The Book of Job, Chapter 34איוב 34

וַיַּ֥עַן אֱלִיה֗וּא וַיֹּאמַֽר

Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

שִׁמְע֣וּ חֲכָמִ֣ים מִלָּ֑י וְ֝יֹדְעִ֗ים הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ לִֽי

Hear my words, O you wise ; and give ear to me, you that have knowledge.

כִּי אֹ֭זֶן מִלִּ֣ין תִּבְחָ֑ן וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ יִטְעַ֥ם לֶאֱכֹֽל

For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

מִשְׁפָּ֥ט נִבְחֲרָה לָּ֑נוּ נֵדְעָ֖ה בֵינֵ֣ינוּ מַה טּֽוֹב

Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what good.

כִּֽי אָ֭מַר אִיּ֣וֹב צָדַ֑קְתִּי וְ֝אֵ֗ל הֵסִ֥יר מִשְׁפָּטִֽי

For Job has said, I am righteous: and God has taken away my judgment.

עַל מִשְׁפָּטִ֥י אֲכַזֵּ֑ב אָנ֖וּשׁ חִצִּ֣י בְלִי פָֽשַׁע

Should I lie against my right? my wound incurable without transgression.

מִי גֶ֥בֶר כְּאִיּ֑וֹב יִֽשְׁתֶּה לַּ֥עַג כַּמָּֽיִם

What man like Job, drinketh up scorning like water?

וְאָרַ֣ח לְ֭חֶבְרָה עִם פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן וְ֝לָלֶ֗כֶת עִם אַנְשֵׁי רֶֽשַׁע

Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.

כִּֽי אָ֭מַר לֹ֣א יִסְכָּן גָּ֑בֶר בִּ֝רְצֹת֗וֹ עִם אֱלֹהִֽים

For he has said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

לָכֵ֤ן אַ֥נֲשֵׁ֥י לֵבָ֗ב שִׁמְע֫וּ לִ֥י חָלִ֖לָה לָאֵ֥ל מֵרֶ֗שַׁע וְשַׁדַּ֥י מֵעָֽוֶל

Therefore hearken to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, wickedness; and the Almighty, iniquity.

כִּ֤י פֹ֣עַל אָ֭דָם יְשַׁלֶּם ל֑וֹ וּֽכְאֹ֥רַח אִ֝֗ישׁ יַמְצִאֶֽנּוּ

For the work of a man shall he render to him, and cause every man to find according to ways.

אַף אָמְנָ֗ם אֵ֥ל לֹֽא יַרְשִׁ֑יעַ וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י לֹֽא יְעַוֵּ֥ת מִשְׁפָּֽט

Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

מִֽי פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו אָ֑רְצָה וּמִ֥י שָׂ֝֗ם תֵּבֵ֥ל כֻּלָּֽהּ

Who has given him a charge over the earth? or who has disposed the whole world?

אִם יָשִׂ֣ים אֵלָ֣יו לִבּ֑וֹ רוּח֥וֹ וְ֝נִשְׁמָת֗וֹ אֵלָ֥יו יֶאֱסֹֽף

If he set his heart upon man, he gather to himself his spirit and his breath;

יִגְוַ֣ע כָּל בָּשָׂ֣ר יָ֑חַד וְ֝אָדָ֗ם עַל עָפָ֥ר יָשֽׁוּב

All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again to dust.

וְאִם בִּ֥ינָה שִׁמְעָה זֹּ֑את הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה לְק֣וֹל מִלָּֽי

If now understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.

הַאַ֬ף שׂוֹנֵ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֣ט יַחֲב֑וֹשׁ וְאִם צַדִּ֖יק כַּבִּ֣יר תַּרְשִֽׁיעַ

Shall even he that hateth right govern? and will you condemn him that is most just?

הַאֲמֹ֣ר לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בְּלִיָּ֑עַל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע אֶל נְדִיבִֽים

to say to a king, wicked? to princes, ungodly?

אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא נָשָׂ֨א פְּנֵ֥י שָׂרִ֗ים וְלֹ֣א נִכַּר שׁ֭וֹעַ לִפְנֵי דָ֑ל כִּֽי מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדָ֣יו כֻּלָּֽם

that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all the work of his hands.

רֶ֤גַע יָמֻתוּ֮ וַחֲצ֪וֹת לָ֥יְלָה יְגֹעֲשׁ֣וּ עָ֣ם וְיַעֲבֹ֑רוּ וְיָסִ֥ירוּ אַ֝בִּ֗יר לֹ֣א בְיָֽד

In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.

כִּי עֵ֭ינָיו עַל דַּרְכֵי אִ֑ישׁ וְֽכָל צְעָדָ֥יו יִרְאֶֽה

For his eyes upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

אֵֽין חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וְאֵ֣ין צַלְמָ֑וֶת לְהִסָּ֥תֶר שָׁ֝֗ם פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן

no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

כִּ֤י לֹ֣א עַל אִ֭ישׁ יָשִׂ֣ים ע֑וֹד לַהֲלֹ֥ךְ אֶל אֵ֝֗ל בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט

For he will not lay upon man more ; that he should enter into judgment with God.

יָרֹ֣עַ כַּבִּירִ֣ים לֹא חֵ֑קֶר וַיַּעֲמֵ֖ד אֲחֵרִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם

He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

לָכֵ֗ן יַ֭כִּיר מַעְבָּֽדֵיהֶ֑ם וְהָ֥פַךְ לַ֝֗יְלָה וְיִדַּכָּֽאוּ

Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth in the night, so that they are destroyed.

תַּֽחַת רְשָׁעִ֥ים סְפָקָ֗ם בִּמְק֥וֹם רֹאִֽים

He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל כֵּ֭ן סָ֣רוּ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֑יו וְכָל דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו לֹ֣א הִשְׂכִּֽילוּ

Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

לְהָבִ֣יא עָ֭לָיו צַֽעֲקַת דָּ֑ל וְצַעֲקַ֖ת עֲנִיִּ֣ים יִשְׁמָֽע

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

וְה֤וּא יַשְׁקִ֨ט וּמִ֥י יַרְשִׁ֗עַ וְיַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נִים וּמִ֣י יְשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ וְעַל גּ֖וֹי וְעַל אָדָ֣ם יָֽחַד

When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth face, who then can behold him? whether against a nation, or against a man only:

מִ֭מְּלֹךְ אָדָ֥ם חָנֵ֗ף מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי עָֽם

That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.

כִּֽי אֶל אֵ֭ל הֶאָמַ֥ר נָשָׂ֗אתִי לֹ֣א אֶחְבֹּֽל

Surely it is meet to be said to God, I have borne , I will not offend :

בִּלְעֲדֵ֣י אֶ֭חֱזֶה אַתָּ֣ה הֹרֵ֑נִי אִֽם עָ֥וֶל פָּ֝עַ֗לְתִּי לֹ֣א אֹסִֽיף

I see not teach you me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

הַֽמֵעִמְּךָ֬ יְשַׁלְמֶ֨נָּה כִּֽי מָאַ֗סְתָּ כִּי אַתָּ֣ה תִבְחַ֣ר וְלֹא אָ֑נִי וּֽמַה יָדַ֥עְתָּ דַבֵּֽר

according to your mind? he will recompense it, whether you refuse, or whether you choose; and not I: therefore speak what you knowest.

אַנְשֵׁ֣י לֵ֭בָב יֹ֣אמְרוּ לִ֑י וְגֶ֥בֶר חָ֝כָ֗ם שֹׁמֵ֥עַֽ לִֽי

Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken to me.

אִ֭יּוֹב לֹא בְדַ֣עַת יְדַבֵּ֑ר וּ֝דְבָרָ֗יו לֹ֣א בְהַשְׂכֵּֽיל

Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words without wisdom.

אָבִ֗י יִבָּחֵ֣ן אִיּ֣וֹב עַד נֶ֑צַח עַל תְּ֝שֻׁבֹ֗ת בְּאַנְשֵׁי אָֽוֶן

My desire Job may be tried to the end because of answers for wicked men.

כִּ֥י יֹ֘סִ֤יף עַֽל חַטָּאת֣וֹ פֶ֭שַׁע בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ יִסְפּ֑וֹק וְיֶ֖רֶב אֲמָרָ֣יו לָאֵֽל

For he addeth rebellion to his sin, he clappeth among us, and multiplieth his words against God.