Job 11

vayya'an tsofar hanna'amati vayyomar

Then Zophar the Naamathite said in reply:

harov devarim lo ye'aneh ve'im-ish sefatayim yitsdaq

Is a multitude of words unanswerable? Must a loquacious person be right?

baddekha metim yakharishu vattilag ve'en makhlim

Your prattle may silence people; You may mock without being rebuked,

vattomer zakh liqkhi uvar hayiti ve'enekha

And say, “My doctrine is pure, And I have been innocent in Your sight.”

ve'ulam mi-yitten eloah dabber veyiftakh sefatayw immakh

But would that God might speak, And talk to you directly.

veyagged-lekha ta'alumot khokhmah ki-khiflayim letushiyyah veda ki-yasheh lekha eloah me'avonekha

You would be told the secrets of wisdom, For there are many sides to sagacity; And know that God has overlooked for you some of your iniquity.

hakheqer eloah timtsa im ad-takhlit shadday timtsa

Would you discover the mystery of God? Would you discover the limit of the Almighty?

govhe shamayim mah-ttifal amuqqah mishe'ol mah-tteda

Higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

arukkah me'erets middah urekhavah minni-yam

Its measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.

im-yakhalof veyasgir veyaqhil umi yeshivennu

Should [God] pass by, or confine, Or call an assembly, who can put a stop to it?

ki-hu yada mete-shav vayyar-aven velo yitbonan

For [God] is aware of deceitful people, And when seeing iniquity, discerns it.

ve'ish navuv yillavev ve'ayir pere adam yivvaled

The hollow person will get understanding, When a wild ass is born a human.

im-attah hakhinota libbekha ufarasta elayw kappekha

But if you direct your mind, And spread forth your hands toward [God]—

im-aven beyadekha harkhiqehu ve'al-tashken be'ohalekha avlah

If there is iniquity with you, remove it, And do not let injustice reside in your tent—

ki-az tissa fanekha mimmum vehayita mutsaq velo tira

Then, free of blemish, you will hold your head high, And, when in straits, be unafraid.

ki-attah amal tishkakh kemayim averu tizkor

You will then put your misery out of mind, Consider it as water that has flowed past.

umitsohorayim yaqum khaled ta'ufah kabboqer tihyeh

Life will be brighter than noon; You will shine, you will be like the morning.

uvatakhta ki-yesh tiqvah vekhafarta lavetakh tishkav

You will be secure, for there is hope, And, entrenched, you will rest secure;

veravatsta ve'en makharid vekhillu fanekha rabbim

You will lie down undisturbed; The great will court your favor.

ve'ene resha'im tikhlenah umanos avad minhem vetiqvatam mappakh-nafesh

But the eyes of the wicked pine away; Escape is cut off from them; They have only their last breath to look forward to.