Chapter 4
Eliphaz: The Innocent Prosper
1
Then Eliphaz the Temanite… replied:
𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤐𐤆 𐤄𐤕𐤉𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍
אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ וַ֭יַּעַן ’ĕ·lî·p̄az hat·tê·mā·nî way·yō·mar way·ya·‘an — WLC · 1
2
“If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking?
𐤄𐤍𐤎𐤄 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤕𐤋𐤀𐤄 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤅𐤏𐤑𐤓 𐤁𐤌𐤋𐤉𐤍
הֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ תִּלְאֶ֑ה מִ֣י יוּכָֽל׃ וַעְצֹ֥ר בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין hă·nis·sāh ḏā·ḇār ’ê·le·ḵā til·’eh mî yū·ḵāl wa‘·ṣōr bə·mil·lîn — WLC · 2
3
Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands.
𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤉𐤎𐤓𐤕 𐤓𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤇𐤆𐤒 𐤓𐤐𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤌
הִ֭נֵּה יִסַּ֣רְתָּ רַבִּ֑ים תְּחַזֵּֽק׃ רָפ֣וֹת וְיָדַ֖יִם hin·nêh yis·sar·tā rab·bîm tə·ḥaz·zêq rā·p̄ō·wṯ wə·yā·ḏa·yim — WLC · 3
4
Your words have steadied those who stumbled; you have braced the knees that were buckling.
𐤌𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤒𐤉𐤌𐤅𐤍 𐤊𐤅𐤔𐤋 𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤑 𐤅𐤁𐤓𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤓𐤏𐤅𐤕
מִלֶּ֑יךָ יְקִימ֣וּן כּ֭וֹשֵׁל תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְע֣וֹת mil·le·ḵā yə·qî·mūn kō·wō·šêl tə·’am·mêṣ ū·ḇir·ka·yim kō·rə·‘ō·wṯ — WLC · 4
5
But now [trouble] has come upon you, and you are weary. It strikes you,… and you are dismayed.
𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤕𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤂𐤏 𐤏𐤃𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤕𐤁𐤄𐤋
כִּ֤י עַתָּ֨ה׀ תָּב֣וֹא אֵלֶ֣יךָ וַתֵּ֑לֶא תִּגַּ֥ע עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ וַתִּבָּהֵֽל׃ kî ‘at·tāh tā·ḇō·w ’ê·le·ḵā wat·tê·le tig·ga‘ ‘ā·ḏe·ḵā wat·tib·bā·hêl — WLC · 5
6
Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope?
𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤕𐤊 𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤊𐤎𐤋𐤕𐤊 𐤅𐤕𐤌 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤉𐤊 𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤕𐤊
יִ֭רְאָתְךָ הֲלֹ֣א כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ וְתֹ֣ם דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃ תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ yir·’ā·ṯə·ḵā hă·lō kis·lā·ṯe·ḵā wə·ṯōm də·rā·ḵe·ḵā tiq·wā·ṯə·ḵā — WLC · 6
7
Consider now, I plead: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed?
𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤍𐤀 𐤌𐤉 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤍𐤒𐤉 𐤀𐤁𐤃 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤐𐤄 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤍𐤊𐤇𐤃𐤅
זְכָר־ נָ֗א מִ֤י ה֣וּא נָקִ֣י אָבָ֑ד וְ֝אֵיפֹ֗ה יְשָׁרִ֥ים נִכְחָֽדוּ׃ zə·ḵār- nā mî hū nā·qî ’ā·ḇāḏ wə·’ê·p̄ōh yə·šā·rîm niḵ·ḥā·ḏū — WLC · 7
8
As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
𐤊𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤇𐤓𐤔𐤉 𐤀𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤆𐤓𐤏𐤉 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤉𐤒𐤑𐤓𐤄𐤅
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתִי חֹ֣רְשֵׁי אָ֑וֶן וְזֹרְעֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל יִקְצְרֻֽהוּ׃ ka·’ă·šer rā·’î·ṯî ḥō·rə·šê ’ā·wen wə·zō·rə·‘ê ‘ā·māl yiq·ṣə·ru·hū — WLC · 8
9
By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed.
𐤌𐤍𐤔𐤌𐤕 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤃𐤅 𐤅𐤌𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤀𐤐𐤅 𐤉𐤊𐤋𐤅
מִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת אֱל֣וֹהַ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וּמֵר֖וּחַ אַפּ֣וֹ יִכְלֽוּ׃ min·niš·maṯ ’ĕ·lō·w·ha yō·ḇê·ḏū ū·mê·rū·aḥ ’ap·pōw yiḵ·lū — WLC · 9
10
The lion may roar, and the fierce lion may growl, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken.
𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤄 𐤔𐤀𐤂𐤕 𐤔𐤇𐤋 𐤅𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤅𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤍𐤕𐤏𐤅
אַ֭רְיֵה שַׁאֲגַ֣ת שָׁ֑חַל וְק֣וֹל וְשִׁנֵּ֖י כְפִירִ֣ים נִתָּֽעוּ׃ ’ar·yêh ša·’ă·ḡaṯ šā·ḥal wə·qō·wl wə·šin·nê ḵə·p̄î·rîm nit·tā·‘ū — WLC · 10
11
The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
𐤋𐤉𐤔 𐤀𐤁𐤃 𐤌𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤈𐤓𐤐 𐤅𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤉𐤕𐤐𐤓𐤃𐤅
לַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־ טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃ la·yiš ’ō·ḇêḏ mib·bə·lî- ṭā·rep̄ ū·ḇə·nê lā·ḇî yiṯ·pā·rā·ḏū — WLC · 11
12
Now a word came to me secretly; my ears caught a whisper of it.
𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤋𐤉 𐤉𐤂𐤍𐤁 𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤒𐤇 𐤔𐤌𐤑 𐤌𐤍𐤄𐤅
דָּבָ֣ר וְ֭אֵלַי יְגֻנָּ֑ב אָ֝זְנִ֗י וַתִּקַּ֥ח שֵׁ֣מֶץ מֶֽנְהֽוּ׃ dā·ḇār wə·’ê·lay yə·ḡun·nāḇ ’ā·zə·nî wat·tiq·qaḥ šê·meṣ men·hū — WLC · 12
13
In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
𐤁𐤔𐤏𐤐𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤕𐤓𐤃𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤍𐤐𐤋 𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤌
בִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנ֣וֹת לָ֑יְלָה תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה בִּנְפֹ֥ל עַל־ אֲנָשִֽׁים׃ biś·‘ip·pîm mê·ḥez·yō·nō·wṯ lā·yə·lāh tar·dê·māh bin·p̄ōl ‘al- ’ă·nā·šîm — WLC · 13
14
fear and trembling came over me and made all my bones shudder.
𐤐𐤇𐤃 𐤅𐤓𐤏𐤃𐤄 𐤒𐤓𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤓𐤁 𐤏𐤑𐤌𐤅𐤕𐤉 𐤄𐤐𐤇𐤉𐤃
פַּ֣חַד וּרְעָדָ֑ה קְ֭רָאַנִי וְרֹ֖ב עַצְמוֹתַ֣י הִפְחִֽיד׃ pa·ḥaḏ ū·rə·‘ā·ḏāh qə·rā·’a·nî wə·rōḇ ‘aṣ·mō·w·ṯay hip̄·ḥîḏ — WLC · 14
15
Then a spirit glided past my face, [and] the hair on my body bristled.
𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤉𐤇𐤋𐤐 𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤕 𐤁𐤔𐤓𐤉 𐤕𐤎𐤌𐤓
וְ֭רוּחַ יַחֲלֹ֑ף עַל־ פָּנַ֣י שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃ תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר wə·rū·aḥ ya·ḥă·lōp̄ ‘al- pā·nay śa·‘ă·raṯ bə·śā·rî tə·sam·mêr — WLC · 15
16
It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes, and I heard a whispering voice:
𐤉𐤏𐤌𐤃 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤊𐤉𐤓 𐤌𐤓𐤀𐤄𐤅 𐤕𐤌𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤋𐤍𐤂𐤃 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤃𐤌𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤒𐤅𐤋
יַעֲמֹ֤ד׀ וְֽלֹא־ אַכִּ֬יר מַרְאֵ֗הוּ תְּ֭מוּנָה לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ דְּמָמָ֖ה וָק֣וֹל ya·‘ă·mōḏ wə·lō- ’ak·kîr mar·’ê·hū tə·mū·nāh lə·ne·ḡeḏ ‘ê·nāy ’eš·mā‘ də·mā·māh wā·qō·wl — WLC · 16
17
‘{Can} a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?
𐤄𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔 𐤉𐤑𐤃𐤒 𐤌𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤌 𐤂𐤁𐤓 𐤉𐤈𐤄𐤓 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤄𐤅
הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ יִצְדָּ֑ק מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ אִ֥ם גָּֽבֶר׃ יִטְהַר־ מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ ha·’ĕ·nō·wōš yiṣ·dāq mê·’ĕ·lō·w·ha ’im gā·ḇer yiṭ·har- mê·‘ō·śê·hū — WLC · 17
18
If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error,
𐤄𐤍 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤉𐤍 𐤁𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤉𐤅 𐤕𐤄𐤋𐤄
הֵ֣ן לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו יָשִׂ֥ים וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו תָּהֳלָֽה׃ hên lō ya·’ă·mîn ba·‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw yā·śîm ū·ḇə·mal·’ā·ḵāw tā·ho·lāh — WLC · 18
19
how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed… like a moth!
𐤀𐤐 𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤇𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤎𐤅𐤃𐤌 𐤁𐤏𐤐𐤓 𐤉𐤃𐤊𐤀𐤅𐤌 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤔
אַ֤ף׀ שֹׁכְנֵ֬י בָֽתֵּי־ חֹ֗מֶר אֲשֶׁר־ יְסוֹדָ֑ם בֶּעָפָ֥ר יְ֝דַכְּא֗וּם לִפְנֵי־ עָֽשׁ׃ ’ap̄ šō·ḵə·nê ḇāt·tê- ḥō·mer ’ă·šer- yə·sō·w·ḏām be·‘ā·p̄ār yə·ḏak·kə·’ūm lip̄·nê- ‘āš — WLC · 19
20
They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed…, they perish forever.
𐤉𐤊𐤕𐤅 𐤌𐤁𐤒𐤓 𐤋𐤏𐤓𐤁 𐤌𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤌𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤃𐤅 𐤋𐤍𐤑𐤇
יֻכַּ֑תּוּ מִבֹּ֣קֶר לָעֶ֣רֶב מִבְּלִ֥י מֵ֝שִׂ֗ים יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ לָנֶ֥צַח yuk·kat·tū mib·bō·qer lā·‘e·reḇ mib·bə·lî mê·śîm yō·ḇê·ḏū lā·ne·ṣaḥ — WLC · 20
21
Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’
𐤉𐤕𐤓𐤌 𐤁𐤌 𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤎𐤏 𐤉𐤌𐤅𐤕𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤁𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄
יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם הֲלֹא־ נִסַּ֣ע יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחָכְמָֽה׃ yiṯ·rām bām hă·lō- nis·sa‘ yā·mū·ṯū wə·lō ḇə·ḥā·ḵə·māh — WLC · 21