Eliphaz Continues: God Blesses those Who Seek Him

1  קְֽרָא־ (Call out) נָ֭א (please), הֲיֵ֣שׁ (is there) עוֹנֶ֑ךָּ (one answering you)?

וְאֶל־ (And to) מִ֖י (which) מִקְּדֹשִׁ֣ים (of the holy ones) תִּפְנֶֽה׃ (will you turn)?

2  כִּֽי־ (For) לֶֽ֭אֱוִיל (the foolish) יַהֲרָג־ (kills) כָּ֑עַשׂ (indignation)

וּ֝פֹתֶ֗ה (the simple) תָּמִ֥ית (kills) קִנְאָֽה׃ (jealousy).

3  אֲ‍ֽנִי־ (I)— רָ֭אִיתִי (have seen) אֱוִ֣יל (a fool) מַשְׁרִ֑ישׁ (taking root),

וָאֶקּ֖וֹב (and I cursed) נָוֵ֣הוּ (his abode) פִתְאֹֽם׃ (suddenly).

4  יִרְחֲק֣וּ (Far are) בָנָ֣יו (his sons) מִיֶּ֑שַׁע (from safety),

וְיִֽדַּכְּא֥וּ (and they are crushed) בַ֝שַּׁ֗עַר (in the gate) וְאֵ֣ין (and there is none) מַצִּֽיל׃ (rescuing).

5  אֲשֶׁ֤ר (Whose) קְצִיר֨וֹ׀ (harvest) רָ֘עֵ֤ב (the hungry one) יֹאכֵ֗ל (devours),

וְאֶֽל־ (even from) מִצִּנִּ֥ים (among the thorns) יִקָּחֵ֑הוּ (he takes it)

וְשָׁאַ֖ף (and pants) צַמִּ֣ים (the thirsty one) חֵילָֽם׃ (after their wealth).

6  כִּ֤י׀ (For) לֹא־ (not) יֵצֵ֣א (does come forth) מֵעָפָ֣ר (from the dust) אָ֑וֶן (trouble),

וּ֝מֵאֲדָמָ֗ה (and from the ground) לֹא־ (not) יִצְמַ֥ח (does spring up) עָמָֽל׃ (toil).

7  כִּֽי־ (For) אָ֭דָם (man) לְעָמָ֣ל (into toil) יוּלָּ֑ד (is born),

וּבְנֵי־ (and as the sons) רֶ֝֗שֶׁף (of the flame) יַגְבִּ֥יהוּ (soar) עֽוּף׃ (to fly).

8  אוּלָ֗ם (But) אֲ֭נִי (as for me) אֶדְרֹ֣שׁ (I would seek) אֶל־ (for) אֵ֑ל (God),

וְאֶל־ (and unto) אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים (God) אָשִׂ֥ים (I would commit) דִּבְרָתִֽי׃ (my cause)—

9  עֹשֶׂ֣ה (the One doing) גְ֭דֹלוֹת (great things) וְאֵ֣ין (and there is no) חֵ֑קֶר (searching),

נִ֝פְלָא֗וֹת (wonders) עַד־ (until) אֵ֥ין (there is no) מִסְפָּֽר׃ (numbering).

10  הַנֹּתֵ֣ן (The One giving) מָ֭טָר (rain) עַל־ (upon) פְּנֵי־ (the face) אָ֑רֶץ (of the earth)

וְשֹׁ֥לֵֽחַ (and sending) מַ֝יִם (waters) עַל־ (upon) פְּנֵ֥י (the face) חוּצֽוֹת׃ (of the outside),

11  לָשׂ֣וּם (to set) שְׁפָלִ֣ים (the lowly ones) לְמָר֑וֹם (on high)

וְ֝קֹדְרִ֗ים (and those mourning) שָׂ֣גְבוּ (are high) יֶֽשַׁע׃ (in safety).

12  מֵ֭פֵר (He is breaking) מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת (the plots) עֲרוּמִ֑ים (of the crafty ones),

וְֽלֹא־ (and not) תַעֲשֶׂ֥ינָה (can execute) יְ֝דֵיהֶ֗ם (their hands) תּוּשִׁיָּֽה׃ (wisdom).

13  לֹכֵ֣ד (He is catching) חֲכָמִ֣ים (the wise) בְּעָרְמָ֑ם (in their craftiness),

וַעֲצַ֖ת (and the counsel) נִפְתָּלִ֣ים (of those being deceptive) נִמְהָֽרָה׃ (is hurried).

14  יוֹמָ֥ם (By day) יְפַגְּשׁוּ־ (they encounter) חֹ֑שֶׁךְ (darkness),

וְ֝כַלַּ֗יְלָה (and as at night) יְֽמַשְׁשׁ֥וּ (they grope about) בַֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃ (at midday).

15  וַיֹּ֣שַׁע (And He saves) מֵ֭חֶרֶב (from the sword) מִפִּיהֶ֑ם (in their mouth) וּמִיַּ֖ד (and from the hand)

חָזָ֣ק (of the mighty) אֶבְיֽוֹן׃ (the needy).

16  וַתְּהִ֣י (And there is) לַדַּ֣ל (for the poor) תִּקְוָ֑ה (hope),

וְ֝עֹלָ֗תָה (and injustice) קָ֣פְצָה (shuts) פִּֽיהָ׃ (its mouth).

17  הִנֵּ֤ה (Behold), אַשְׁרֵ֣י (blessed is) אֱ֭נוֹשׁ (the man whom) יוֹכִחֶ֣נּֽוּ (reproves) אֱל֑וֹהַּ (God);

וּמוּסַ֥ר (and the discipline) שַׁ֝דַּ֗י (of Shaddai) אַל־ (not) תִּמְאָֽס׃ (should you despise).

18  כִּ֤י (For) ה֣וּא (He) יַכְאִ֣יב (brings pain), וְיֶחְבָּ֑שׁ (and binds up);

יִ֝מְחַ֗ץ (he wounds), וְיָדוֹ (and his hands) תִּרְפֶּֽינָה׃ (heal).

19  בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ (In six) צָ֭רוֹת (distresses) יַצִּילֶ֑ךָּ (he will rescue you),

וּבְשֶׁ֓בַע׀ (and in seven) לֹא־ (not) יִגַּ֖ע (shall touch) בְּךָ֣ (on you) רָֽע׃ (evil).

20  בְּ֭רָעָב (In famine) פָּֽדְךָ֣ (he will redeem you) מִמָּ֑וֶת (from death),

וּ֝בְמִלְחָמָ֗ה (and in war) מִ֣ידֵי (from the hands) חָֽרֶב׃ (of the sword).

21  בְּשׁ֣וֹט (From the scourge) לָ֭שׁוֹן (of the tongue) תֵּחָבֵ֑א (you will be hidden),

וְֽלֹא־ (and not) תִירָ֥א (shall you be afraid) מִ֝שֹּׁ֗ד (of destruction) כִּ֣י (when) יָבֽוֹא׃ (it comes).

22  לְשֹׁ֣ד (At destruction) וּלְכָפָ֣ן (and famine) תִּשְׂחָ֑ק (you will laugh),

וּֽמֵחַיַּ֥ת (and of the beasts) הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ (of the earth) אַל־ (not) תִּירָֽא׃ (shall you be afraid).

23  כִּ֤י (For) עִם־ (with) אַבְנֵ֣י (the stones) הַשָּׂדֶ֣ה (of the field) בְרִיתֶ֑ךָ (will be your covenant),

וְחַיַּ֥ת (and the beasts) הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗ה (of the field) הָשְׁלְמָה־ (will be at peace) לָֽךְ׃ (with you).

24  וְֽ֭יָדַעְתָּ (And you will know) כִּי־ (that) שָׁל֣וֹם (at peace) אָהֳלֶ֑ךָ (is your tent),

וּֽפָקַדְתָּ֥ (and you shall visit) נָ֝וְךָ (your abode) וְלֹ֣א (and not) תֶחֱטָֽא׃ (shall you miss).

25  וְֽ֭יָדַעְתָּ (And you will know) כִּי־ (that) רַ֣ב (numerous) זַרְעֶ֑ךָ (is your seed)

וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֶ֗יךָ (and your offspring) כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב (like the grass) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (of the earth).

26  תָּב֣וֹא (You shall come) בְכֶ֣לַח (in strength) אֱלֵי־ (to) קָ֑בֶר (the grave),

כַּעֲל֖וֹת (like the lifting) גָּדִ֣ישׁ (of a sheaf) בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃ (in its time).

27  הִנֵּה־ (Behold), זֹ֭את (this) חֲקַרְנ֥וּהָ (we have searched it out); כֶּֽן־ (and thus) הִ֑יא (it is so).

שְׁ֝מָעֶ֗נָּה (Hear it), וְאַתָּ֥ה (and you) דַֽע־ (shall know it) לָֽךְ׃פ (for yourself).