1 וַיַּעַן בִּלְדַּד הַשּׁוּחִי וַיֹאמַר | 1 Bildad the Shuhite spoke out and said: |
2 עַד־אָן תְּמַלֶּל־אֵלֶּה וְרוּחַ כַּבִּיר אִמְרֵי־פִיךָ | 2 How long will you utter such things? The words from your mouth are like a mighty wind! |
3 הַאֵל יְעַוֵּת מִשְׁפָּט וְאִםשַׁ־דַּי יְעַוֵּת־צֶדֶק | 3 Does God pervert judgment, and does the Almighty distort justice? |
4 אִם־בָּנֶיךָ חָטְאוּ־לֹו וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם בְּיַד־פִּשְׁעָם | 4 If your children have sinned against him and he has left them in the grip of their guilt, |
5 אִם־אַתָּה תְּשַׁחֵר אֶל־אֵל וְאֶלשַׁ־דַּי תִּתְחַנָּן | 5 Still, if you yourself have recourse to God and make supplication to the Almighty, |
6 אִם־זַךְ וְיָשָׁר אָתָּה כִּי־עַתָּה יָעִיר עָלֶיךָ וְשִׁלַּם נְוַת צִדְקֶךָ | 6 Should you be blameless and upright, surely now he will awake for you and restore your rightful domain; |
7 וְהָיָה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ מִצְעָר וְאַחֲרִיתְךָ יִשְׂגֶּה מְאֹד | 7 Your former state will be of little moment, for in time to come you will flourish indeed. |
8 כִּי־שְׁאַל־נָא לְדֹר רִישֹׁון וְכֹונֵן לְחֵקֶר אֲבֹותָם | 8 If you inquire of the former generations, and give heed to the experience of the fathers |
9 כִּי־תְמֹול אֲנַחְנוּ וְלֹא נֵדָע כִּי צֵל יָמֵינוּ עֲלֵי־אָרֶץ | 9 (As we are but of yesterday and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are but a shadow), |
10 הֲלֹא־הֵם יֹורוּךָ יֹאמְרוּ לָךְ וּמִלִּבָּם יֹוצִאוּ מִלִּים | 10 Will they not teach you and tell you and utter their words of understanding? |
11 הֲיִגְאֶה־גֹּמֶא בְּלֹא בִצָּה יִשְׂגֶּה־אָחוּ בְלִי־מָיִם | 11 Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the reed grass flourish without water? |
12 עֹדֶנּוּ בְאִבֹּו לֹא יִקָּטֵף וְלִפְנֵי כָל־חָצִיר יִיבָשׁ | 12 While it is yet green and uncut, it withers quicker than any grass. |
13 כֵּן אָרְחֹות כָּל־שֹׁכְחֵי אֵל וְתִקְוַת חָנֵף תֹּאבֵד | 13 So is the end of everyone who forgets God, and so shall the hope of the godless man perish. |
14 אֲשֶׁר־יָקֹוט כִּסְלֹו וּבֵית עַכָּבִישׁ מִבְטַחֹו | 14 His confidence is but a gossamer thread and his trust is a spider's web. |
15 יִשָּׁעֵן עַל־בֵּיתֹו וְלֹא יַעֲמֹד יַחֲזִיק בֹּו וְלֹא יָקוּם | 15 He shall rely upon his family, but it shall not last; he shall cling to it, but it shall not endure. |
16 רָטֹב הוּא לִפְנֵי־שָׁמֶשׁ וְעַל גַּנָּתֹו יֹנַקְתֹּו תֵצֵא | 16 He is full of sap before sunrise, and beyond his garden his shoots go forth; |
17 עַל־גַּל שָׁרָשָׁיו יְסֻבָּכוּ בֵּית אֲבָנִים יֶחֱזֶה | 17 About a heap of stones are his roots entwined; among the rocks he takes hold. |
18 אִם־יְבַלְּעֶנּוּ מִמְּקֹומֹו וְכִחֶשׁ בֹּו לֹא רְאִיתִיךָ | 18 Yet if one tears him from his place, it will disown him: "I have never seen you!" |
19 הֶן־הוּא מְשֹׂושׂ דַּרְכֹּו וּמֵעָפָר אַחֵר יִצְמָחוּ | 19 There he lies rotting beside the road, and out of the soil another sprouts. |
20 הֶן־אֵל לֹא יִמְאַס־תָּם וְלֹא־יַחֲזִיק בְּיַד־מְרֵעִים | 20 Behold, God will not cast away the upright; neither will he take the hand of the wicked. |
21 עַד־יְמַלֵּה שְׂחֹוק פִּיךָ וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ תְרוּעָה | 21 Once more will he fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with rejoicing. |
22 שֹׂנְאֶיךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹשֶׁת וְאֹהֶל רְשָׁעִים אֵינֶנּוּ׃ פ | 22 They that hate you shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked shall be no more. |