וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַֽנַּעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ Then Zophar the Naamathite said in reply:
הֲרֹ֣ב דְּ֭בָרִים לֹ֣א יֵעָנֶ֑ה וְאִם־אִ֖ישׁ שְׂפָתַ֣יִם יִצְדָּֽק׃ Is a multitude of words unanswerable?
Must a loquacious person be right?
בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁוּ וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃ Your prattle may silence men;
You may mock without being rebuked,
וַ֭תֹּאמֶר זַ֣ךְ לִקְחִ֑י וּ֝בַ֗ר הָיִ֥יתִי בְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ And say, “My doctrine is pure,
And I have been innocent in Your sight.”
וְֽאוּלָ֗ם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן אֱל֣וֹהַּ דַּבֵּ֑ר וְיִפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתָ֣יו עִמָּֽךְ׃ But would that God might speak,
And talk to you Himself.
וְיַגֶּד־לְךָ֨ ׀ תַּ֥עֲלֻמ֣וֹת חׇכְמָה֮ כִּֽי־כִפְלַ֢יִם לְֽת֫וּשִׁיָּ֥ה וְדַ֡ע כִּֽי־יַשֶּׁ֥ה לְךָ֥ אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ מֵעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃ He would tell you the secrets of wisdom,
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.For there are many sides to sagacity;
And know that God has overlooked for you some of your iniquity.-a
הַחֵ֣קֶר אֱל֣וֹהַּ תִּמְצָ֑א אִ֤ם עַד־תַּכְלִ֖ית שַׁדַּ֣י תִּמְצָֽא׃ Would you discover the mystery of God?
Would you discover the limit of the Almighty?
גׇּבְהֵ֣י שָׁ֭מַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָ֑ל עֲמֻקָּ֥ה מִ֝שְּׁא֗וֹל מַה־תֵּדָֽע׃ Higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
אֲרֻכָּ֣ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִדָּ֑הּ וּ֝רְחָבָ֗ה מִנִּי־יָֽם׃ Its measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
אִם־יַחֲלֹ֥ף וְיַסְגִּ֑יר וְ֝יַקְהִ֗יל וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃ aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Should He pass by, or confine,
Or call an assembly, who can stop Him?-a
כִּי־ה֭וּא יָדַ֣ע מְתֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וַיַּרְא־אָ֝֗וֶן וְלֹ֣א יִתְבּוֹנָֽן׃ For He knows deceitful men;
When He sees iniquity, does He not discern it?
וְאִ֣ישׁ נָ֭בוּב יִלָּבֵ֑ב וְעַ֥יִר פֶּ֝֗רֶא אָדָ֥ם יִוָּלֵֽד׃ aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.A hollow man will get understanding,
When a wild ass is born a man.-a
אִם־אַ֭תָּה הֲכִינ֣וֹתָ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֖ אֵלָ֣יו כַּפֶּֽיךָ׃ But if you direct your mind,
And spread forth your hands toward Him—
אִם־אָ֣וֶן בְּ֭יָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵ֑הוּ וְאַל־תַּשְׁכֵּ֖ן בְּאֹהָלֶ֣יךָ עַוְלָֽה׃ If there is iniquity with you, remove it,
And do not let injustice reside in your tent—
כִּי־אָ֤ז ׀ תִּשָּׂ֣א פָנֶ֣יךָ מִמּ֑וּם וְהָיִ֥יתָ מֻ֝צָ֗ק וְלֹ֣א תִירָֽא׃ Then, free of blemish, you will hold your head high,
And, bHeb. muṣaq; other Heb. editions muṣṣaq, “you will be firm.”when in straits,-b be unafraid.
כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה עָמָ֣ל תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח כְּמַ֖יִם עָבְר֣וּ תִזְכֹּֽר׃ You will then put your misery out of mind,
Consider it as water that has flowed past.
וּֽ֭מִצׇּהֳרַיִם יָק֣וּם חָ֑לֶד תָּ֝עֻ֗פָה כַּבֹּ֥קֶר תִּהְיֶֽה׃ aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Life will be brighter than noon;-a
You will shine, you will be like the morning.
וּֽ֭בָטַחְתָּ כִּֽי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְ֝חָפַרְתָּ֗ לָבֶ֥טַח תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃ You will be secure, for there is hope,
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.And, entrenched,-a you will rest secure;
וְֽ֭רָבַצְתָּ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְחִלּ֖וּ פָנֶ֣יךָ רַבִּֽים׃ You will lie down undisturbed;
The great will court your favor.
וְעֵינֵ֥י רְשָׁעִ֗ים תִּ֫כְלֶ֥ינָה וּ֭מָנוֹס אָבַ֣ד מִנְהֶ֑ם וְ֝תִקְוָתָ֗ם מַֽפַּֽח־נָֽפֶשׁ׃ {פ}
But the eyes of the wicked pine away;
Escape is cut off from them;
They have only their last breath to look forward to.