26:1

וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַר׃

Then Job answered and said:

26:2

מֶה־עָזַרְתָּ לְלֹא־כֹחַ הוֹשַׁעְתָּ זְרוֹעַ לֹא־עֹז׃

How hast thou helped him that is without power! How hast thou saved the arm that hath no strength!

26:3

מַה־יָּעַצְתָּ לְלֹא חָכְמָה וְתוּשִׁיָּה לָרֹב הוֹדָעְתָּ׃

How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom, And plentifully declared sound knowledge!

26:4

אֶת־מִי הִגַּדְתָּ מִלִּין וְנִשְׁמַת־מִי יָצְאָה מִמֶּךָּ׃

With whose help hast thou uttered words? And whose spirit came forth from thee?

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26:5

הָרְפָאִים יְחוֹלָלוּ מִתַּחַת מַיִם וְשֹׁכְנֵיהֶם׃

The shades tremble Beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof.

¹

26:6

עָרוֹם שְׁאוֹל נֶגְדּוֹ וְאֵין כְּסוּת לָאֲבַדּוֹן׃

The nether-world is naked before Him, And Destruction hath no covering.

¹

26:7

נֹטֶה צָפוֹן עַל־תֹּהוּ תֹּלֶה אֶרֶץ עַל־בְּלִי־מָה׃

He stretcheth out the north over the empty space, And hangeth the earth over nothing.

26:8

צֹרֵר־מַיִם בְּעָבָיו וְלֹא־נִבְקַע עָנָן תַּחְתָּם׃

He bindeth up the waters in His thick clouds; And the cloud is not rent under them.

¹

26:9

מְאַחֵז פְּנֵי־כִסֵּה פַּרְשֵׁז עָלָיו עֲנָנוֹ׃

He closeth in the face of His throne, And spreadeth His cloud upon it.

¹

26:10

חֹק־חָג עַל־פְּנֵי־מָיִם עַד־תַּכְלִית אוֹר עִם־חֹשֶׁךְ׃

He hath described a boundary upon the face of the waters, Unto the confines of light and darkness.

¹

26:11

עַמּוּדֵי שָׁמַיִם יְרוֹפָפוּ וְיִתְמְהוּ מִגַּעֲרָתוֹ׃

The pillars of heaven tremble And are astonished at His rebuke.

¹

26:12

בְּכֹחוֹ רָגַע הַיָּם ובתובנתו [וּבִתְבוּנָתוֹ] מָחַץ רָהַב׃

He stirreth up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He smiteth through Rahab.

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26:13

בְּרוּחוֹ שָׁמַיִם שִׁפְרָה חֹלֲלָה יָדוֹ נָחָשׁ בָּרִיחַ׃

By His breath the heavens are serene; His hand hath pierced the slant serpent.

¹

26:14

הֶן־אֵלֶּה קְצוֹת דרכו [דְּרָכָיו] וּמַה־שֵּׁמֶץ דָּבָר נִשְׁמַע־בּוֹ וְרַעַם גבורתו [גְּבוּרוֹתָיו] מִי יִתְבּוֹנָן׃

Lo, these are but the outskirts of His ways; And how small a whisper is heard of Him! But the thunder of His mighty deeds who can understand?

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