1 And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --

1 וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַֽנַּעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?

2 הֲרֹ֣ב דְּ֭בָרִים לֹ֣א יֵעָנֶ֑ה וְאִם־אִ֖ישׁ שְׂפָתַ֣יִם יִצְדָּֽק׃

3 Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

3 בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃

4 And thou sayest, `Pure `is' my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.'

4 וַ֭תֹּאמֶר זַ֣ךְ לִקְחִ֑י וּ֝בַ֗ר הָיִ֥יתִי בְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

5 And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

5 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן אֱלֹ֣והַּ דַּבֵּ֑ר וְיִפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתָ֣יו עִמָּֽךְ׃

6 And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, `Some' of thine iniquity.

6 וְיַגֶּד־לְךָ֨³׀ תַּֽעֲלֻמֹ֣ות חָכְמָה֮ כִּֽי־כִפְלַ֪יִם לְֽת֫וּשִׁיָּ֥ה וְדַ֡ע כִּֽי־יַשֶּׁ֥ה לְךָ֥ אֱ֝לֹ֗והַ מֵעֲוֹנֶֽךָ׃

7 By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

7 הַחֵ֣קֶר אֱלֹ֣והַ תִּמְצָ֑א אִ֤ם עַד־תַּכְלִ֖ית שַׁדַּ֣י תִּמְצָֽא׃

8 Heights of the heavens! -- what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! -- what knowest thou?

8 גָּבְהֵ֣י מַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָ֑ל עֲמֻקָּ֥ה מִ֝שְּׁאֹ֗ול מַה־תֵּדָֽע׃

9 Longer than earth `is' its measure, And broader than the sea.

9 אֲרֻכָּ֣ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִדָּ֑הּ וּ֝רְחָבָ֗ה מִנִּי־יָֽם׃

10 If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?

10 אִם־יַחֲלֹ֥ף וְיַסְגִּ֑יר וְ֝יַקְהִ֗יל וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃

11 For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider `it'!

11 כִּי־ה֭וּא יָדַ֣ע מְתֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וַיַּרְא־אָ֝֗וֶן וְלֹ֣א יִתְבֹּונָֽן׃

12 And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

12 וְאִ֣ישׁ נָ֭בוּב יִלָּבֵ֑ב וְעַ֥יִר פֶּ֝֗רֶא אָדָ֥ם יִוָּלֵֽד׃

13 If thou -- thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

13 אִם־אַ֭תָּ֗ה¹ הֲכִינֹ֣ותָ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֖ אֵלָ֣יו כַּפֶּֽךָ׃

14 If iniquity `is' in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.

14 אִם־אָ֣וֶן בְּ֭יָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵ֑הוּ וְאַל־תַּשְׁכֵּ֖ן בְּאֹהָלֶ֣יךָ עַוְלָֽה׃

15 For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

15 כִּי־אָ֤ז׀ תִּשָּׂ֣א פָנֶ֣יךָ מִמּ֑וּם וְהָיִ֥יתָ מֻ֝צָ֗ק וְלֹ֣א תִירָֽא׃

16 For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

16 כִּי־אַ֭תָּה עָמָ֣ל תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח כְּמַ֖יִם עָבְר֣וּ תִזְכֹּֽר׃

17 And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest -- as the morning thou art.

17 וּֽ֭מִצָּהֳרַיִם יָק֣וּם חָ֑לֶד תָּ֝עֻ֗פָה כַּבֹּ֥קֶר תִּהְיֶֽה׃

18 And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched -- in confidence thou liest down,

18 וּֽ֭בָטַחְתָּ כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְ֝חָפַרְתָּ֗ לָבֶ֥טַח תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃

19 And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

19 וְֽ֭רָבַצְתָּ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְחִלּ֖וּ פָנֶ֣יךָ רַבִּֽים׃

20 And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope `is' a breathing out of soul!

20 וְעֵינֵ֥י רְשָׁעִ֗ים תִּ֫כְלֶ֥ינָה³ וּ֭מָנֹוס אָבַ֣ד מִנְהֶ֑ם וְ֝תִקְוָתָ֗ם מַֽפַּח־נָֽפֶשׁ׃