
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 20
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Zophar the Naamathite said in reply:
vai-YA-an tzo-FAR ha-na-a-MA-tee va-YO-mer
אוַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַֽנַּעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2In truth, my thoughts urge me to answer (It is because of my feelings
la-KHEN se-i-PAI ye-SHI-vu-NEE u-va-a-VUR khu-SHI vi
בלָ֭כֵן שְׂעִפַּ֣י יְשִׁיב֑וּנִי וּ֝בַעֲב֗וּר ח֣וּשִׁי בִֽי׃
3When I hear reproof that insults me); A spirit out of my understanding makes me reply:
MU-sar ke-li-MA-tee es-MA, v'-RU-akh mi-bi-NA-tee ya-a-NE-nee.
גמוּסַ֣ר כְּלִמָּתִ֣י אֶשְׁמָ֑ע וְ֝ר֗וּחַ מִֽבִּינָתִ֥י יַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
4Do you not know this, that from time immemorial, Since man was set on earth,
ha-ZOT ya-DA-ta mi-NEE-ad mi-NEE sim a-DAM a-lei-a-RETZ
דהֲזֹ֣את יָ֭דַעְתָּ מִנִּי־עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
5The joy of the wicked has been brief, The happiness of the impious, fleeting?
ki rin-NAT r'-sha-EEM mi-ka-ROV v'-sim-KHAT kha-NEF a-day ra-GA
הכִּ֤י רִנְנַ֣ת רְ֭שָׁעִים מִקָּר֑וֹב וְשִׂמְחַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף עֲדֵי־רָֽגַע׃
6Though he grows as high as the sky, His head reaching the clouds,
im-ya-a-LEH la-sha-MA-yim see-O, v'-RO-sho la-AV ya-gi-A
ואִם־יַעֲלֶ֣ה לַשָּׁמַ֣יִם שִׂיא֑וֹ וְ֝רֹאשׁ֗וֹ לָעָ֥ב יַגִּֽיעַ׃
7He perishes forever, like his dung; Those who saw him will say, “Where is he?”
k'-gel-LO la-NE-tsakh yo-VED, ro-AV yo-M'-RU a-YO
זכְּֽ֭גֶלְלוֹ לָנֶ֣צַח יֹאבֵ֑ד רֹ֝אָ֗יו יֹאמְר֥וּ אַיּֽוֹ׃
8He flies away like a dream and cannot be found; He is banished like a night vision.
ka-cha-LOM ya-UF v'-lo yim-TZA-u-HU v'-yu-DAD k'-chez-YON la-y'-LAH
חכַּחֲל֣וֹם יָ֭עוּף וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָאֻ֑הוּ וְ֝יֻדַּ֗ד כְּחֶזְי֥וֹן לָֽיְלָה׃
9Eyes that glimpsed him do so no more; They cannot see him in his place any longer.
AYIN SHE-ZA-FA-TOO v'-LO to-SEEF, v'-LO-OD t'-SHU-re-NU m'-KO-MO
טעַ֣יִן שְׁ֭זָפַתּוּ וְלֹ֣א תוֹסִ֑יף וְלֹֽא־ע֝֗וֹד תְּשׁוּרֶ֥נּוּ מְקוֹמֽוֹ׃
10His sons ingratiate themselves with the poor; His own hands must give back his wealth.
ba-NAV ye-ra-TZU da-LEEM v'-ya-DAV ta-SHEV-NA o-NO
יבָּ֭נָיו יְרַצּ֣וּ דַלִּ֑ים וְ֝יָדָ֗יו תָּשֵׁ֥בְנָה אוֹנֽוֹ׃
11His bones, still full of vigor, Lie down in the dust with him.
a-TZ'-mo-TAV mal-U a-LU-ma-VU v'-i-MO al-a-FAr tish-KAV
יאעַ֭צְמוֹתָיו מָלְא֣וּ עֲלוּמָ֑ו וְ֝עִמּ֗וֹ עַל־עָפָ֥ר תִּשְׁכָּֽב׃
12Though evil is sweet to his taste, And he conceals it under his tongue;
im-tam-TIK b'-pi-YO ra-AH, yakh-khi-DE-nah ta-KHAT l'-sho-NO
יבאִם־תַּמְתִּ֣יק בְּפִ֣יו רָעָ֑ה יַ֝כְחִידֶ֗נָּה תַּ֣חַת לְשֹׁנֽוֹ׃
13Though he saves it, does not let it go, Holds it inside his mouth,
yakh-MOL a-LE-ha v'-lo ya-a-Z'-ve-Na, v'-yim-na-E-na b'-to-KH kh'-KO
יגיַחְמֹ֣ל עָ֭לֶיהָ וְלֹ֣א יַעַזְבֶ֑נָּה וְ֝יִמְנָעֶ֗נָּה בְּת֣וֹךְ חִכּֽוֹ׃
14His food in his bowels turns Into asps' venom within him.
la-KH'-mo b'-me-A-yav ne-FAKH m'-ro-RAT p'-ta-NIM b'-kir-BO
ידלַ֭חְמוֹ בְּמֵעָ֣יו נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ מְרוֹרַ֖ת פְּתָנִ֣ים בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃
15The riches he swallows he vomits; Hashem empties it out of his stomach.
KHAYIL BA-LA va-y'-ki-E-nu mi-bi-t'-NO yo-ri-SHE-nu EL
טוחַ֣יִל בָּ֭לַע וַיְקִאֶ֑נּוּ מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ יֹרִשֶׁ֥נּוּ אֵֽל׃
16He sucks the poison of asps; The tongue of the viper kills him.
ROSH-p'-ta-NIM yi-NAK, ta-HAR-ge-HU l'-SHON ef-EH
טזרֹאשׁ־פְּתָנִ֥ים יִינָ֑ק תַּ֝הַרְגֵ֗הוּ לְשׁ֣וֹן אֶפְעֶֽה׃
17Let him not enjoy the streams, The rivers of honey, the brooks of cream.
al-y'-RAY b'-f'-la-GOT na-ha-RAY na-kha-LAY d'-VASH v'-khem-AH
יזאַל־יֵ֥רֶא בִפְלַגּ֑וֹת נַהֲרֵ֥י נַ֝חֲלֵ֗י דְּבַ֣שׁ וְחֶמְאָֽה׃
18He will give back the goods unswallowed; The value of the riches, undigested.
m'-SHEEV ya-GA v'-lo yiv-LA, k'-KHAYL t'-mu-RA-to v'-lo ya-a-LOS
יחמֵשִׁ֣יב יָ֭גָע וְלֹ֣א יִבְלָ֑ע כְּחֵ֥יל תְּ֝מוּרָת֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲלֹֽס׃
19Because he crushed and tortured the poor, He will not build up the house he took by force.
ki-ritz-TZAZ a-ZAV da-LEEM ba-YIT ga-ZAL v'-lo yiv-NE-hu
יטכִּֽי־רִ֭צַּץ עָזַ֣ב דַּלִּ֑ים בַּ֥יִת גָּ֝זַ֗ל וְלֹ֣א יִבְנֵֽהוּ׃
20He will not see his children tranquil; He will not preserve one of his dear ones.
ki lo-ya-DA shay-LEV b'-vit-NO, ba-kha-MU-do lo y'-ma-LET
ככִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־יָדַ֣ע שָׁלֵ֣ו בְּבִטְנ֑וֹ בַּ֝חֲמוּד֗וֹ לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט׃
21With no survivor to enjoy it, His fortune will not prosper.
AYN-SA-REED l'-a-KHO-lo, al-KEN lo-ya-KHEEL tu-VO
כאאֵין־שָׂרִ֥יד לְאׇכְל֑וֹ עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן לֹא־יָחִ֥יל טוּבֽוֹ׃
22When he has all he wants, trouble will come; Misfortunes of all kinds will batter him.
bi-m'-LOT si-f'-KO ye-TSE-r LO, kol-YAD a-MEL te-vo-E-nu
כבבִּמְלֹ֣אות שִׂ֭פְקוֹ יֵ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ כׇּל־יַ֖ד עָמֵ֣ל תְּבֹאֶֽנּוּ׃
23Let that fill his belly; Let Him loose His burning anger at him, And rain down His weapons upon him.
y'-HEE l'-ma-LAY vi-t'-NO y'-sha-LAKH-BO kha-RON a-PO v'-yam-TAYR a-LEI-MO bil-KHU-MO
כגיְהִ֤י ׀ לְמַלֵּ֬א בִטְנ֗וֹ יְֽשַׁלַּח־בּ֭וֹ חֲר֣וֹן אַפּ֑וֹ וְיַמְטֵ֥ר עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ בִּלְחוּמֽוֹ׃
24Fleeing from iron arrows, He is shot through from a bow of bronze.
YIV-rakh mi-NESH-ek bar-ZEL, takh-le-FE-hu KE-shet ne-KHU-sha.
כדיִ֭בְרַח מִנֵּ֣שֶׁק בַּרְזֶ֑ל תַּ֝חְלְפֵ֗הוּ קֶ֣שֶׁת נְחוּשָֽׁה׃
25Brandished and run through his body, The blade, through his gall, Strikes terror into him.
sha-LAF va-y'-TSE mi-GE-va u-va-RAK mi-m'-ro-RA-to ya-ha-LOKH a-LA-yav ay-MIM
כהשָׁלַף֮ וַיֵּצֵ֢א מִגֵּ֫וָ֥ה וּ֭בָרָק מִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹ יַהֲלֹ֗ךְ עָלָ֥יו אֵמִֽים׃
26Utter darkness waits for his treasured ones; A fire fanned by no man will consume him; Who survives in his tent will be crushed.
kol KHO-shekh ta-MUN litz-pu-NAV t'-a-kh'-LAY-hu AYSH lo nu-PAKH yay-RA sa-REED b'-a-ho-LO
כוכׇּל־חֹשֶׁךְ֮ טָמ֢וּן לִצְפּ֫וּנָ֥יו תְּ֭אׇכְלֵהוּ אֵ֣שׁ לֹא־נֻפָּ֑ח יֵ֖רַע שָׂרִ֣יד בְּאׇהֳלֽוֹ׃
20:26 Who survives in his tent will be crushed

Rashi (1040-1105)
Zophar asserts that anyone associated with an evil person will be punished as a result of that association. Why is it so important to avoid associating with evildoers? Associating with a sinner can cause a desecration of God’s name, since righteous people are thought to be less virtuous due to these inappropriate associations. Furthermore, a righteous person must avoid being influenced by evildoers, lest they lead him to sin. This idea is applied by Rashi (Numbers 3:29) to explain why the tribe of Reuven joined the rebellion of Korach, who was from the Kehat family of the tribe of Levi. “Since the tribe of Reuven was settled in the south when they camped, thus being neighbors of Kehat and his children who were also camped in the south, they joined with Korach in his rebellion. Woe to the wicked, and woe to his neighbor!”
27Heaven will expose his iniquity; Earth will rise up against him.
y'-ga-LU sha-MA-yim a-VO-no, v'-E-retz mit-ko-MAH-mah LO
כזיְגַלּ֣וּ שָׁמַ֣יִם עֲוֺנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֶ֗רֶץ מִתְקוֹמָ֘מָ֥ה לֽוֹ׃
28His household will be cast forth by a flood, Spilled out on the day of His wrath.
y'-GEL y'-VUL b'-TO ni-GA-rot b'-YOM a-PO
כחיִ֭גֶל יְב֣וּל בֵּית֑וֹ נִ֝גָּר֗וֹת בְּי֣וֹם אַפּֽוֹ׃
29This is the wicked man's portion from Hashem, The lot Hashem has ordained for him.
ZEH khe-LEK a-DAM ra-SHA me-E-lo-HEEM v'-na-kha-LAT im-RO me-EYL.
כטזֶ֤ה ׀ חֵלֶק־אָדָ֣ם רָ֭שָׁע מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְנַחֲלַ֖ת אִמְר֣וֹ מֵאֵֽל׃