1 And Job made answer and said,

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.

2 אָ֭מְנָם כִּ֣י אַתֶּם־עָ֑ם וְ֝עִמָּכֶ֗ם תָּמ֥וּת חָכְמָֽה׃

3 But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?

3 גַּם־לִ֤י לֵבָ֨ב׀ כְּֽמֹוכֶ֗ם³ לֹא־נֹפֵ֣ל אָנֹכִ֣י מִכֶּ֑ם וְאֶת־מִי־אֵ֥ין כְּמֹו־אֵֽלֶּה׃

4 It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!

4 שְׂחֹ֤ק לְרֵעֵ֨הוּ׀ אֶֽהְיֶ֗ה קֹרֵ֣א לֶ֭אֱלֹוהַּ וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ חֹ֗וק צַדִּ֥יק תָּמִֽים׃

5 In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

5 לַפִּ֣יד בּ֭וּז לְעַשְׁתּ֣וּת שַׁאֲנָ֑ן נָ֝כֹ֗ון לְמֹ֣ועֲדֵי רָֽגֶל׃

6 There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.

6 יִשְׁלָ֤יוּ אֹֽהָלִ֨ים׀ לְשֹׁ֥דְדִ֗ים³ וּֽ֭בַטֻּחֹות לְמַרְגִּ֣יזֵי אֵ֑ל לַאֲשֶׁ֤ר הֵבִ֖יא אֱלֹ֣והַּ בְּיָדֹֽו׃

7 But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;

7 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם שְׁאַל־נָ֣א בְהֵמֹ֣ות וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ וְעֹ֥וף הַ֝שָּׁמַ֗יִם וְיַגֶּד־לָֽךְ׃

8 Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.

8 אֹ֤ו שִׂ֣יחַ לָאָ֣רֶץ וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ לְ֝ךָ֗ דְּגֵ֣י הַיָּֽם׃

9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?

9 מִ֭י לֹא־יָדַ֣ע בְּכָל־אֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֥י יַד־יְ֝הוָה עָ֣שְׂתָה זֹּֽאת׃

10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.

10 אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּ֭יָדֹו נֶ֣פֶשׁ כָּל־חָ֑י וְ֝ר֗וּחַ כָּל־בְּשַׂר־אִֽישׁ׃

11 Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?

11 הֲלֹא־אֹ֭זֶן מִלִּ֣ין תִּבְחָ֑ן וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ אֹ֣כֶל יִטְעַם־לֹֽו׃

12 Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.

12 בִּֽישִׁישִׁ֥ים חָכְמָ֑ה וְאֹ֖רֶךְ יָמִ֣ים תְּבוּנָֽה׃

13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.

13 עִ֭מֹּו חָכְמָ֣ה וּגְבוּרָ֑ה לֹ֝֗ו עֵצָ֥ה וּתְבוּנָֽה׃

14 Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.

14 הֵ֣ן יַ֭הֲרֹוס וְלֹ֣א יִבָּנֶ֑ה יִסְגֹּ֥ר עַל־אִ֝֗ישׁ וְלֹ֣א יִפָּתֵֽחַ׃

15 Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.

15 הֵ֤ן יַעְצֹ֣ר בַּמַּ֣יִם וְיִבָ֑שׁוּ וִֽ֝ישַׁלְּחֵ֗ם וְיַ֖הַפְכוּ אָֽרֶץ׃

16 With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;

16 עִ֭מֹּו עֹ֣ז וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה¹ לֹ֝֗ו שֹׁגֵ֥ג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃

17 He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;

17 מֹולִ֣יךְ יֹועֲצִ֣ים שֹׁולָ֑ל וְֽשֹׁפְטִ֥ים יְהֹולֵֽל׃

18 He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;

18 מוּסַ֣ר מְלָכִ֣ים פִּתֵּ֑חַ וַיֶּאְסֹ֥ר אֵ֝זֹ֗ור בְּמָתְנֵיהֶֽם׃

19 He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;

19 מֹולִ֣יךְ כֹּהֲנִ֣ים שֹׁולָ֑ל וְאֵֽתָנִ֣ים יְסַלֵּֽף׃

20 He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;

20 מֵסִ֣יר פָה לְנֶאֱמָנִ֑ים וְטַ֖עַם זְקֵנִ֣ים יִקָּֽח׃

21 He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;

21 שֹׁופֵ֣ךְ בּ֭וּז עַל־נְדִיבִ֑ים וּמְזִ֖יחַ אֲפִיקִ֣ים רִפָּֽה׃

22 Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;

22 מְגַלֶּ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקֹות מִנִּי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיֹּצֵ֖א לָאֹ֣ור צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

23 Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.

23 מַשְׂגִּ֣יא לַ֭גֹּויִם וַֽיְאַבְּדֵ֑ם שֹׁטֵ֥חַ לַ֝גֹּויִ֗ם וַיַּנְחֵֽם׃

24 He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.

24 מֵסִ֗יר לֵ֭ב רָאשֵׁ֣י עַם־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם בְּתֹ֣הוּ לֹא־דָֽרֶךְ׃

25 They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.

25 יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֹ֑ור וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם כַּשִּׁכֹּֽור׃