| א וַיַּעַן, אֱלִיפַז הַתֵּימָנִי; וַיֹּאמַר. |
1 {S} Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: |
| ב הֲנִסָּה דָבָר אֵלֶיךָ תִּלְאֶה; וַעְצֹר בְּמִלִּין, מִי יוּכָל. |
2 If one venture a word unto thee, wilt thou be weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking? |
| ג הִנֵּה, יִסַּרְתָּ רַבִּים; וְיָדַיִם רָפוֹת תְּחַזֵּק. |
3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. |
| ד כּוֹשֵׁל, יְקִימוּן מִלֶּיךָ; וּבִרְכַּיִם כֹּרְעוֹת תְּאַמֵּץ. |
4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. |
| ה כִּי עַתָּה, תָּבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וַתֵּלֶא; תִּגַּע עָדֶיךָ, וַתִּבָּהֵל. |
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou art weary; it toucheth thee, and thou art affrighted. |
| ו הֲלֹא יִרְאָתְךָ, כִּסְלָתֶךָ; תִּקְוָתְךָ, וְתֹם דְּרָכֶיךָ. |
6 Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, and thy hope the integrity of thy ways? |
| ז זְכָר-נָא--מִי הוּא נָקִי אָבָד; וְאֵיפֹה, יְשָׁרִים נִכְחָדוּ. |
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off? |
| ח כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי, חֹרְשֵׁי אָוֶן; וְזֹרְעֵי עָמָל יִקְצְרֻהוּ. |
8 According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow mischief, reap the same. |
| ט מִנִּשְׁמַת אֱלוֹהַּ יֹאבֵדוּ; וּמֵרוּחַ אַפּוֹ יִכְלוּ. |
9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger are they consumed. |
| י שַׁאֲגַת אַרְיֵה, וְקוֹל שָׁחַל; וְשִׁנֵּי כְפִירִים נִתָּעוּ. |
10 The lion roareth, and the fierce lion howleth--yet the teeth of the young lions are broken. |
| יא לַיִשׁ, אֹבֵד מִבְּלִי-טָרֶף; וּבְנֵי לָבִיא, יִתְפָּרָדוּ. |
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad. |
| יב וְאֵלַי, דָּבָר יְגֻנָּב; וַתִּקַּח אָזְנִי, שֵׁמֶץ מֶנְהוּ. |
12 Now a word was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a whisper thereof. |
| יג בִּשְׂעִפִּים, מֵחֶזְיֹנוֹת לָיְלָה; בִּנְפֹל תַּרְדֵּמָה, עַל-אֲנָשִׁים. |
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, |
| יד פַּחַד קְרָאַנִי, וּרְעָדָה; וְרֹב עַצְמוֹתַי הִפְחִיד. |
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were made to shake. |
| טו וְרוּחַ, עַל-פָּנַי יַחֲלֹף; תְּסַמֵּר, שַׂעֲרַת בְּשָׂרִי. |
15 Then a spirit passed before my face, that made the hair of my flesh to stand up. |
|
טז יַעֲמֹד, וְלֹא-אַכִּיר מַרְאֵהוּ-- תְּמוּנָה, לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי; דְּמָמָה וָקוֹל אֶשְׁמָע. |
16 It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; a form was before mine eyes; {N} I heard a still voice: |
| יז הַאֱנוֹשׁ, מֵאֱלוֹהַּ יִצְדָּק; אִם מֵעֹשֵׂהוּ, יִטְהַר-גָּבֶר. |
17 'Shall mortal man be just before God? Shall a man be pure before his Maker? |
| יח הֵן בַּעֲבָדָיו, לֹא יַאֲמִין; וּבְמַלְאָכָיו, יָשִׂים תָּהֳלָה. |
18 Behold, He putteth no trust in His servants, and His angels He chargeth with folly; |
| יט אַף, שֹׁכְנֵי בָתֵּי-חֹמֶר--אֲשֶׁר-בֶּעָפָר יְסוֹדָם: יְדַכְּאוּם, לִפְנֵי-עָשׁ. |
19 How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth! |
| כ מִבֹּקֶר לָעֶרֶב יֻכַּתּוּ; מִבְּלִי מֵשִׂים, לָנֶצַח יֹאבֵדוּ. |
20 Betwixt morning and evening they are shattered; they perish for ever without any regarding it. |
| כא הֲלֹא-נִסַּע יִתְרָם בָּם; יָמוּתוּ, וְלֹא בְחָכְמָה. | 21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.' |