11:1

וַיַּעַן צֹפַר הַנַּעֲמָתִי וַיֹּאמַר׃

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:

11:2

הֲרֹב דְּבָרִים לֹא יֵעָנֶה וְאִם־אִישׁ שְׂפָתַיִם יִצְדָּק׃

Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be accounted right?

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11:3

בַּדֶּיךָ מְתִים יַחֲרִישׁו וַתִּלְעַג וְאֵין מַכְלִם׃

Thy boastings have made men hold their peace, And thou hast mocked, with none to make thee ashamed;

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11:4

וַתֹּאמֶר זַךְ לִקְחִי וּבַר הָיִיתִי בְעֵינֶיךָ׃

And thou hast said: ‘My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in Thine eyes.’

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11:5

וְאוּלָם מִי־יִתֵּן אֱלוֹהַּ דַּבֵּר וְיִפְתַּח שְׂפָתָיו עִמָּךְ׃

But oh that God would speak, And open His lips against thee;

11:6

וְיַגֶּד־לְךָ תַּעֲלֻמוֹת חָכְמָה כִּי־כִפְלַיִם לְתוּשִׁיָּה וְדַע כִּי־יַשֶּׁה לְךָ אֱלוֹהַ מֵעֲוֺנֶךָ׃

And that He would tell thee the secrets of wisdom, That sound wisdom is manifold! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

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11:7

הַחֵקֶר אֱלוֹהַ תִּמְצָא אִם עַד־תַּכְלִית שַׁדַּי תִּמְצָא׃

Canst thou find out the deep things of God? Canst thou attain unto the purpose of the Almighty?

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11:8

גָּבְהֵי שָׁמַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָל עֲמֻקָּה מִשְּׁאוֹל מַה־תֵּדָע׃

It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than the nether-world; what canst thou know?

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11:9

אֲרֻכָּה מֵאֶרֶץ מִדָּהּ וּרְחָבָה מִנִּי־יָם׃

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

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11:10

אִם־יַחֲלֹף וְיַסְגִּיר וְיַקְהִיל וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ׃

If He pass by, and shut up, Or gather in, then who can hinder Him?

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11:11

כִּי־הוּא יָדַע מְתֵי־שָׁוְא וַיַּרְא־אָוֶן וְלֹא יִתְבּוֹנָן׃

For He knoweth base men; and when He seeth iniquity, will He not then consider it?

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11:12

וְאִישׁ נָבוּב יִלָּבֵב וְעַיִר פֶּרֶא אָדָם יִוָּלֵד׃

But an empty man will get understanding, when a wild ass’s colt is born a man.

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11:13

אִם־אַתָּה הֲכִינוֹתָ לִבֶּךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ אֵלָיו כַּפֶּךָ׃

If thou set thy heart aright, and stretch out thy hands toward Him—

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11:14

אִם־אָוֶן בְּיָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵהוּ וְאַל־תַּשְׁכֵּן בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ עַוְלָה׃

If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away, and let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents—

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11:15

כִּי־אָז תִּשָּׂא פָנֶיךָ מִמּוּם וְהָיִיתָ מֻצָק וְלֹא תִירָא׃

Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear;

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11:16

כִּי־אַתָּה עָמָל תִּשְׁכָּח כְּמַיִם עָבְרוּ תִזְכֹּר׃

For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away;

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11:17

וּמִצָּהֳרַיִם יָקוּם חָלֶד תָּעֻפָה כַּבֹּקֶר תִּהְיֶה׃

And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday; though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

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11:18

וּבָטַחְתָּ כִּי־יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה וְחָפַרְתָּ לָבֶטַח תִּשְׁכָּב׃

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt look about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety.

11:19

וְרָבַצְתָּ וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד וְחִלּוּ פָנֶיךָ רַבִּים׃

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; Yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

11:20

וְעֵינֵי רְשָׁעִים תִּכְלֶינָה וּמָנוֹס אָבַד מִנְהֶם וְתִקְוָתָם מַפַּח־נָפֶשׁ׃

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, And they shall have no way to flee, And their hope shall be the drooping of the soul.

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