1Then answered Bildad HaShukhi, and said,
2“How long will you speak these things, seeing that the words of your mouth are as a mighty wind?
3Does God pervert judgment? Or does Shadai pervert justice?
4If your children sinned against Him, He delivered them into the hand of their transgression.
5If you would seek earnestly unto God, and make your supplication to Shadai;
6If you were pure and upright; surely now He would awake for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
7And though your beginning was small, yet your end should greatly increase.
8For inquire, I pray, of the former generation, and apply yourself to that which their fathers have searched out;
9For we are only of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow;
10Shall not they teach you, and tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
11Can the rush shoot up without mire? Can the reed-grass grow without water?
12While it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withers before any other herb.
13So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hope of the godless man shall perish;
14Whose confidence is gossamer, and whose trust is a spider’s web.
15He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.
16He is green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.
17His roots are wrapped about the heap, he beholds the place of stones.
18If he is destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him, ‘I have not seen you.’
19Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others spring.
20Behold, God will not cast away an innocent man, neither will He uphold the evil-doers;
21Till He fills your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting.
22They that hate you shall be clothed with shame; and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.”
אוַיַּעַן בִּלְדַּד הַשּׁוּחִי; וַיֹּאמַר,
בעַד אָן תְּמַלֶּל אֵלֶּה; וְרוּחַ כַּבִּיר אִמְרֵי פִיךָ.
גהַאֵל יְעַוֵּת מִשְׁפָּט; וְאִם שַׁדַּי יְעַוֵּת צֶדֶק.
דאִם בָּנֶיךָ חָטְאוּ לוֹ; וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם בְּיַד פִּשְׁעָם.
האִם אַתָּה תְּשַׁחֵר אֶל אֵל; וְאֶל שַׁדַּי תִּתְחַנָּן.
ואִם זַךְ וְיָשָׁר אָתָּה: כִּי עַתָּה יָעִיר עָלֶיךָ; וְשִׁלַּם נְוַת צִדְקֶךָ.
זוְהָיָה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ מִצְעָר; וְאַחֲרִיתְךָ יִשְׂגֶּה מְאֹד.
חכִּי שְׁאַל נָא לְדֹר רִישׁוֹן; וְכוֹנֵן לְחֵקֶר אֲבוֹתָם.
טכִּי תְמוֹל אֲנַחְנוּ וְלֹא נֵדָע: כִּי צֵל יָמֵינוּ עֲלֵי אָרֶץ.
יהֲלֹא הֵם יוֹרוּךָ יֹאמְרוּ לָךְ; וּמִלִּבָּם יוֹצִאוּ מִלִּים.
יאהֲיִגְאֶה גֹּמֶא בְּלֹא בִצָּה; יִשְׂגֶּה אָחוּ בְלִי מָיִם.
יבעֹדֶנּוּ בְאִבּוֹ לֹא יִקָּטֵף; וְלִפְנֵי כָל חָצִיר יִיבָשׁ.
יגכֵּן אָרְחוֹת כָּל שֹׁכְחֵי אֵל; וְתִקְוַת חָנֵף תֹּאבֵד.
ידאֲשֶׁר יָקוֹט כִּסְלוֹ; וּבֵית עַכָּבִישׁ מִבְטַחוֹ.
טויִשָּׁעֵן עַל בֵּיתוֹ וְלֹא יַעֲמֹד; יַחֲזִיק בּוֹ וְלֹא יָקוּם.
טזרָטֹב הוּא לִפְנֵי שָׁמֶשׁ; וְעַל גַּנָּתוֹ יֹנַקְתּוֹ תֵצֵא.
יזעַל גַּל שָׁרָשָׁיו יְסֻבָּכוּ; בֵּית אֲבָנִים יֶחֱזֶה.
יחאִם יְבַלְּעֶנּוּ מִמְּקֹמוֹ; וְכִחֶשׁ בּוֹ לֹא רְאִיתִיךָ.
יטהֶן הוּא מְשׂוֹשׂ דַּרְכּוֹ; וּמֵעָפָר אַחֵר יִצְמָחוּ.
כהֶן אֵל לֹא יִמְאַס תָּם; וְלֹא יַחֲזִיק בְּיַד מְרֵעִים.
כאעַד יְמַלֵּה שְׂחוֹק פִּיךָ; וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ תְרוּעָה.
כבשֹׂנְאֶיךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ בֹשֶׁת; וְאֹהֶל רְשָׁעִים אֵינֶנּוּ.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 