-gaver

17’Shall mortal man be just before God? Shall a man be pure before his Maker?

¹⁸הֵ֣ן בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו יָשִׂ֥ים תָּהֳלָֽה׃

hen ba'avadav lo ya'amin uvemal'akhav yasim tahola

18Behold, He putteth no trust in His servants, And His angels He chargeth with folly;

¹⁹אַ֤ף ׀ שֹׁכְנֵ֬י בָֽתֵּי־חֹ֗מֶר אֲשֶׁר־בֶּעָפָ֥ר יְסוֹדָ֑ם יְ֝דַכְּא֗וּם לִפְנֵי־עָֽשׁ׃

af shokhne vatte-chomer asher-be'afar yesodam yedakkeum lifne-ash

19How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

²⁰מִבֹּ֣קֶר לָעֶ֣רֶב יֻכַּ֑תּוּ מִבְּלִ֥י מֵ֝שִׂ֗ים לָנֶ֥צַח יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

mibboker la'erev yukkattu mibbeli mesim lanetzach yovedu

20Betwixt morning and evening they are shattered; They perish for ever without any regarding it.

²¹הֲלֹא־נִסַּ֣ע יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחָכְמָֽה׃

halo-nissa' yitram bam yamutu velo vechakhma

21Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’