Eliphaz: The Innocent Prosper

1  וַ֭יַּעַן (And answered) אֱלִיפַ֥ז (Eliphaz) הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י (the Temanite) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (and said):

2  הֲנִסָּ֬ה (Should one try) דָבָ֣ר (a word) אֵלֶ֣יךָ (with you), תִּלְאֶ֑ה (will you be wearied)?

וַעְצֹ֥ר (And to be restrained) בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין (from a word) מִ֣י (who) יוּכָֽל׃ (is able)?

3  הִ֭נֵּה (Behold), יִסַּ֣רְתָּ (you have instructed) רַבִּ֑ים (many),

וְיָדַ֖יִם (and hands) רָפ֣וֹת (that are weak) תְּחַזֵּֽק׃ (you have strengthened).

4  כּ֭וֹשֵׁל (The one stumbling) יְקִימ֣וּן (-) מִלֶּ֑יךָ (your words)

וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם (and knees) כֹּרְע֣וֹת (being bent) תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃ (you have strengthened).

5  כִּ֤י (But) עַתָּ֨ה׀ (now) תָּב֣וֹא (it has come) אֵלֶ֣יךָ (to you), וַתֵּ֑לֶא (and you are weary);

תִּגַּ֥ע (it touches) עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ (unto you), וַתִּבָּהֵֽל׃ (and you are disturbed).

6  הֲלֹ֣א (Is not) יִ֭רְאָתְךָ (your fear) כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ (your confidence)?

תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ (Your hope), וְתֹ֣ם (and the integrity) דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃ (of your ways)?

7  זְכָר־ (Remember) נָ֗א (please):

מִ֤י (Who) ה֣וּא (is he) נָקִ֣י (being innocent) אָבָ֑ד (who has perished)?

וְ֝אֵיפֹ֗ה (And where) יְשָׁרִ֥ים (have the upright) נִכְחָֽדוּ׃ (been cut off)?

8  כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (According to what) רָ֭אִיתִי (I have seen),

חֹ֣רְשֵׁי (those plowing) אָ֑וֶן (iniquity) וְזֹרְעֵ֖י (and sowing) עָמָ֣ל (trouble)

יִקְצְרֻֽהוּ׃ (they shall reap it).

9  מִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת (By the breath) אֱל֣וֹהַ (of God) יֹאבֵ֑דוּ (they perish),

וּמֵר֖וּחַ (and by the blast) אַפּ֣וֹ (of his nose) יִכְלֽוּ׃ (they are consumed).

10  שַׁאֲגַ֣ת (The roar) אַ֭רְיֵה (of the lion) וְק֣וֹל (and the voice) שָׁ֑חַל (of the fierce lion),

וְשִׁנֵּ֖י (and the teeth) כְפִירִ֣ים (of the young lions) נִתָּֽעוּ׃ (are broken).

11  לַ֭יִשׁ (The lion) אֹבֵ֣ד (perishes) מִבְּלִי־ (for lack) טָ֑רֶף (of prey),

וּבְנֵ֥י (and the cubs) לָ֝בִ֗יא (of the lioness) יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃ (are scattered).

12  וְ֭אֵלַי (And to me) דָּבָ֣ר (a word) יְגֻנָּ֑ב (was confided),

וַתִּקַּ֥ח (and took in) אָ֝זְנִ֗י (my ear) שֵׁ֣מֶץ (a whisper) מֶֽנְהֽוּ׃ (of it).

13  בִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים (In disquieting thoughts) מֵחֶזְיֹנ֣וֹת (from visions) לָ֑יְלָה (of the night)

בִּנְפֹ֥ל (in the falling of) תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה (deep sleep) עַל־ (upon) אֲנָשִֽׁים׃ (men),

14  פַּ֣חַד (dread) קְ֭רָאַנִי (met me) וּרְעָדָ֑ה (and trembling),

וְרֹ֖ב (and the multitude) עַצְמוֹתַ֣י (of my bones) הִפְחִֽיד׃ (it frightened).

15  וְ֭רוּחַ (And a spirit) עַל־ (over) פָּנַ֣י (my face) יַחֲלֹ֑ף (was gliding);

תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר (and bristled) שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת (the hair) בְּשָׂרִֽי׃ (of my flesh).

16  יַעֲמֹ֤ד׀ (It stood still),

וְֽלֹא־ (not) אַכִּ֬יר (I could discern) מַרְאֵ֗הוּ (its appearance);

תְּ֭מוּנָה (a likeness) לְנֶ֣גֶד (was in front) עֵינָ֑י (of my eyes),

דְּמָמָ֖ה (there was silence), וָק֣וֹל (and a voice) אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ (I heard):

17  הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ (Shall a human) מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ (more than God) יִצְדָּ֑ק (be righteous)?

אִ֥ם (Can) מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ (more than his Maker) יִטְהַר־ (be pure) גָּֽבֶר׃ (a man)?

18  הֵ֣ן (Behold), בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו (in His servants) לֹ֣א (not) יַאֲמִ֑ין (trust),

וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו (and His angels) יָשִׂ֥ים (He charges) תָּהֳלָֽה׃ (with error).

19  אַ֤ף׀ (How much more) שֹׁכְנֵ֬י (those dwelling) בָֽתֵּי־ (in houses) חֹ֗מֶר (of clay),

אֲשֶׁר־ (for whom) בֶּעָפָ֥ר (is in the dust) יְסוֹדָ֑ם (their foundation);

יְ֝דַכְּא֗וּם (who are crushed) לִפְנֵי־ (before) עָֽשׁ׃ (a moth).

20  מִבֹּ֣קֶר (From morning) לָעֶ֣רֶב (to evening) יֻכַּ֑תּוּ (they are broken to pieces);

מִבְּלִ֥י (without) מֵ֝שִׂ֗ים (anyone noticing) לָנֶ֥צַח (forever) יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ (they perish).

21  הֲלֹא־ (Has not) נִסַּ֣ע (been pulled up) יִתְרָ֣ם (their tent cord) בָּ֑ם (with them)?

יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ (They will die), וְלֹ֣א (and not) בְחָכְמָֽה׃ (in wisdom).