Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

1וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill himself with the hot east wind?

2הֶֽחָכָ֗ם יַעֲנֶ֥ה דַֽעַת־ ר֑וּחַ וִֽימַלֵּ֖א קָדִ֣ים בִּטְנֽוֹ׃

3Should he argue with useless talk or with words that serve no good purpose?

3הוֹכֵ֣חַ בְּ֭דָבָר לֹ֣א יִסְכּ֑וֹן וּ֝מִלִּ֗ים לֹא־ יוֹעִ֥יל בָּֽם׃

4But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.

4אַף־ אַ֭תָּה תָּפֵ֣ר יִרְאָ֑ה וְתִגְרַ֥ע שִׂ֝יחָ֗ה לִפְנֵי־ אֵֽל׃

5Your iniquity teaches you what to say, and you choose the language of the crafty.

5כִּ֤י יְאַלֵּ֣ף עֲוֺנְךָ֣ פִ֑יךָ וְ֝תִבְחַ֗ר לְשׁ֣וֹן עֲרוּמִֽים׃

6Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips testify against you.

6יַרְשִֽׁיעֲךָ֣ פִ֣יךָ וְלֹא־ אָ֑נִי וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ יַעֲנוּ־ בָֽךְ׃

7Were you the first person ever born, or were you brought forth before the hills?

7הֲרִאישׁ֣וֹן אָ֭דָם תִּוָּלֵ֑ד וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתָּ׃

8Do you listen in on the council of God, or have a monopoly on wisdom?

8הַבְס֣וֹד אֱל֣וֹהַ תִּשְׁמָ֑ע וְתִגְרַ֖ע אֵלֶ֣יךָ חָכְמָֽה׃

9What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

9מַה־ יָּ֭דַעְתָּ וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע תָּ֝בִ֗ין וְֽלֹא־ עִמָּ֥נוּ הֽוּא׃

10Both the gray-haired and the elderly are with us, men older than your father.

10גַּם־ שָׂ֣ב גַּם־ יָשִׁ֣ישׁ בָּ֑נוּ כַּבִּ֖יר מֵאָבִ֣יךָ יָמִֽים׃

11Are God's consolations not enough for you, even the words that deal gently with you?

11הַמְעַ֣ט מִ֭מְּךָ תַּנְחֻמ֣וֹת אֵ֑ל וְ֝דָבָ֗ר לָאַ֥ט עִמָּֽךְ׃

12Why has your heart misled you, and why do your eyes flash

12מַה־ יִּקָּחֲךָ֥ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּֽמַה־ יִּרְזְמ֥וּן עֵינֶֽיךָ׃

13as you turn your anger against God and allow such words to leave your mouth?

13כִּֽי־ תָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־ אֵ֣ל רוּחֶ֑ךָ וְהֹצֵ֖אתָ מִפִּ֣יךָ מִלִּֽין׃

14What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

14מָֽה־ אֱנ֥וֹשׁ כִּֽי־ יִזְכֶּ֑ה וְכִֽי־ יִ֝צְדַּ֗ק יְל֣וּד אִשָּֽׁה׃

15If God puts no trust in His holy ones and the heavens are not pure in His sight,

15הֵ֣ן [בקדשו] (בִּ֭קְדֹשָׁיו) לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וְ֝שָׁמַ֗יִם לֹא־ זַכּ֥וּ בְעֵינָֽיו׃

16how much less one who is revolting and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?

16אַ֭ף כִּֽי־ נִתְעָ֥ב וְֽנֶאֱלָ֑ח אִישׁ־ שֹׁתֶ֖ה כַמַּ֣יִם עַוְלָֽה׃

17Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,

17אֲחַוְךָ֥ שְֽׁמַֽע־ לִ֑י וְזֶֽה־ חָ֝זִ֗יתִי וַאֲסַפֵּֽרָה׃

18what was declared by wise men and was not suppressed by their ancestors,

18אֲשֶׁר־ חֲכָמִ֥ים יַגִּ֑ידוּ וְלֹ֥א כִֽ֝חֲד֗וּ מֵאֲבוֹתָֽם׃

19the land was given to them alone when no foreigner passed among them.

19לָהֶ֣ם לְ֭בַדָּם נִתְּנָ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ וְלֹא־ עָ֖בַר זָ֣ר בְּתוֹכָֽם׃

20A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.

20כָּל־ יְמֵ֣י רָ֭שָׁע ה֣וּא מִתְחוֹלֵ֑ל וּמִסְפַּ֥ר שָׁ֝נִ֗ים נִצְפְּנ֥וּ לֶעָרִֽיץ׃

21Dreadful sounds fill his ears; when he is at peace, a robber attacks him.

21קוֹל־ פְּחָדִ֥ים בְּאָזְנָ֑יו בַּ֝שָּׁל֗וֹם שׁוֹדֵ֥ד יְבוֹאֶֽנּוּ׃

22He doesn't believe he will return from darkness; he is destined for the sword.

22לֹא־ יַאֲמִ֣ין שׁ֭וּב מִנִּי־ חֹ֑שֶׁךְ [וצפו] (וְצָפ֖וּי) ה֣וּא אֱלֵי־ חָֽרֶב׃

23He wanders about for food, saying, "Where is it?" He knows the day of darkness is at hand.

23נֹ֘דֵ֤ד ה֣וּא לַלֶּ֣חֶם אַיֵּ֑ה יָדַ֓ע ׀ כִּֽי־ נָכ֖וֹן בְּיָד֣וֹ יֽוֹם־ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

24Trouble and distress terrify him, overwhelming him like a king prepared for battle.

24יְֽ֭בַעֲתֻהוּ צַ֣ר וּמְצוּקָ֑ה תִּ֝תְקְפֵ֗הוּ כְּמֶ֤לֶךְ ׀ עָתִ֬יד לַכִּידֽוֹר׃

25For he has stretched out his hand against God and has arrogantly opposed the Almighty.

25כִּֽי־ נָטָ֣ה אֶל־ אֵ֣ל יָד֑וֹ וְאֶל־ שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְגַּבָּֽר׃

26He rushes headlong at Him with his thick, studded shields.

26יָר֣וּץ אֵלָ֣יו בְּצַוָּ֑אר בַּ֝עֲבִ֗י גַּבֵּ֥י מָֽגִנָּֽיו׃

27Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with it,

27כִּֽי־ כִסָּ֣ה פָנָ֣יו בְּחֶלְבּ֑וֹ וַיַּ֖עַשׂ פִּימָ֣ה עֲלֵי־ כָֽסֶל׃

28he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble.

28וַיִּשְׁכּ֤וֹן ׀ עָ֘רִ֤ים נִכְחָד֗וֹת בָּ֭תִּים לֹא־ יֵ֣שְׁבוּ לָ֑מוֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר הִתְעַתְּד֣וּ לְגַלִּֽים׃

29He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not increase in the land.

29לֹֽא־ יֶ֭עְשַׁר וְלֹא־ יָק֣וּם חֵיל֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־ יִטֶּ֖ה לָאָ֣רֶץ מִנְלָֽם׃

30He will not escape from the darkness; flames will wither his shoots, and by the breath of God's mouth, he will depart.

30לֹֽא־ יָס֨וּר ׀ מִנִּי־ חֹ֗שֶׁךְ יֹֽ֭נַקְתּוֹ תְּיַבֵּ֣שׁ שַׁלְהָ֑בֶת וְ֝יָס֗וּר בְּר֣וּחַ פִּֽיו׃

31Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray, for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.

31אַל־ יַאֲמֵ֣ן [בשו] (בַּשָּׁ֣יו) נִתְעָ֑ה כִּי־ שָׁ֝֗וְא תִּהְיֶ֥ה תְמוּרָתֽוֹ׃

32It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not flourish.

32בְּֽלֹא־ י֭וֹמוֹ תִּמָּלֵ֑א וְ֝כִפָּת֗וֹ לֹ֣א רַעֲנָֽנָה׃

33He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

33יַחְמֹ֣ס כַּגֶּ֣פֶן בִּסְר֑וֹ וְיַשְׁלֵ֥ךְ כַּ֝זַּ֗יִת נִצָּתֽוֹ׃

34For the company of the godless will have no children, and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes.

34כִּֽי־ עֲדַ֣ת חָנֵ֣ף גַּלְמ֑וּד וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ אָכְלָ֥ה אָֽהֳלֵי־ שֹֽׁחַד׃

35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb prepares deception.

35הָרֹ֣ה עָ֭מָל וְיָ֣לֹד אָ֑וֶן וּ֝בִטְנָ֗ם תָּכִ֥ין מִרְמָֽה׃ ס

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.