Shir ha-Shirim (שיר השירים ) - Cantico dei Cantici 11

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	NEW JERUSALEM
1 וַיַּעַן צֹפַר הַנַּעֲמָתִי וַיֹּאמַר	1 Zophar of Naamath spoke next. He said:
2 הֲרֹב דְּבָרִים לֹא יֵעָנֶה וְאִם־אִישׁ שְׂפָתַיִם יִצְדָּק	2 Is babbling to go without an answer? Is wordiness a proof of uprightness?
3 בַּדֶּיךָ מְתִים יַחֲרִישׁו וַתִּלְעַג וְאֵין מַכְלִם	3 Do you think your talking strikes people dumb, will you jeer with no one to refute you?
4 וַתֹּאמֶר זַךְ לִקְחִי וּבַר הָיִיתִי בְעֵינֶיךָ	4 These were your words, 'My conduct is pure, in your eyes I am free of blame!'
5 וְאוּלָם מִי־יִתֵּן אֱלֹוהַּ דַּבֵּר וְיִפְתַּח שְׂפָתָיו עִמָּךְ	5 Wil no one let God speak, open his lips and give you answer,
6 וְיַגֶּד־לְךָ ׀ תַּעֲלֻמֹות חָכְמָה כִּי־כִפְלַיִם לְתוּשִׁיָּה וְדַע כִּי־יַשֶּׁה לְךָ אֱלֹוהַ מֵעֲוֹנֶךָ	6 show you the secrets of wisdom which put all cleverness to shame? Then you would realise that Godis cal ing you to account for your sin.
7 הַחֵקֶר אֱלֹוהַ תִּמְצָא אִם עַד־תַּכְלִית שַׁדַּי תִּמְצָא	7 Can you claim to fathom the depth of God, can you reach the limit of Shaddai?
8 גָּבְהֵי מַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָל עֲמֻקָּה מִשְּׁאֹול מַה־תֵּדָע	8 It is higher than the heavens: what can you do? It is deeper than Sheol: what can you know?
9 אֲרֻכָּה מֵאֶרֶץ מִדָּהּ וּרְחָבָה מִנִּי־יָם	9 It would be longer to measure than the earth and broader than the sea.
10 אִם־יַחֲלֹף וְיַסְגִּיר וְיַקְהִיל וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ	10 If he intervenes to close or convoke the assembly, who is to prevent him?
11 כִּי־הוּא יָדַע מְתֵי־שָׁוְא וַיַּרְא־אָוֶן וְלֹא יִתְבֹּונָן	11 He knows how deceptive human beings are, and he sees their misdeeds too, and marks them wel .
12 וְאִישׁ נָבוּב יִלָּבֵב וְעַיִר פֶּרֶא אָדָם יִוָּלֵד	12 Hence empty-headed people would do wel to study sense and people who behave like wild donkeysto let themselves be tamed.
13 אִם־אַתָּה הֲכִינֹותָ לִבֶּךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ אֵלָיו כַּפֶּךָ	13 Come, reconsider your attitude, stretch out your hands towards him!
14 אִם־אָוֶן בְּיָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵהוּ וְאַל־תַּשְׁכֵּן בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ עַוְלָה	14 If you repudiate the sin which you have doubtless committed and do not al ow wickedness to live onin your tents,
15 כִּי־אָז ׀ תִּשָּׂא פָנֶיךָ מִמּוּם וְהָיִיתָ מֻצָק וְלֹא תִירָא	15 you wil be able to raise an unsullied face, unwavering and free from fear,
16 כִּי־אַתָּה עָמָל תִּשְׁכָּח כְּמַיִם עָבְרוּ תִזְכֹּר	16 for you wil forget about your misery, thinking of it only as a flood that passed long ago.
17 וּמִצָּהֳרַיִם יָקוּם חָלֶד תָּעֻפָה כַּבֹּקֶר תִּהְיֶה	17 Then begins an existence more radiant than noon, and the very darkness wil be bright as morning.
18 וּבָטַחְתָּ כִּי־יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה וְחָפַרְתָּ לָבֶטַח תִּשְׁכָּב	18 Confident because there is hope; after your troubles, you wil sleep secure.
19 וְרָבַצְתָּ וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד וְחִלּוּ פָנֶיךָ רַבִּים	19 When you lie down to rest, no one will trouble you, and many wil seek your favour.
20 וְעֵינֵי רְשָׁעִים תִּכְלֶינָה וּמָנֹוס אָבַד מִנְהֶם וְתִקְוָתָם מַפַּח־נָפֶשׁ׃ פ	20 But as for the wicked, their eyes are weary, there is no refuge for them; their only hope is to breathetheir last.