Tanach · Writings

Job 26/איוב כ״ו

אוַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

1Then Job said in reply:

במֶה־עָזַ֥רְתָּ לְלֹא־כֹ֑חַ ה֝וֹשַׁ֗עְתָּ זְר֣וֹעַ לֹא־עֹֽז׃

2You would help without having the strength;You would deliver with arms that have no power.

גמַה־יָּ֭עַצְתָּ לְלֹ֣א חׇכְמָ֑ה וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה לָרֹ֥ב הוֹדָֽעְתָּ׃

3Without having the wisdom, you offer adviceAnd freely give your counsel.

דאֶת־מִ֭י הִגַּ֣דְתָּ מִלִּ֑ין וְנִשְׁמַת־מִ֝֗י יָצְאָ֥ה מִמֶּֽךָּ׃

4To whom have you addressed words?Whose breath issued from you?

ההָרְפָאִ֥ים יְחוֹלָ֑לוּ מִתַּ֥חַת מַ֝֗יִם וְשֹׁכְנֵיהֶֽם׃

5The shades trembleBeneath the waters and their denizens.

ועָר֣וֹם שְׁא֣וֹל נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת לָאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃

6Sheol stands naked;Abaddon has no cover.

זנֹטֶ֣ה צָפ֣וֹן עַל־תֹּ֑הוּ תֹּ֥לֶה אֶ֝֗רֶץ עַל־בְּלִי־מָֽה׃

7[God] is the One who stretched out Zaphon^a over chaos,Who suspended earth over emptiness.

חצֹרֵֽר־מַ֥יִם בְּעָבָ֑יו וְלֹֽא־נִבְקַ֖ע עָנָ֣ן תַּחְתָּֽם׃

8The waters were wrapped up in God’s clouds;Yet no cloud burst under their weight.

טמְאַחֵ֥ז פְּנֵֽי־כִסֵּ֑ה פַּרְשֵׁ֖ז עָלָ֣יו עֲנָנֽוֹ׃

9[God] shuts off the view of the heavenly throne,Spreading a cloud over it,^b

יחֹֽק־חָ֭ג עַל־פְּנֵי־מָ֑יִם עַד־תַּכְלִ֖ית א֣וֹר עִם־חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

10Drawing a boundary on the surface of the waters,At the extreme where light and darkness meet.

יאעַמּוּדֵ֣י שָׁמַ֣יִם יְרוֹפָ֑פוּ וְ֝יִתְמְה֗וּ מִגַּעֲרָתֽוֹ׃

11The pillars of heaven tremble,Astounded at God’s blasts.

יבבְּ֭כֹחוֹ רָגַ֣ע הַיָּ֑ם (ובתובנתו) [וּ֝בִתְבוּנָת֗וֹ] מָ֣חַץ רָֽהַב׃

12With power [God] stilled the sea;With skill [God] struck down Rahab.

יגבְּ֭רוּחוֹ שָׁמַ֣יִם שִׁפְרָ֑ה חֹלְלָ֥ה יָ֝ד֗וֹ נָחָ֥שׁ בָּרִֽחַ׃

13With a wind [God] calmed the heavens;God’s hand pierced the Elusive Serpent.^c

ידהֶן־אֵ֤לֶּה׀ קְצ֬וֹת דְּרָכָ֗ו וּמַה־שֵּׁ֣מֶץ דָּ֭בָר נִשְׁמַע־בּ֑וֹ וְרַ֥עַם גְּ֝בוּרֹתָ֗ו מִ֣י יִתְבּוֹנָֽן׃

14These are but glimpses of God’s rule,The mere whisper we are able to perceive;Who can absorb the thunder of God’s mighty deeds?