Elihu Recalls God’s Justice

1  וַיַּ֥עַן (And answered) אֱלִיה֗וּ (Elihu) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (and said):

2  הֲ֭זֹאת (Is this) חָשַׁ֣בְתָּ (you reckon) לְמִשְׁפָּ֑ט (according to justice)?

אָ֝מַ֗רְתָּ (You say), צִדְקִ֥י (I am righteous) מֵאֵֽל׃ (above God).

3  כִּֽי־ (That) תֹ֭אמַר (you should say), מַה־ (What) יִּסְכָּן־ (does it benefit) לָ֑ךְ (to You)?

מָֽה־ (What) אֹ֝עִ֗יל (do I gain) מֵֽחַטָּאתִֽי׃ (from my sin)?

4  אֲ֭נִי (I) אֲשִֽׁיבְךָ֣ (will return to you) מִלִּ֑ין (the words)

וְֽאֶת־ (and to) רֵעֶ֥יךָ (your friends) עִמָּֽךְ׃ (with you).

5  הַבֵּ֣ט (Look) שָׁמַ֣יִם (to the heavens) וּרְאֵ֑ה (and see),

וְשׁ֥וּר (and behold) שְׁ֝חָקִ֗ים (the clouds)— גָּבְה֥וּ (they are higher) מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ (than you).

6  אִם־ (If) חָ֭טָאתָ (you have sinned), מַה־ (what) תִּפְעָל־ (do you accomplish) בּ֑וֹ (against Him)?

וְרַבּ֥וּ (Or if are multiplied) פְ֝שָׁעֶ֗יךָ (your transgressions), מַה־ (what) תַּעֲשֶׂה־ (do you do) לּֽוֹ׃ (to Him)?

7  אִם־ (If) צָ֭דַקְתָּ (you are righteous), מַה־ (what) תִּתֶּן־ (do you give) ל֑וֹ (to Him)?

א֥וֹ (Or) מַה־ (what) מִיָּדְךָ֥ (from your hand) יִקָּֽח׃ (does He receive)?

8  לְאִישׁ־ (Unto a man) כָּמ֥וֹךָ (such as you) רִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ (is your wickedness),

וּלְבֶן־ (and to a son) אָ֝דָ֗ם (of man) צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃ (your righteousness).

9  מֵ֭רֹב (From of the multitude) עֲשׁוּקִ֣ים (of oppressions) יַזְעִ֑יקוּ (they cry out);

יְשַׁוְּע֖וּ (they cry for help) מִזְּר֣וֹעַ (from the arm) רַבִּֽים׃ (of the mighty).

10  וְֽלֹא־ (And no one) אָמַ֗ר (says), אַ֭יֵּה (Where is) אֱל֣וֹהַּ (God) עֹשָׂ֑י (my Maker),

נֹתֵ֖ן (the One giving) זְמִר֣וֹת (songs) בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃ (in the night),

11  מַ֭לְּפֵנוּ (teaching us) מִבַּהֲמ֣וֹת (more than the beasts) אָ֑רֶץ (of the earth),

וּמֵע֖וֹף (and more than the birds) הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם (of the heavens) יְחַכְּמֵֽנוּ׃ (making us wiser)?

12  שָׁ֣ם (There) יִ֭צְעֲקוּ (they cry out), וְלֹ֣א (not) יַעֲנֶ֑ה (does He answer),

מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י (from the face) גְּא֣וֹן (of the pride) רָעִֽים׃ (of evil ones).

13  אַךְ־ (Surely) שָׁ֭וְא (to vanity) לֹא־ (not) יִשְׁמַ֥ע׀ (will listen) אֵ֑ל (God),

וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י (and Shaddai) לֹ֣א (not) יְשׁוּרֶֽנָּה׃ (will regard it).

14  אַ֣ף (Indeed), כִּֽי־ (though) תֹ֭אמַר (you say that) לֹ֣א (not) תְשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ (do you see Him),

דִּ֥ין (justice is) לְ֝פָנָ֗יו (before His face), וּתְח֥וֹלֵֽל (and you must wait) לֽוֹ׃ (for Him).

15  וְעַתָּ֗ה (And now), כִּי־ (because) אַ֭יִן (not) פָּקַ֣ד (He does visit) אַפּ֑וֹ (His anger to punish)

וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יָדַ֖ע (has He taken note) בַּפַּ֣שׁ (of transgression) מְאֹֽד׃ (much),

16  וְ֭אִיּוֹב (and Job) הֶ֣בֶל (in vain) יִפְצֶה־ (opens) פִּ֑יהוּ (his mouth)

בִּבְלִי־ (without) דַ֝֗עַת (knowledge) מִלִּ֥ין (words) יַכְבִּֽר׃פ (he multiplies).