Job 11

וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַֽנַּעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

הֲרֹ֣ב דְּ֭בָרִים לֹ֣א יֵעָנֶ֑ה וְאִם־אִ֖ישׁ שְׂפָתַ֣יִם יִצְדָּֽק׃

“Should this stream of words go unanswered and such a speaker be vindicated?

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃

Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

וַ֭תֹּאמֶר זַ֣ךְ לִקְחִ֑י וּ֝בַ֗ר הָיִ֥יתִי בְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

You have said, ‘My doctrine is sound, and I am pure in Your sight.’

For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

וְֽאוּלָ֗ם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן אֱל֣וֹהַּ דַּבֵּ֑ר וְיִפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתָ֣יו עִמָּֽךְ׃

But if only God would speak and open His lips against you,

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

וְיַגֶּד־לְךָ֨ ׀ תַּֽעֲלֻמ֣וֹת חָכְמָה֮ כִּֽי־כִפְלַ֪יִם לְֽת֫וּשִׁיָּ֥ה וְדַ֡ע כִּֽי־יַשֶּׁ֥ה לְךָ֥ אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ מֵעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃

and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

הַחֵ֣קֶר אֱל֣וֹהַ תִּמְצָ֑א אִ֤ם עַד־תַּכְלִ֖ית שַׁדַּ֣י תִּמְצָֽא׃

Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

גָּבְהֵ֣י שָׁ֭מַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָ֑ל עֲמֻקָּ֥ה מִ֝שְּׁא֗וֹל מַה־תֵּדָֽע׃

They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

אֲרֻכָּ֣ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִדָּ֑הּ וּ֝רְחָבָ֗ה מִנִּי־יָֽם׃

Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

אִם־יַחֲלֹ֥ף וְיַסְגִּ֑יר וְ֝יַקְהִ֗יל וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃

If He comes along to imprison you, or convenes a court, who can stop Him?

If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

כִּי־ה֭וּא יָדַ֣ע מְתֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וַיַּרְא־אָ֝֗וֶן וְלֹ֣א יִתְבּוֹנָֽן׃

Surely He knows the deceit of men. If He sees iniquity, does He not take note?

For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

וְאִ֣ישׁ נָ֭בוּב יִלָּבֵ֑ב וְעַ֥יִר פֶּ֝֗רֶא אָדָ֥ם יִוָּלֵֽד׃

But a witless man can no more become wise than the colt of a wild donkey can be born a man!

For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.

אִם־אַ֭תָּ֗ה הֲכִינ֣וֹתָ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֖ אֵלָ֣יו כַּפֶּֽךָ׃

As for you, if you direct your heart and lift up your hands to Him,

If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

אִם־אָ֣וֶן בְּ֭יָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵ֑הוּ וְאַל־תַּשְׁכֵּ֖ן בְּאֹהָלֶ֣יךָ עַוְלָֽה׃

if you put away the iniquity in your hand, and allow no injustice to dwell in your tents,

If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

כִּי־אָ֤ז ׀ תִּשָּׂ֣א פָנֶ֣יךָ מִמּ֑וּם וְהָיִ֥יתָ מֻ֝צָ֗ק וְלֹ֣א תִירָֽא׃

then indeed you will lift up your face without blemish; you will stand firm and unafraid.

For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

כִּי־אַ֭תָּה עָמָ֣ל תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח כְּמַ֖יִם עָבְר֣וּ תִזְכֹּֽר׃

For you will forget your misery, recalling it only as waters gone by.

Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

וּֽ֭מִצָּהֳרַיִם יָק֣וּם חָ֑לֶד תָּ֝עֻ֗פָה כַּבֹּ֥קֶר תִּהְיֶֽה׃

Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.

And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

וּֽ֭בָטַחְתָּ כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְ֝חָפַרְתָּ֗ לָבֶ֥טַח תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃

You will be secure, because there is hope, and you will look around and lie down in safety.

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

וְֽ֭רָבַצְתָּ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְחִלּ֖וּ פָנֶ֣יךָ רַבִּֽים׃

You will lie down without fear, and many will court your favor.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

וְעֵינֵ֥י רְשָׁעִ֗ים תִּ֫כְלֶ֥ינָה וּ֭מָנוֹס אָבַ֣ד מִנְהֶ֑ם וְ֝תִקְוָתָ֗ם מַֽפַּח־נָֽפֶשׁ׃

But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; they will hope for their last breath.”

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.