Job: Who Can Understand God’s Majesty?

1  וַיַּ֥עַן (And answered) אִיּ֗וֹב (Job) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (and said):

2  מֶה־ (How) עָזַ֥רְתָּ (you have helped) לְלֹא־ (the one without) כֹ֑חַ (power)?

ה֝וֹשַׁ֗עְתָּ (You have saved) זְר֣וֹעַ (the arm) לֹא־ (with no) עֹֽז׃ (strength)?

3  מַה־ (How) יָּ֭עַצְתָּ (you have advised) לְלֹ֣א (one without) חָכְמָ֑ה (wisdom),

וְ֝תוּשִׁיָּ֗ה (insight) לָרֹ֥ב (in abundance) הוֹדָֽעְתָּ׃ (have made known)?

4  אֶת־ (With) מִ֭י (whom) הִגַּ֣דְתָּ (have you declared) מִלִּ֑ין (these words)?

וְנִשְׁמַת־ (And the breath) מִ֝י (of whom) יָצְאָ֥ה (has come forth) מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ (from you)?

5  הָרְפָאִ֥ים (The dead) יְחוֹלָ֑לוּ (are writhing)—

מִתַּ֥חַת (underneath) מַ֝֗יִם (the waters) וְשֹׁכְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (and those inhabiting them).

6  עָר֣וֹם (Naked is) שְׁא֣וֹל (Sheol) נֶגְדּ֑וֹ (before Him),

וְאֵ֥ין (and there is no) כְּ֝ס֗וּת (covering) לָֽאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃ (to Abaddon).

7  נֹטֶ֣ה (He stretches out) צָפ֣וֹן (Zaphon) עַל־ (over) תֹּ֑הוּ (the void),

תֹּ֥לֶה (hanging) אֶ֝֗רֶץ (the earth) עַל־ (on) בְּלִי־ (nothing) מָֽה׃ (whatsoever).

8  צֹרֵֽר־ (Binding) מַ֥יִם (the waters) בְּעָבָ֑יו (in His thick clouds);

וְלֹא־ (and not) נִבְקַ֖ע (are broken apart) עָנָ֣ן (the clouds) תַּחְתָּֽם׃ (under them).

9  מְאַחֵ֥ז (He covers) פְּנֵי־ (the face) כִסֵּ֑ה (of the throne),

פַּרְשֵׁ֖ז (and spreads) עָלָ֣יו (over it) עֲנָנֽוֹ׃ (His cloud).

10  חֹֽק־ (A limit) חָ֭ג (He has circled) עַל־ (upon) פְּנֵי־ (the face) מָ֑יִם (of the waters),

עַד־ (to be) תַּכְלִ֖ית (the boundary) א֣וֹר (of light) עִם־ (with) חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (darkness).

11  עַמּוּדֵ֣י (The pillars) שָׁמַ֣יִם (of the heavens) יְרוֹפָ֑פוּ (tremble)

וְ֝יִתְמְה֗וּ (and are astonished) מִגַּעֲרָתֽוֹ׃ (at his rebuke).

12  בְּ֭כֹחוֹ (By His power) רָגַ֣ע (He stirred) הַיָּ֑ם (the Sea),

וּבִתוּבְנָתוֹ (and by His understanding) מָ֣חַץ (He shattered) רָֽהַב׃ (Rahab).

13  בְּ֭רוּחוֹ (By His breath) שָׁמַ֣יִם (the heavens) שִׁפְרָ֑ה (were made clear);

חֹֽלֲלָ֥ה (pierced) יָ֝ד֗וֹ (His hand) נָחָ֥שׁ (the serpent) בָּרִֽיחַ׃ (fleeing).

14  הֶן־ (Behold), אֵ֤לֶּה׀ (these) קְצ֬וֹת (are the edges) דַּרְכּוֹ (of His ways),

וּמַה־ (and how) שֵּׁ֣מֶץ (faint) דָּ֭בָר (of a word) נִשְׁמַע־ (do we hear) בּ֑וֹ (of Him).

וְרַ֥עַם (And the thundering) גְּבוּרָתוֹ (of His might),

מִ֣י (who) יִתְבּוֹנָֽן׃ס (can understand)?