1 ויסף אליהוא ויאמר | 1 Continuing in a similar manner, Eliu had this to say: |
2 כתר לי זעיר ואחוך כי עוד לאלוה מלים | 2 Bear with me for a little while and I will show you; for I have still more to say in favor of God. |
3 אשא דעי למרחוק ולפעלי אתן צדק | 3 I will review my knowledge from the beginning, and I will prove my Maker to be just. |
4 כי אמנם לא שקר מלי תמים דעות עמך | 4 For truly my words are without any falsehood and perfect knowledge will be proven to you. |
5 הן אל כביר ולא ימאס כביר כח לב | 5 God does not abandon the powerful, for he himself is also powerful. |
6 לא יחיה רשע ומשפט עניים יתן | 6 But he does not save the impious, though he grants judgment to the poor. |
7 לא יגרע מצדיק עיניו ואת מלכים לכסא וישיבם לנצח ויגבהו | 7 He will not take his eyes away from the just, and he continually establishes kings on their throne, and they are exalted. |
8 ואם אסורים בזקים ילכדון בחבלי עני | 8 And, if they are in captivity, or are bound with the chains of poverty, |
9 ויגד להם פעלם ופשעיהם כי יתגברו | 9 he will reveal to them their works, as well as their sinfulness, in that they were violent. |
10 ויגל אזנם למוסר ויאמר כי ישבון מאון | 10 Likewise, he will open their ears to his correction, and he will speak to them, so that they may return from iniquity. |
11 אם ישמעו ויעבדו יכלו ימיהם בטוב ושניהם בנעימים | 11 If they listen and obey, they will fill their days with goodness and complete their years in glory. |
12 ואם לא ישמעו בשלח יעברו ויגועו בבלי דעת | 12 But if they will not listen, they will pass away by the sword and will be consumed by foolishness. |
13 וחנפי לב ישימו אף לא ישועו כי אסרם | 13 The false and the crafty provoke the wrath of God, yet they do not cry out to him when they are chained. |
14 תמת בנער נפשם וחיתם בקדשים | 14 Their soul will die in a storm, and their life, among the unmanly. |
15 יחלץ עני בעניו ויגל בלחץ אזנם | 15 He will rescue the poor from his anguish, and he will open his ear during tribulation. |
16 ואף הסיתך מפי צר רחב לא מוצק תחתיה ונחת שלחנך מלא דשן | 16 Therefore, he will save you from the narrow mouth very widely, even though it has no foundation under it. Moreover, your respite at table will be full of fatness. |
17 ודין רשע מלאת דין ומשפט יתמכו | 17 Your case has been judged like that of the impious; you will withdraw your plea and your judgment. |
18 כי חמה פן יסיתך בספק ורב כפר אל יטך | 18 Therefore, do not let anger overwhelm you so that you oppress another; neither should you allow a multitude of gifts to influence you. |
19 היערך שועך לא בצר וכל מאמצי כח | 19 Lay down your greatness without distress, and put aside all of your power with courage. |
20 אל תשאף הלילה לעלות עמים תחתם | 20 Do not prolong the night, even if people rise on their behalf. |
21 השמר אל תפן אל און כי על זה בחרת מעני | 21 Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity; for, after your misery, you have begun to follow this. |
22 הן אל ישגיב בכחו מי כמהו מורה | 22 Behold, God is exalted in his strength, and there is no one like him among the law-givers. |
23 מי פקד עליו דרכו ומי אמר פעלת עולה | 23 Who is able to investigate his ways? And who can say, “You have done iniquity,” to him? |
24 זכר כי תשגיא פעלו אשר שררו אנשים | 24 Remember that you are ignorant of his work, yet men have sung its praises. |
25 כל אדם חזו בו אנוש יביט מרחוק | 25 All men consider him; and each one ponders from a distance. |
26 הן אל שגיא ולא נדע מספר שניו ולא חקר | 26 Behold, God is great, defeating our knowledge; the number of his years is inestimable. |
27 כי יגרע נטפי מים יזקו מטר לאדו | 27 He carries away the drops of rain, and he sends forth showers like a raging whirlpool; |
28 אשר יזלו שחקים ירעפו עלי אדם רב | 28 they flow from the clouds that are woven above everything. |
29 אף אם יבין מפרשי עב תשאות סכתו | 29 If he wills it, he extends the clouds as his tent |
30 הן פרש עליו אורו ושרשי הים כסה | 30 and shines with his light from above; likewise, he covers the oceans within his tent. |
31 כי בם ידין עמים יתן אכל למכביר | 31 For he judges the people by these things, and he gives food to a multitude of mortals. |
32 על כפים כסה אור ויצו עליה במפגיע | 32 Within his hands, he hides the light, and he commands it to come forth again. |
33 יגיד עליו רעו מקנה אף על עולה | 33 He announces it to his friend, for it is his possession and he is able to reach out to it. |