International Standard Version

Hebrew Study Bible

1Then Eliphaz from Teman responded:

1וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2"Should a wise person respond with knowledge based on wind? Should he fill his stomach with a wind storm from the east?

2הֶֽחָכָ֗ם יַעֲנֶ֥ה דַֽעַת־ ר֑וּחַ וִֽימַלֵּ֖א קָדִ֣ים בִּטְנֽוֹ׃

3Should he engage in unprofitable argument, or give a speech that benefits no one?

3הוֹכֵ֣חַ בְּ֭דָבָר לֹ֣א יִסְכּ֑וֹן וּ֝מִלִּ֗ים לֹא־ יוֹעִ֥יל בָּֽם׃

4Yet you dispense with fear of God and hinder meditations before God.

4אַף־ אַ֭תָּה תָּפֵ֣ר יִרְאָ֑ה וְתִגְרַ֥ע שִׂ֝יחָ֗ה לִפְנֵי־ אֵֽל׃

5Because your sin dictates your speech, you have chosen the language of the crafty.

5כִּ֤י יְאַלֵּ֣ף עֲוֺנְךָ֣ פִ֑יךָ וְ֝תִבְחַ֗ר לְשׁ֣וֹן עֲרוּמִֽים׃

6Your own mouth is condemning you, not I; your own lips will testify against you."

6יַרְשִֽׁיעֲךָ֣ פִ֣יךָ וְלֹא־ אָ֑נִי וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ יַעֲנוּ־ בָֽךְ׃

7"Were you the first person to be born? Were you brought forth before the hills were made?

7הֲרִאישׁ֣וֹן אָ֭דָם תִּוָּלֵ֑ד וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתָּ׃

8Have you listened in on God's secret council? Have you limited wisdom only to yourself?

8הַבְס֣וֹד אֱל֣וֹהַ תִּשְׁמָ֑ע וְתִגְרַ֖ע אֵלֶ֣יךָ חָכְמָֽה׃

9What do you know that we don't know, or that you understand and that isn't clear to us?

9מַה־ יָּ֭דַעְתָּ וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע תָּ֝בִ֗ין וְֽלֹא־ עִמָּ֥נוּ הֽוּא׃

10"We have both the gray-haired and the aged with us, and they are far older than your father.

10גַּם־ שָׂ֣ב גַּם־ יָשִׁ֣ישׁ בָּ֑נוּ כַּבִּ֖יר מֵאָבִ֣יךָ יָמִֽים׃

11Are God's encouragements inconsequential to you, even a word that has been spoken gently to you?

11הַמְעַ֣ט מִ֭מְּךָ תַּנְחֻמ֣וֹת אֵ֑ל וְ֝דָבָ֗ר לָאַ֥ט עִמָּֽךְ׃

12Why have your emotions carried you away? And why do your eyes flash

12מַה־ יִּקָּחֲךָ֥ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּֽמַה־ יִּרְזְמ֥וּן עֵינֶֽיךָ׃

13that you turn your anger against God and speak words like this?

13כִּֽי־ תָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־ אֵ֣ל רוּחֶ֑ךָ וְהֹצֵ֖אתָ מִפִּ֣יךָ מִלִּֽין׃

14"What is mankind, that he can be blameless? Or does being born of a woman mean he'll be in the right?

14מָֽה־ אֱנ֥וֹשׁ כִּֽי־ יִזְכֶּ֑ה וְכִֽי־ יִ֝צְדַּ֗ק יְל֣וּד אִשָּֽׁה׃

15Look, if God doesn't trust his holy ones, if even the heavens aren't pure as he looks at them,

15הֵ֣ן [בקדשו] (בִּ֭קְדֹשָׁיו) לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וְ֝שָׁמַ֗יִם לֹא־ זַכּ֥וּ בְעֵינָֽיו׃

16then how much less is one who is abhorred and corrupted, such as a man who drinks injustice like water?"

16אַ֭ף כִּֽי־ נִתְעָ֥ב וְֽנֶאֱלָ֑ח אִישׁ־ שֹׁתֶ֖ה כַמַּ֣יִם עַוְלָֽה׃

17"I'll tell you what, listen to me! Let me relate what I've seen,

17אֲחַוְךָ֥ שְֽׁמַֽע־ לִ֑י וְזֶֽה־ חָ֝זִ֗יתִי וַאֲסַפֵּֽרָה׃

18which is what wise men have explained, who didn't withhold anything from their ancestors.

18אֲשֶׁר־ חֲכָמִ֥ים יַגִּ֑ידוּ וְלֹ֥א כִֽ֝חֲד֗וּ מֵאֲבוֹתָֽם׃

19To them alone was the land given, when no invader passed through their midst.

19לָהֶ֣ם לְ֭בַדָּם נִתְּנָ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ וְלֹא־ עָ֖בַר זָ֣ר בְּתוֹכָֽם׃

20"The wicked person writhes in pain throughout his life, a number of years has been reserved for the ruthless.

20כָּל־ יְמֵ֣י רָ֭שָׁע ה֣וּא מִתְחוֹלֵ֑ל וּמִסְפַּ֥ר שָׁ֝נִ֗ים נִצְפְּנ֥וּ לֶעָרִֽיץ׃

21Terrifying sounds ring in his ears; when times are prosperous, the Destroyer will attack him.

21קוֹל־ פְּחָדִ֥ים בְּאָזְנָ֑יו בַּ֝שָּׁל֗וֹם שׁוֹדֵ֥ד יְבוֹאֶֽנּוּ׃

22He does not believe he will escape darkness; he is destined for the sword.

22לֹא־ יַאֲמִ֣ין שׁ֭וּב מִנִּי־ חֹ֑שֶׁךְ [וצפו] (וְצָפ֖וּי) ה֣וּא אֱלֵי־ חָֽרֶב׃

23He wanders around for food—where is it? He knows that a time of darkness is near.

23נֹ֘דֵ֤ד ה֣וּא לַלֶּ֣חֶם אַיֵּ֑ה יָדַ֓ע ׀ כִּֽי־ נָכ֖וֹן בְּיָד֣וֹ יֽוֹם־ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

24Distress and pressure terrify him; they overwhelm him, like a king poised for attack.

24יְֽ֭בַעֲתֻהוּ צַ֣ר וּמְצוּקָ֑ה תִּ֝תְקְפֵ֗הוּ כְּמֶ֤לֶךְ ׀ עָתִ֬יד לַכִּידֽוֹר׃

25"For he has raised his fist against God, defying the Almighty.

25כִּֽי־ נָטָ֣ה אֶל־ אֵ֣ל יָד֑וֹ וְאֶל־ שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְגַּבָּֽר׃

26He defiantly ran against him carrying his thick, reinforced shield.

26יָר֣וּץ אֵלָ֣יו בְּצַוָּ֑אר בַּ֝עֲבִ֗י גַּבֵּ֥י מָֽגִנָּֽיו׃

27Though he covered his face with fat, and is grossly overweight at the waist,

27כִּֽי־ כִסָּ֣ה פָנָ֣יו בְּחֶלְבּ֑וֹ וַיַּ֖עַשׂ פִּימָ֣ה עֲלֵי־ כָֽסֶל׃

28He will live in devastated towns, in abandoned houses that are about to become heaps of rubble.

28וַיִּשְׁכּ֤וֹן ׀ עָ֘רִ֤ים נִכְחָד֗וֹת בָּ֭תִּים לֹא־ יֵ֣שְׁבוּ לָ֑מוֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר הִתְעַתְּד֣וּ לְגַלִּֽים׃

29"He won't become rich and his wealth won't last; he won't expand his holdings to cover the land.

29לֹֽא־ יֶ֭עְשַׁר וְלֹא־ יָק֣וּם חֵיל֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־ יִטֶּ֖ה לָאָ֣רֶץ מִנְלָֽם׃

30He won't escape darkness; a flame will wither his shoots; and he'll depart by the breath of God's mouth.

30לֹֽא־ יָס֨וּר ׀ מִנִּי־ חֹ֗שֶׁךְ יֹֽ֭נַקְתּוֹ תְּיַבֵּ֣שׁ שַׁלְהָ֑בֶת וְ֝יָס֗וּר בְּר֣וּחַ פִּֽיו׃

31Let him not trust in a worthless speech. He leads only himself astray, for emptiness will be his reward.

31אַל־ יַאֲמֵ֣ן [בשו] (בַּשָּׁ֣יו) נִתְעָ֑ה כִּי־ שָׁ֝֗וְא תִּהְיֶ֥ה תְמוּרָתֽוֹ׃

32This will be accomplished before his time; his branches won't grow luxuriant.

32בְּֽלֹא־ י֭וֹמוֹ תִּמָּלֵ֑א וְ֝כִפָּת֗וֹ לֹ֣א רַעֲנָֽנָה׃

33"He is like a vine that drops its unripe grapes; like an olive tree that loses its blossoms.

33יַחְמֹ֣ס כַּגֶּ֣פֶן בִּסְר֑וֹ וְיַשְׁלֵ֥ךְ כַּ֝זַּ֗יִת נִצָּתֽוֹ׃

34For the company of the godless is desolation, and fire consumes the tents of those who bribe.

34כִּֽי־ עֲדַ֣ת חָנֵ֣ף גַּלְמ֑וּד וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ אָכְלָ֥ה אָֽהֳלֵי־ שֹֽׁחַד׃

35For they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb is pregnant with deception."

35הָרֹ֣ה עָ֭מָל וְיָ֣לֹד אָ֑וֶן וּ֝בִטְנָ֗ם תָּכִ֥ין מִרְמָֽה׃ ס

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.