Chapter 12
Job Presents His Case
1
Then Job… answered:
𐤀𐤉𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍
אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ וַיַּ֥עַן ’î·yō·wḇ way·yō·mar way·ya·‘an — WLC · 1
2
“Truly then you are the people with [whom] wisdom [itself] will die!
𐤀𐤌𐤍𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤕𐤌 𐤏𐤌 𐤅𐤏𐤌𐤊𐤌 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤌𐤅𐤕
אָ֭מְנָם כִּ֣י אַתֶּם־ עָ֑ם וְ֝עִמָּכֶ֗ם חָכְמָֽה׃ תָּמ֥וּת ’ā·mə·nām kî ’at·tem- ‘ām wə·‘im·mā·ḵem ḥāḵ·māh tā·mūṯ — WLC · 2
3
But I also have a mind;… I am not inferior to you… Who does not [know] such things as these?
𐤂𐤌 𐤋𐤉 𐤋𐤁𐤁 𐤊𐤌𐤅𐤊𐤌 𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤐𐤋 𐤌𐤊𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤕 𐤌𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤊𐤌𐤅 𐤀𐤋𐤄
גַּם־ לִ֤י לֵבָ֨ב׀ כְּֽמוֹכֶ֗ם אָנֹכִ֣י לֹא־ נֹפֵ֣ל מִכֶּ֑ם וְאֶת־ מִי־ אֵ֥ין כְּמוֹ־ אֵֽלֶּה׃ gam- lî lê·ḇāḇ kə·mō·w·ḵem ’ā·nō·ḵî lō- nō·p̄êl mik·kem wə·’eṯ- mî- ’ên kə·mōw- ’êl·leh — WLC · 3
4
I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
𐤀𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤓𐤏𐤄𐤅 𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤋𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤄𐤅 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤕𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤇𐤅𐤒
אֶֽהְיֶ֗ה שְׂחֹ֤ק לְרֵעֵ֨הוּ׀ קֹרֵ֣א לֶ֭אֱלוֹהַּ וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ צַדִּ֥יק תָּמִֽים׃ שְׂ֝ח֗וֹק ’eh·yeh śə·ḥōq lə·rê·‘ê·hū qō·rê le·’ĕ·lō·w·ah way·ya·‘ă·nê·hū ṣad·dîq tā·mîm śə·ḥôq — WLC · 4
5
The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate… of those whose feet are slipping.
𐤔𐤀𐤍𐤍 𐤁𐤅𐤆 𐤋𐤐𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤅𐤕 𐤍𐤊𐤅𐤍 𐤓𐤂𐤋 𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤏𐤃𐤉
שַׁאֲנָ֑ן בּ֭וּז לַפִּ֣יד לְעַשְׁתּ֣וּת נָ֝כ֗וֹן רָֽגֶל׃ לְמ֣וֹעֲדֵי ša·’ă·nān būz lap·pîḏ lə·‘aš·tūṯ nā·ḵō·wn rā·ḡel lə·mō·w·‘ă·ḏê — WLC · 5
6
The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.
𐤀𐤄𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤔𐤃𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤋𐤌𐤓𐤂𐤉𐤆𐤉 𐤀𐤋 𐤋𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤅𐤁𐤈𐤇𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤃𐤅
אֹֽהָלִ֨ים׀ לְשֹׁ֥דְדִ֗ים יִשְׁלָ֤יוּ לְמַרְגִּ֣יזֵי אֵ֑ל לַאֲשֶׁ֤ר וּֽ֭בַטֻּחוֹת הֵבִ֖יא אֱל֣וֹהַּ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ ’ō·hā·lîm lə·šō·ḏə·ḏîm yiš·lā·yū lə·mar·gî·zê ’êl la·’ă·šer ū·ḇaṭ·ṭu·ḥō·wṯ hê·ḇî ’ĕ·lō·w·ah bə·yā·ḏōw — WLC · 6
7
But ask… the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.
𐤅𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤌 𐤔𐤀𐤋 𐤍𐤀 𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤕𐤓𐤊 𐤅𐤏𐤅𐤐 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤂𐤃 𐤋𐤊
וְֽאוּלָ֗ם שְׁאַל־ נָ֣א בְהֵמ֣וֹת וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ וְע֥וֹף הַ֝שָּׁמַ֗יִם וְיַגֶּד־ לָֽךְ׃ wə·’ū·lām šə·’al- nā ḇə·hê·mō·wṯ wə·ṯō·re·kā wə·‘ō·wp̄ haš·šā·ma·yim wə·yag·geḏ- lāḵ — WLC · 7
8
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
𐤀𐤅 𐤔𐤉𐤇 𐤋𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤅𐤕𐤓𐤊 𐤃𐤂𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤎𐤐𐤓𐤅 𐤋𐤊
א֤וֹ שִׂ֣יחַ לָאָ֣רֶץ וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ דְּגֵ֣י הַיָּֽם׃ וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ ’ōw śî·aḥ lā·’ā·reṣ wə·ṯō·re·kā də·ḡê hay·yām wî·sap·pə·rū lə·ḵā — WLC · 8
9
Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
𐤌𐤉 𐤁𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤃 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤆𐤀𐤕
מִ֭י בְּכָל־ אֵ֑לֶּה לֹא־ יָדַ֣ע כִּ֥י יַד־ יְ֝הוָה עָ֣שְׂתָה זֹּֽאת׃ mî bə·ḵāl ’êl·leh lō- yā·ḏa‘ kî yaḏ- Yah·weh ‘ā·śə·ṯāh zōṯ — WLC · 9
10
- The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind…
𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤍𐤐𐤔 𐤊𐤋 𐤇𐤉 𐤁𐤉𐤃𐤅 𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤊𐤋 𐤁𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤉𐤔
אֲשֶׁ֣ר נֶ֣פֶשׁ כָּל־ חָ֑י בְּ֭יָדוֹ וְ֝ר֗וּחַ כָּל־ בְּשַׂר־ אִֽישׁ׃ ’ă·šer ne·p̄eš kāl- ḥāy bə·yā·ḏōw wə·rū·aḥ kāl- bə·śar- ’îš — WLC · 10
11
Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?
𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤆𐤍 𐤕𐤁𐤇𐤍 𐤌𐤋𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤇𐤊 𐤉𐤈𐤏𐤌 𐤋𐤅 𐤀𐤊𐤋
הֲלֹא־ אֹ֭זֶן תִּבְחָ֑ן מִלִּ֣ין וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ יִטְעַם־ לֽוֹ׃ אֹ֣כֶל hă·lō- ’ō·zen tiḇ·ḥān mil·lîn wə·ḥêḵ yiṭ·‘am- lōw ’ō·ḵel — WLC · 11
12
Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤊 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌
חָכְמָ֑ה בִּֽישִׁישִׁ֥ים תְּבוּנָֽה׃ וְאֹ֖רֶךְ יָמִ֣ים ḥāḵ·māh bî·šî·šîm tə·ḇū·nāh wə·’ō·reḵ yā·mîm — WLC · 12
13
Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤂𐤁𐤅𐤓𐤄 𐤋𐤅 𐤏𐤌𐤅 𐤏𐤑𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤄
חָכְמָ֣ה וּגְבוּרָ֑ה ל֝֗וֹ עִ֭מּוֹ עֵצָ֥ה וּתְבוּנָֽה׃ ḥāḵ·māh ū·ḡə·ḇū·rāh lōw ‘im·mōw ‘ê·ṣāh ū·ṯə·ḇū·nāh — WLC · 13
14
What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons… cannot be released.
𐤄𐤍 𐤉𐤄𐤓𐤅𐤎 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤁𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤉𐤎𐤂𐤓 𐤏𐤋 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤐𐤕𐤇
הֵ֣ן יַ֭הֲרוֹס וְלֹ֣א יִבָּנֶ֑ה אִ֝֗ישׁ יִסְגֹּ֥ר עַל־ וְלֹ֣א יִפָּתֵֽחַ׃ hên ya·hă·rō·ws wə·lō yib·bā·neh ’îš yis·gōr ‘al- wə·lō yip·pā·ṯê·aḥ — WLC · 14
15
If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.
𐤄𐤍 𐤉𐤏𐤑𐤓 𐤁𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤔𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤐𐤊𐤅 𐤀𐤓𐤑
הֵ֤ן יַעְצֹ֣ר בַּמַּ֣יִם וְיִבָ֑שׁוּ וִֽ֝ישַׁלְּחֵ֗ם וְיַ֖הַפְכוּ אָֽרֶץ׃ hên ya‘·ṣōr bam·ma·yim wə·yi·ḇā·šū wî·šal·lə·ḥêm wə·ya·hap̄·ḵū ’ā·reṣ — WLC · 15
16
True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver [are His].
𐤅𐤕𐤅𐤔𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤅 𐤏𐤆 𐤏𐤌𐤅 𐤔𐤂𐤂 𐤅𐤌𐤔𐤂𐤄
וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה ל֝֗וֹ עֹ֣ז עִ֭מּוֹ שֹׁגֵ֥ג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃ wə·ṯū·šī·yå̄h lōw ‘ōz ‘im·mōw šō·ḡêḡ ū·maš·geh — WLC · 16
17
He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
𐤉𐤅𐤏𐤑𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤔𐤅𐤋𐤋 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤋 𐤅𐤔𐤐𐤈𐤉𐤌
יוֹעֲצִ֣ים מוֹלִ֣יךְ שׁוֹלָ֑ל יְהוֹלֵֽל׃ וְֽשֹׁפְטִ֥ים yō·w·‘ă·ṣîm mō·w·lîḵ šō·w·lāl yə·hō·w·lêl wə·šō·p̄ə·ṭîm — WLC · 17
18
He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
𐤐𐤕𐤇 𐤌𐤅𐤎𐤓 𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤎𐤓 𐤀𐤆𐤅𐤓 𐤁𐤌𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌
פִּתֵּ֑חַ מוּסַ֣ר מְלָכִ֣ים וַיֶּאְסֹ֥ר אֵ֝ז֗וֹר בְּמָתְנֵיהֶֽם׃ pit·tê·aḥ mū·sar mə·lā·ḵîm way·ye’·sōr ’ê·zō·wr bə·mā·ṯə·nê·hem — WLC · 18
19
He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
𐤊𐤄𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤔𐤅𐤋𐤋 𐤉𐤎𐤋𐤐 𐤅𐤀𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤌
כֹּהֲנִ֣ים מוֹלִ֣יךְ שׁוֹלָ֑ל יְסַלֵּֽף׃ וְאֵֽתָנִ֣ים kō·hă·nîm mō·w·lîḵ šō·w·lāl yə·sal·lêp̄ wə·’ê·ṯā·nîm — WLC · 19
20
He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
𐤌𐤎𐤉𐤓 𐤋𐤍𐤀𐤌𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤐𐤄 𐤉𐤒𐤇 𐤅𐤈𐤏𐤌 𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤉𐤌
מֵסִ֣יר לְנֶאֱמָנִ֑ים שָׂ֭פָה יִקָּֽח׃ וְטַ֖עַם זְקֵנִ֣ים mê·sîr lə·ne·’ĕ·mā·nîm śā·p̲āh yiq·qāḥ wə·ṭa·‘am zə·qê·nîm — WLC · 20
21
He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms… the mighty.
𐤔𐤅𐤐𐤊 𐤁𐤅𐤆 𐤏𐤋 𐤍𐤃𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤌𐤆𐤉𐤇 𐤓𐤐𐤄 𐤀𐤐𐤉𐤒𐤉𐤌
שׁוֹפֵ֣ךְ בּ֭וּז עַל־ נְדִיבִ֑ים וּמְזִ֖יחַ רִפָּֽה׃ אֲפִיקִ֣ים šō·w·p̄êḵ būz ‘al- nə·ḏî·ḇîm ū·mə·zî·aḥ rip·pāh ’ă·p̄î·qîm — WLC · 21
22
He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
𐤌𐤂𐤋𐤄 𐤏𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤑𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤋𐤀𐤅𐤓
מְגַלֶּ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקוֹת מִנִּי־ חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיֹּצֵ֖א צַלְמָֽוֶת׃ לָא֣וֹר mə·ḡal·leh ‘ă·mu·qō·wṯ min·nî- ḥō·šeḵ way·yō·ṣê ṣal·mā·weṯ lā·’ō·wr — WLC · 22
23
He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.
𐤋𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤔𐤂𐤉𐤀 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤃𐤌 𐤔𐤈𐤇 𐤋𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤍𐤇𐤌
לַ֭גּוֹיִם מַשְׂגִּ֣יא וַֽיְאַבְּדֵ֑ם שֹׁטֵ֥חַ לַ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם וַיַּנְחֵֽם׃ lag·gō·w·yim maś·gî way·’ab·bə·ḏêm šō·ṭê·aḥ lag·gō·w·yim way·yan·ḥêm — WLC · 23
24
He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless… wasteland.
𐤌𐤎𐤉𐤓 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉 𐤏𐤌 𐤋𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤏𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤃𐤓𐤊 𐤁𐤕𐤄𐤅
מֵסִ֗יר הָאָ֑רֶץ רָאשֵׁ֣י עַם־ לֵ֭ב וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם לֹא־ דָֽרֶךְ׃ בְּתֹ֣הוּ mê·sîr hā·’ā·reṣ rā·šê ‘am- lêḇ way·yaṯ·‘êm lō- ḏā·reḵ bə·ṯō·hū — WLC · 24
25
They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.
𐤉𐤌𐤔𐤔𐤅 𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤏𐤌 𐤊𐤔𐤊𐤅𐤓
יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־ א֑וֹר וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם כַּשִּׁכּֽוֹר׃ yə·maš·šū- ḥō·šeḵ wə·lō- ’ō·wr way·yaṯ·‘êm kaš·šik·kō·wr — WLC · 25