Shir ha-Shirim (שיר השירים ) - Cantico dei Cantici 4

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 וַיַּעַן אֱלִיפַז הַתֵּימָנִי וַיֹּאמַר	1 Then spoke Eliphaz the Temanite, who said:
2 הֲנִסָּה דָבָר אֵלֶיךָ תִּלְאֶה וַעְצֹר בְּמִלִּין מִי יוּכָל	2 If someone attempts a word with you, will you mind? For how can anyone refrain from speaking?
3 הִנֵּה יִסַּרְתָּ רַבִּים וְיָדַיִם רָפֹות תְּחַזֵּק	3 Behold, you have instructed many, and have made firm their feeble hands.
4 כֹּושֵׁל יְקִימוּן מִלֶּיךָ וּבִרְכַּיִם כֹּרְעֹות תְּאַמֵּץ	4 Your words have upheld the stumbler; you have strengthened his faltering knees.
5 כִּי עַתָּה ׀ תָּבֹוא אֵלֶיךָ וַתֵּלֶא תִּגַּע עָדֶיךָ וַתִּבָּהֵל	5 But now that it comes to you, you are impatient; when it touches yourself, you are dismayed.
6 הֲלֹא יִרְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶךָ תִּקְוָתְךָ וְתֹם דְּרָכֶיךָ	6 Is not your piety a source of confidence, and your integrity of life your hope?
7 זְכָר־נָא מִי הוּא נָקִי אָבָד וְאֵיפֹה יְשָׁרִים נִכְחָדוּ	7 Reflect now, what innocent person perishes? Since when are the upright destroyed?
8 כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי חֹרְשֵׁי אָוֶן וְזֹרְעֵי עָמָל יִקְצְרֻהוּ	8 As I see it, those who plow for mischief and sow trouble, reap the same.
9 מִנִּשְׁמַת אֱלֹוהַ יֹאבֵדוּ וּמֵרוּחַ אַפֹּו יִכְלוּ	9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his wrath they are consumed.
10 שַׁאֲגַת אַרְיֵה וְקֹול שָׁחַל וְשִׁנֵּי כְפִירִים נִתָּעוּ	10 Though the lion roars, though the king of beasts cries out, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken;
11 לַיִשׁ אֹבֵד מִבְּלִי־טָרֶף וּבְנֵי לָבִיא יִתְפָּרָדוּ	11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12 וְאֵלַי דָּבָר יְגֻנָּב וַתִּקַּח אָזְנִי שֵׁמֶץ מֶנְהוּ	12 For a word was stealthily brought to me, and my ear caught a whisper of it.
13 בִּשְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנֹות לָיְלָה בִּנְפֹל תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל־אֲנָשִׁים	13 In my thoughts during visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14 פַּחַד קְרָאַנִי וּרְעָדָה וְרֹב עַצְמֹותַי הִפְחִיד	14 Fear came upon me, and shuddering, that terrified me to the bones.
15 וְרוּחַ עַל־פָּנַי יַחֲלֹף תְּסַמֵּר שַׂעֲרַת בְּשָׂרִי	15 Then a spirit passed before me, and the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 יַעֲמֹד ׀ וְלֹא־אַכִּיר מַרְאֵהוּ תְּמוּנָה לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי דְּמָמָה וָקֹול אֶשְׁמָע	16 It paused, but its likeness I could not discern; a figure was before my eyes, and I heard a still voice:
17 הַאֱנֹושׁ מֵאֱלֹוהַ יִצְדָּק אִם מֵעֹשֵׂהוּ יִטְהַר־גָּבֶר	17 "Can a man be righteous as against God? Can a mortal be blameless against his Maker?
18 הֵן בַּעֲבָדָיו לֹא יַאֲמִין וּבְמַלְאָכָיו יָשִׂים תָּהֳלָה	18 Lo, he puts no trust in his servants, and with his angels he can find fault.
19 אַף ׀ שֹׁכְנֵי בָתֵּי־חֹמֶר אֲשֶׁר־בֶּעָפָר יְסֹודָם יְדַכְּאוּם לִפְנֵי־עָשׁ	19 How much more with those that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed more easily than the moth!
20 מִבֹּקֶר לָעֶרֶב יֻכַּתּוּ מִבְּלִי מֵשִׂים לָנֶצַח יֹאבֵדוּ	20 Morning or evening they may be shattered; with no heed paid to it, they perish forever.
21 הֲלֹא־נִסַּע יִתְרָם בָּם יָמוּתוּ וְלֹא בְחָכְמָה	21 The pegs of their tent are plucked up; they die without knowing wisdom."