Tanach · Writings

Job 18/איוב י״ח

אוַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשֻּׁחִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

1Then Bildad the Shuhite said in reply:

בעַד־אָ֤נָה׀ תְּשִׂימ֣וּן קִנְצֵ֣י לְמִלִּ֑ין תָּ֝בִ֗ינוּ וְאַחַ֥ר נְדַבֵּֽר׃

2How long? Put an end to talk!Consider, and then we shall speak.

גמַ֭דּוּעַ נֶחְשַׁ֣בְנוּ כַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נִ֝טְמִ֗ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃

3Why are we thought of as brutes,Regarded by you as stupid?

דטֹרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֗וֹ בְּאַ֫פּ֥וֹ הַֽ֭לְמַעַנְךָ תֵּעָ֣זַב אָ֑רֶץ וְיֶעְתַּק־צ֝֗וּר מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ׃

4You who tear yourself to pieces in anger—Will earth’s order be disrupted^a for your sake?Will rocks be dislodged from their place?

הגַּ֤ם א֣וֹר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָ֑ךְ וְלֹא־יִ֝גַּ֗הּ שְׁבִ֣יב אִשּֽׁוֹ׃

5Indeed, the light of the wicked fails;The flame of his fire does not shine.

וא֭וֹר חָשַׁ֣ךְ בְּאׇהֳל֑וֹ וְ֝נֵר֗וֹ עָלָ֥יו יִדְעָֽךְ׃

6The light in his tent darkens;His lamp fails him.

זיֵ֭צְרוּ צַעֲדֵ֣י אוֹנ֑וֹ וְֽתַשְׁלִיכֵ֥הוּ עֲצָתֽוֹ׃

7His iniquitous strides are hobbled;His schemes overthrow him.

חכִּֽי־שֻׁלַּ֣ח בְּרֶ֣שֶׁת בְּרַגְלָ֑יו וְעַל־שְׂ֝בָכָ֗ה יִתְהַלָּֽךְ׃

8He is led by his feet into the net;He walks onto the toils.

טיֹאחֵ֣ז בְּעָקֵ֣ב פָּ֑ח יַחֲזֵ֖ק עָלָ֣יו צַמִּֽים׃

9The trap seizes his heel;The noose tightens on him.

יטָמ֣וּן בָּאָ֣רֶץ חַבְל֑וֹ וּ֝מַלְכֻּדְתּ֗וֹ עֲלֵ֣י נָתִֽיב׃

10The rope for him lies hidden on the ground;His snare, on the path.

יאסָ֭בִיב בִּעֲתֻ֣הוּ בַלָּה֑וֹת וֶהֱפִיצֻ֥הוּ לְרַגְלָֽיו׃

11Terrors assault him on all sidesAnd send his feet flying.

יביְהִי־רָעֵ֥ב אֹנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֵ֗יד נָכ֥וֹן לְצַלְעֽוֹ׃

12His progeny hunger;Disaster awaits his wife.^b

יגיֹ֭אכַל בַּדֵּ֣י עוֹר֑וֹ יֹאכַ֥ל בַּ֝דָּ֗יו בְּכ֣וֹר מָֽוֶת׃

13The tendons under his skin are consumed;Death’s first-born consumes his tendons.

ידיִנָּתֵ֣ק מֵ֭אׇהֳלוֹ מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְ֝תַצְעִדֵ֗הוּ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃

14He is torn from the safety of his tent;Terror marches him to the king.^c

טותִּשְׁכּ֣וֹן בְּ֭אׇהֳלוֹ מִבְּלִיל֑וֹ יְזֹרֶ֖ה עַל־נָוֵ֣הוּ גׇפְרִֽית׃

15It lodges in his desolate tent;Sulfur is strewn upon his home.

טזמִ֭תַּחַת שׇׁרָשָׁ֣יו יִבָ֑שׁוּ וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל יִמַּ֥ל קְצִירֽוֹ׃

16His roots below dry up,And above, his branches wither.

יזזִֽכְרוֹ־אָ֭בַד מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶץ וְלֹא־שֵׁ֥ם ל֝֗וֹ עַל־פְּנֵי־חֽוּץ׃

17All mention of him vanishes from the earth;He has no name abroad.

יחיֶ֭הְדְּפֻהוּ מֵא֣וֹר אֶל־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּֽמִתֵּבֵ֥ל יְנִדֻּֽהוּ׃

18He is thrust from light to darkness,Driven from the world.

יטלֹ֘א־נִ֤ין ל֣וֹ וְלֹא־נֶ֣כֶד בְּעַמּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ין שָׂ֝רִ֗יד בִּמְגוּרָֽיו׃

19He has no seed or breed among his people,No survivor where he once lived.

כעַל־י֭וֹמוֹ נָשַׁ֣מּוּ אַחֲרֹנִ֑ים וְ֝קַדְמֹנִ֗ים אָ֣חֲזוּ שָֽׂעַר׃

20Generations to come will be appalled at his fate,As the previous ones are seized with horror.

כאאַךְ־אֵ֭לֶּה מִשְׁכְּנ֣וֹת עַוָּ֑ל וְ֝זֶ֗ה מְק֣וֹם לֹֽא־יָדַֽע־אֵֽל׃

21“These were the haunts of the wicked;Here was the place of someone who knew not God.”