The Book of Job, Chapter 21איוב 21

וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר

But Job answered and said,

שִׁמְע֣וּ שָׁ֭מוֹעַ מִלָּתִ֑י וּתְהִי זֹ֝֗את תַּנְח֥וּמֹֽתֵיכֶֽם

Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

שָׂ֭אוּנִי וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְאַחַ֖ר דַּבְּרִ֣י תַלְעִֽיג

Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

הֶ֭אָנֹכִי לְאָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְאִם מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ לֹא תִקְצַ֥ר רוּחִֽי

As for me, my complaint to man? and if , why should not my spirit be troubled?

פְּנוּ אֵלַ֥י וְהָשַׁ֑מּוּ וְשִׂ֖ימוּ יָ֣ד עַל פֶּֽה

Mark me, and be astonished, and lay hand upon mouth.

וְאִם זָכַ֥רְתִּי וְנִבְהָ֑לְתִּי וְאָחַ֥ז בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י פַּלָּצֽוּת

Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

מַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

זַרְעָ֤ם נָכ֣וֹן לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם עִמָּ֑ם וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֗ם לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם

Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם שָׁל֣וֹם מִפָּ֑חַד וְלֹ֤א שֵׁ֖בֶט אֱל֣וֹהַּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם

Their houses safe from fear, neither the rod of God upon them.

שׁוֹר֣וֹ עִ֭בַּר וְלֹ֣א יַגְעִ֑ל תְּפַלֵּ֥ט פָּ֝רָת֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א תְשַׁכֵּֽל

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

יְשַׁלְּח֣וּ כַ֭צֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝יַלְדֵיהֶ֗ם יְרַקֵּדֽוּן

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

יִ֭שְׂאוּ כְּתֹ֣ף וְכִנּ֑וֹר וְ֝יִשְׂמְח֗וּ לְק֣וֹל עוּגָֽב

They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

יבלו יְכַלּ֣וּ בַטּ֣וֹב יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝בְרֶ֗גַע שְׁא֣וֹל יֵחָֽתּוּ

They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָ֭אֵל ס֣וּר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְדַ֥עַת דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א חָפָֽצְנוּ

Therefore they say to God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of your ways.

מַה שַׁדַּ֥י כִּֽי נַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ וּמַה נּ֝וֹעִ֗יל כִּ֣י נִפְגַּע בּֽוֹ

What the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray to him?

הֵ֤ן לֹ֣א בְיָדָ֣ם טוּבָ֑ם עֲצַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים רָ֣חֲקָה מֶֽנִּי

Lo, their good not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

כַּמָּ֤ה נֵר רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים יִדְעָ֗ךְ וְיָבֹ֣א עָלֵ֣ימוֹ אֵידָ֑ם חֲ֝בָלִ֗ים יְחַלֵּ֥ק בְּאַפּֽוֹ

How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and cometh their destruction upon them! distributeth sorrows in his anger.

יִהְי֗וּ כְּתֶ֥בֶן לִפְנֵי ר֑וּחַ וּ֝כְמֹ֗ץ גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ סוּפָֽה

They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

אֱל֗וֹהַּ יִצְפֹּן לְבָנָ֥יו אוֹנ֑וֹ יְשַׁלֵּ֖ם אֵלָ֣יו וְיֵדָֽע

God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know .

יִרְא֣וּ עינו עֵינָ֣יו כִּיד֑וֹ וּמֵחֲמַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יִשְׁתֶּֽה

His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

כִּ֤י מַה חֶפְצ֣וֹ בְּבֵית֣וֹ אַחֲרָ֑יו וּמִסְפַּ֖ר חֳדָשָׁ֣יו חֻצָּֽצוּ

For what pleasure he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?

הַלְאֵ֥ל יְלַמֶּד דָּ֑עַת וְ֝ה֗וּא רָמִ֥ים יִשְׁפּֽוֹט

Shall teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.

זֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּעֶ֣צֶם תֻּמּ֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ שַׁלְאֲנַ֥ן וְשָׁלֵֽיו

One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

עֲ֭טִינָיו מָלְא֣וּ חָלָ֑ב וּמֹ֖חַ עַצְמוֹתָ֣יו יְשֻׁקֶּֽה

His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.

וְזֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ מָרָ֑ה וְלֹֽא אָ֝כַ֗ל בַּטּוֹבָֽה

And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.

יַ֭חַד עַל עָפָ֣ר יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ וְ֝רִמָּ֗ה תְּכַסֶּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם

They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

הֵ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וּ֝מְזִמּ֗וֹת עָלַ֥י תַּחְמֹֽסוּ

Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices you wrongfully imagine against me.

כִּ֤י תֹֽאמְר֗וּ אַיֵּ֥ה בֵית נָדִ֑יב וְ֝אַיֵּ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל מִשְׁכְּנ֬וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים

For you say, Where the house of the prince? and where the dwelling places of the wicked?

הֲלֹ֣א שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם ע֣וֹבְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗ם לֹ֣א תְנַכֵּֽרוּ

Have you not asked them that go by the way? and do you not know their tokens,

כִּ֤י לְי֣וֹם אֵ֭יד יֵחָ֣שֶׂךְ רָ֑ע לְי֖וֹם עֲבָר֣וֹת יוּבָֽלוּ

That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

מִֽי יַגִּ֣יד עַל פָּנָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְהֽוּא עָ֝שָׂ֗ה מִ֣י יְשַׁלֶּם לֽוֹ

Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him he has done?

וְ֭הוּא לִקְבָר֣וֹת יוּבָ֑ל וְֽעַל גָּדִ֥ישׁ יִשְׁקֽוֹד

Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.

מָֽתְקוּ ל֗וֹ רִגְבֵ֫י נָ֥חַל וְ֭אַחֲרָיו כָּל אָדָ֣ם יִמְשׁ֑וֹךְ וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר

The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him, and every man shall draw after him, as innumerable before him.

וְ֭אֵיךְ תְּנַחֲמ֣וּנִי הָ֑בֶל וּ֝תְשֽׁוּבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם נִשְׁאַר מָֽעַל

How then comfort you me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?