Eliphaz: Can a Man Be of Use to God?
1 וַ֭יַּעַן (And answered) אֱלִיפַ֥ז (Eliphaz) הַֽתֵּמָנִ֗י (the Temanite) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (and said):
2 הַלְאֵ֥ל (Can to God) יִסְכָּן־ (be useful) גָּ֑בֶר (a man),
כִּֽי־ (even) יִסְכֹּ֖ן (can benefit) עָלֵ֣ימוֹ (Him) מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ (a wise one).
3 הַחֵ֣פֶץ (Is it pleasure) לְ֭שַׁדַּי (to Shaddai) כִּ֣י (that) תִצְדָּ֑ק (you are righteous),
וְאִם־ (or) בֶּ֝֗צַע (gain) כִּֽי־ (that) תַתֵּ֥ם (you perfect) דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃ (your ways)?
4 הֲֽ֭מִיִּרְאָ֣תְךָ (For your fear) יֹכִיחֶ֑ךָ (does He rebuke you)
יָב֥וֹא (and enter) עִ֝מְּךָ֗ (against you) בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ (into judgment)?
5 הֲלֹ֣א (Is not) רָעָֽתְךָ֣ (your evil) רַבָּ֑ה (great),
וְאֵֽין־ (and without) קֵ֝֗ץ (end) לַעֲוֺנֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (your iniquity)?
6 כִּֽי־ (For) תַחְבֹּ֣ל (you take a pledge) אַחֶ֣יךָ (from your brothers) חִנָּ֑ם (needlessly),
וּבִגְדֵ֖י (and the garments) עֲרוּמִּ֣ים (the naked) תַּפְשִֽׁיט׃ (you strip off).
7 לֹא־ (Not) מַ֭יִם (with water) עָיֵ֣ף (the weary) תַּשְׁקֶ֑ה (you have quenched),
וּ֝מֵרָעֵ֗ב (and from the hungry) תִּֽמְנַֽע־ (you have withheld) לָֽחֶם׃ (bread).
8 וְאִ֣ישׁ (But the man) זְ֭רוֹעַ (of arm) ל֣וֹ (unto him is) הָאָ֑רֶץ (the land),
וּנְשׂ֥וּא (and the uplifted) פָ֝נִ֗ים (of face) יֵ֣שֶׁב (he dwells) בָּֽהּ׃ (in it).
9 אַ֭לְמָנוֹת (Widows) שִׁלַּ֣חְתָּ (you have sent away) רֵיקָ֑ם (in emptiness),
וּזְרֹע֖וֹת (and the arms) יְתֹמִ֣ים (of the fatherless) יְדֻכָּֽא׃ (are crushed).
10 עַל־ (Upon) כֵּ֭ן (thus) סְבִיבוֹתֶ֣יךָ (all around you) פַחִ֑ים (are snares)
וִֽ֝יבַהֶלְךָ (and terrifies you) פַּ֣חַד (dread) פִּתְאֹֽם׃ (suddenly),
11 אוֹ־ (or) חֹ֥שֶׁךְ (darkness)— לֹֽא־ (not) תִרְאֶ֑ה (you can see);
וְֽשִׁפְעַת־ (and an abundance) מַ֥יִם (of waters) תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃ (covers you).
12 הֲֽלֹא־ (Is not) אֱ֭לוֹהַּ (God) גֹּ֣בַהּ (in the height) שָׁמָ֑יִם (of the heavens)?
וּרְאֵ֤ה (And behold) רֹ֖אשׁ (the head) כּוֹכָבִ֣ים (of the stars), כִּי־ (how) רָֽמּוּ׃ (exalted they are)!
13 וְֽ֭אָמַרְתָּ (And you say), מַה־ (What) יָּ֣דַֽע (has known) אֵ֑ל (God)?
הַבְעַ֖ד (Through) עֲרָפֶ֣ל (the dark cloud) יִשְׁפּֽוֹט׃ (how can He judge)?
14 עָבִ֣ים (Clouds) סֵֽתֶר־ (are a covering) ל֭וֹ (for Him) וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִרְאֶ֑ה (He does see),
וְח֥וּג (and the vault) שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם (of the heavens) יִתְהַלָּֽךְ׃ (He walks about).
15 הַאֹ֣רַח (The way) עוֹלָ֣ם (of old) תִּשְׁמֹ֑ר (will you keep),
אֲשֶׁ֖ר (which) דָּרְכ֣וּ (have trod) מְתֵי־ (men) אָֽוֶן׃ (of iniquity),
16 אֲשֶֽׁר־ (who) קֻמְּט֥וּ (were seized) וְלֹא־ (and it was not) עֵ֑ת (time)?
נָ֝הָ֗ר (By a torrent) יוּצַ֥ק (was poured out) יְסוֹדָֽם׃ (their foundation).
17 הָאֹמְרִ֣ים (They said) לָ֭אֵל (to God), ס֣וּר (Turn away) מִמֶּ֑נּוּ (from us)!
וּמַה־ (And What) יִּפְעַ֖ל (can do) שַׁדַּ֣י (Shaddai) לָֽמוֹ׃ (for us)?
18 וְה֤וּא (And He) מִלֵּ֣א (filled) בָתֵּיהֶ֣ם (their houses) ט֑וֹב (with good),
וַעֲצַ֥ת (and the counsel) רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (of the wicked) רָ֣חֲקָה (may it be far) מֶֽנִּי׃ (from me).
19 יִרְא֣וּ (See it) צַדִּיקִ֣ים (the righteous) וְיִשְׂמָ֑חוּ (and are glad),
וְ֝נָקִ֗י (and the innocent one) יִלְעַג־ (mocks) לָֽמוֹ׃ (at them):
20 אִם־ (If) לֹ֣א (not) נִכְחַ֣ד (are cut off) קִימָ֑נוּ (our adversaries),
וְ֝יִתְרָ֗ם (and their excess) אָ֣כְלָה (consumes) אֵֽשׁ׃ (the fire).
21 הַסְכֶּן־ (Make yourself of use) נָ֣א (now) עִמּ֑וֹ (with Him) וּשְׁלם (and be at peace);
בָּ֝הֶ֗ם (with these things) תְּֽבוֹאַתְךָ֥ (will come to you) טוֹבָֽה׃ (good).
22 קַח־ (Receive), נָ֣א (please), מִפִּ֣יו (from His mouth) תּוֹרָ֑ה (instruction),
וְשִׂ֥ים (and set) אֲ֝מָרָ֗יו (His words) בִּלְבָבֶֽךָ׃ (in your heart).
23 אִם־ (If) תָּשׁ֣וּב (you should return) עַד־ (to) שַׁ֭דַּי (Shaddai), תִּבָּנֶ֑ה (you will be built up).
תַּרְחִ֥יק (If you put far away) עַ֝וְלָ֗ה (iniquity) מֵאָהֳלֶֽךָ׃ (from your tent)
24 וְשִׁית־ (and if you set) עַל־ (upon) עָפָ֥ר (the dust) בָּ֑צֶר (your gold),
וּבְצ֖וּר (and among the stones) נְחָלִ֣ים (of the torrents) אוֹפִֽיר׃ (Ophir),
25 וְהָיָ֣ה (and will be) שַׁדַּ֣י (Shaddai) בְּצָרֶ֑יךָ (your gold)
וְכֶ֖סֶף (and silver) תּוֹעָפ֣וֹת (of heights) לָֽךְ׃ (for you).
26 כִּי־ (For) אָ֭ז (then) עַל־ (in) שַׁדַּ֣י (Shaddai) תִּתְעַנָּ֑ג (you will take delight)
וְתִשָּׂ֖א (and you will lift) אֶל־ (to) אֱל֣וֹהַּ (God) פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ (your face).
27 תַּעְתִּ֣יר (You will pray) אֵ֭לָיו (to Him) וְיִשְׁמָעֶ֑ךָּ (and He will hear you),
וּנְדָרֶ֥יךָ (and your vows) תְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ (you will fulfill).
28 וְֽתִגְזַר־ (And you will decree) א֭וֹמֶר (a word), וְיָ֣קָם (and it will stand) לָ֑ךְ (for you),
וְעַל־ (and upon) דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָ (your paths) נָ֣גַֽהּ (will shine) אֽוֹר׃ (light).
29 כִּֽי־ (When) הִ֭שְׁפִּילוּ (they have made low) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (and you say), גֵּוָ֑ה (Lift up)!
וְשַׁ֖ח (Then the lowly) עֵינַ֣יִם (of eyes) יוֹשִֽׁעַ׃ (He will save).
30 יְֽמַלֵּ֥ט (He will deliver) אִֽי־ (the one not) נָקִ֑י (innocent),
וְ֝נִמְלַ֗ט (rescuing him) בְּבֹ֣ר (by the purity) כַּפֶּֽיךָ׃פ (of your hands).
