1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

1 וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַֽנַּעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man of much talk be justified?

2 הֲרֹ֣ב דְּ֭בָרִים לֹ֣א יֵעָנֶ֑ה וְאִם־אִ֖ישׁ שְׂפָתַ֣יִם יִצְדָּֽק׃

3 Should thy fictions make men hold their peace? and shouldest thou mock, and no one make [thee] ashamed?

3 בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃

4 For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

4 וַ֭תֹּאמֶר זַ֣ךְ לִקְחִ֑י וּ֝בַ֗ר הָיִ֥יתִי בְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

5 But oh that +God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

5 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן אֱלֹ֣והַּ דַּבֵּ֑ר וְיִפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתָ֣יו עִמָּֽךְ׃

6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, how that they are the double of what is realised; and know that +God passeth by [much] of thine iniquity!

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

7 Canst thou by searching find out +God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

7 הַחֵ֣קֶר אֱלֹ֣והַ תִּמְצָ֑א אִ֤ם עַד־תַּכְלִ֖ית שַׁדַּ֣י תִּמְצָֽא׃

8 [It is as] the heights of heaven; what wilt thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

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

9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

9 אֲרֻכָּ֣ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִדָּ֑הּ וּ֝רְחָבָ֗ה מִנִּי־יָֽם׃

10 If he pass by, and shut up, and call to judgment, who can hinder him?

10 אִם־יַחֲלֹ֥ף וְיַסְגִּ֑יר וְ֝יַקְהִ֗יל וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃

11 For he knoweth vain men, and seeth wickedness when [man] doth not consider it;

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

12 Yet a senseless man will make bold, though man be born [like] the foal of a wild ass.

12 וְאִ֣ישׁ נָ֭בוּב יִלָּבֵ֑ב וְעַ֥יִר פֶּ֝֗רֶא אָדָ֥ם יִוָּלֵֽד׃

13 If thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands toward him,

13 אִם־אַ֭תָּ֗ה¹ הֲכִינֹ֣ותָ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֖ אֵלָ֣יו כַּפֶּֽךָ׃

14 If thou put far away the iniquity which is in thy hand, and let not wrong dwell in thy tents;

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

15 Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear:

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

16 For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;

16 כִּי־אַ֭תָּה עָמָ֣ל תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח כְּמַ֖יִם עָבְר֣וּ תִזְכֹּֽר׃

17 And life shall arise brighter than noonday; though thou be enshrouded in darkness, thou shalt be as the morning,

17 וּֽ֭מִצָּהֳרַיִם יָק֣וּם חָ֑לֶד תָּ֝עֻ֗פָה כַּבֹּ֥קֶר תִּהְיֶֽה׃

18 And thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about [thee], thou shalt take rest in safety.

18 וּֽ֭בָטַחְתָּ כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְ֝חָפַרְתָּ֗ לָבֶ֥טַח תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃

19 Yea, thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; and many shall seek thy favour.

19 וְֽ֭רָבַצְתָּ וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְחִלּ֖וּ פָנֶ֣יךָ רַבִּֽים׃

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and [all] refuge shall vanish from them, and their hope [shall be] the breathing out of life.

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