< Job 11 >

1 Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,
ויען צפר הנעמתי ויאמר
2 He that speaks much, should also hear on the other side: or does the fluent speaker think himself to be righteous? blessed [is] the short lived offspring of woman.
הרב דברים לא יענה ואם-איש שפתים יצדק
3 Be not a speaker of many words; for is there none to answer you?
בדיך מתים יחרישו ותלעג ואין מכלם
4 For say not, I am pure in my works, and blameless before him.
ותאמר זך לקחי ובר הייתי בעיניך
5 But oh that the Lord would speak to you, and open his lips to you!
ואולם--מי יתן אלוה דבר ויפתח שפתיו עמך
6 Then shall he declare to you the power of wisdom; for it shall be double of that which is with you: and then shall you know, that a just recompence of your sins has come to you from the Lord.
ויגד-לך תעלמות חכמה-- כי-כפלים לתושיה ודע-- כי-ישה לך אלוה מעונך
7 Will you find out the traces of the Lord? or have you come to the end [of that] which the Almighty has made?
החקר אלוה תמצא אם עד-תכלית שדי תמצא
8 Heaven [is] high; and what will you do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what do you know? (Sheol h7585)
גבהי שמים מה-תפעל עמקה משאול מה-תדע (Sheol h7585)
9 Or longer than the measure of the earth, or the breadth of the sea.
ארכה מארץ מדה ורחבה מני-ים
10 And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What have you done?
אם-יחלף ויסגיר ויקהיל ומי ישיבנו
11 For he knows the works of transgressors; and when he sees wickedness, he will not overlook [it].
כי-הוא ידע מתי-שוא וירא-און ולא יתבונן
12 But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman [is] like an ass in the desert.
ואיש נבוב ילבב ועיר פרא אדם יולד
13 For if you have made your heart pure, and lift up [your] hands towards him;
אם-אתה הכינות לבך ופרשת אליו כפיך
14 if there is any iniquity in your hands, put if far from you, and let not unrighteousness lodge in your habitation.
אם-און בידך הרחיקהו ואל-תשכן באהליך עולה
15 For thus shall your countenance shine again, as pure water; and you shall dive yourself of uncleanness, and shall not fear.
כי-אז תשא פניך ממום והיית מצק ולא תירא
16 And you shall forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and you shall not be scared.
כי-אתה עמל תשכח כמים עברו תזכר
17 And your prayer [shall be] as the morning star, and life shall arise to you [as] from the noonday.
ומצהרים יקום חלד תעפה כבקר תהיה
18 And you shall be confident, because you have hope; and peace shall dawn to you from out of anxiety and care.
ובטחת כי-יש תקוה וחפרת לבטח תשכב
19 For you shall be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against you; and many shall charge, and make supplication to you.
ורבצת ואין מחריד וחלו פניך רבים
20 But safety shall fail them; for their hope is destruction, and the eyes of the ungodly shall waste away.
ועיני רשעים תכלינה ומנוס אבד מנהם ותקותם מפח-נפש

< Job 11 >