1 Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,

1 וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַֽנַּעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Are all these words to go unanswered? and is a man seen to be right because he is full of talk?

2 הֲרֹ֣ב דְּ֭בָרִים לֹ֣א יֵעָנֶ֑ה וְאִם־אִ֖ישׁ שְׂפָתַ֣יִם יִצְדָּֽק׃

3 Are your words of pride to make men keep quiet? and are you to make sport, with no one to put you to shame?

3 בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃

4 You may say, My way is clean, and I am free from sin in your eyes.

4 וַ֭תֹּאמֶר זַ֣ךְ לִקְחִ֑י וּ֝בַ֗ר הָיִ֥יתִי בְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

5 But if only God would take up the word, opening his lips in argument with you;

5 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן אֱלֹ֣והַּ דַּבֵּ֑ר וְיִפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתָ֣יו עִמָּֽךְ׃

6 And would make clear to you the secrets of wisdom, and the wonders of his purpose!

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

7 Are you able to take God's measure, to make discovery of the limits of the Ruler of all?

7 הַחֵ֣קֶר אֱלֹ֣והַ תִּמְצָ֑א אִ֤ם עַד־תַּכְלִ֖ית שַׁדַּ֣י תִּמְצָֽא׃

8 They are higher than heaven; what is there for you to do? deeper than the underworld, and outside your knowledge;

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

9 Longer in measure than the earth, and wider than the sea.

9 אֲרֻכָּ֣ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִדָּ֑הּ וּ֝רְחָבָ֗ה מִנִּי־יָֽם׃

10 If he goes on his way, shutting a man up and putting him to death, who may make him go back from his purpose?

10 אִם־יַחֲלֹ֥ף וְיַסְגִּ֑יר וְ֝יַקְהִ֗יל וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃

11 For in his eyes men are as nothing; he sees evil and takes note of it.

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

12 And so a hollow-minded man will get wisdom, when a young ass of the field gets teaching.

12 וְאִ֣ישׁ נָ֭בוּב יִלָּבֵ֑ב וְעַ֥יִר פֶּ֝֗רֶא אָדָ֥ם יִוָּלֵֽד׃

13 But if you put your heart right, stretching out your hands to him;

13 אִם־אַ֭תָּ֗ה¹ הֲכִינֹ֣ותָ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֖ אֵלָ֣יו כַּפֶּֽךָ׃

14 If you put far away the evil of your hands, and let no wrongdoing have a place in your tent;

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

15 Then truly your face will be lifted up, with no mark of sin, and you will be fixed in your place without fear:

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

16 For your sorrow will go from your memory, like waters flowing away:

16 כִּי־אַ֭תָּה עָמָ֣ל תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח כְּמַ֖יִם עָבְר֣וּ תִזְכֹּֽר׃

17 And your life will be brighter than day; though it is dark, it will become like the morning.

17 וּֽ֭מִצָּהֳרַיִם יָק֣וּם חָ֑לֶד תָּ֝עֻ֗פָה כַּבֹּ֥קֶר תִּהְיֶֽה׃

18 And you will be safe because there is hope; after looking round, you will take your rest in quiet;

18 וּֽ֭בָטַחְתָּ כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְ֝חָפַרְתָּ֗ לָבֶ֥טַח תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃

19 Sleeping with no fear of danger; and men will be desiring to have grace in your eyes;

19 וְֽ֭רָבַצְתָּ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְחִלּ֖וּ פָנֶ֣יךָ רַבִּֽים׃

20 But the eyes of the evil-doers will be wasting away; their way of flight is gone, and their only hope is the taking of their last breath.

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