TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 22
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1Eliphaz the Temanite said in reply:
אוַיַּעַן אֱלִיפַז הַתֵּמָנִי וַיֹּאמַר׃
2Can a man be of use to Hashem, A wise man benefit Him?
בהַלְאֵל יִסְכָּן־גָּבֶר כִּי־יִסְכֹּן עָלֵימוֹ מַשְׂכִּיל׃
3Does Shaddai gain if you are righteous? Does He profit if your conduct is blameless?
ha-KHAY-fetz l'-sha-DAI KEE titz-DAK v'-im BE-tza kee ta-TAYM d'-ra-KHE-kha
גהַחֵפֶץ לְשַׁדַּי כִּי תִצְדָּק וְאִם־בֶּצַע כִּי־תַתֵּם דְּרָכֶיךָ׃
22:3 Does Shaddai gain if you are righteous?
Eliphaz states that Hashem does not desire piety, but rather good deeds. This is reminiscent of the first chapter of Sefer Yeshayahu. In Sefer Yeshayahu, God is angry at the inhabitants of Yerushalayim because they are engaged in unacceptable behavior towards their fellow men, such as murder, even as they continue to worship Hashem through prayer and sacrifice (Isaiah 1:11,15). Yeshayahu declares: “Alas, she has become a harlot, the faithful city that was filled with justice, where righteousness dwelt. But now [it is filled with] murderers” (1:21). While a righteous person might believe that his observance of the formal commandments is what brings Hashem close to him, what Hashem desires most is kindness to other human beings. The chapter in Yeshayahu continues: “I will restore your magistrates as of old, and your counselors as of yore… Tzion shall be saved in the judgment; Her repentant ones, in the retribution.” (1:26-27). It is through kindness, righteousness and justice towards others that the redemption of Tzion will come.
4Is it because of your piety that He arraigns you, And enters into judgment with you?
דהֲמִיִּרְאָתְךָ יֹכִיחֶךָ יָבוֹא עִמְּךָ בַּמִּשְׁפָּט׃
5You know that your wickedness is great, And that your iniquities have no limit.
ההֲלֹא רָעָתְךָ רַבָּה וְאֵין־קֵץ לַעֲוׂנֹתֶיךָ׃
6You exact pledges from your fellows without reason, And leave them naked, stripped of their clothes;
וכִּי־תַחְבֹּל אַחֶיךָ חִנָּם וּבִגְדֵי עֲרוּמִּים תַּפְשִׁיט׃
7You do not give the thirsty water to drink; You deny bread to the hungry.
זלֹא־מַיִם עָיֵף תַּשְׁקֶה וּמֵרָעֵב תִּמְנַע־לָחֶם׃
8The land belongs to the strong; The privileged occupy it.
חוְאִישׁ זְרוֹעַ לוֹ הָאָרֶץ וּנְשׂוּא פָנִים יֵשֶׁב בָּהּ׃
9You have sent away widows empty-handed; The strength of the fatherless is broken.
טאַלְמָנוֹת שִׁלַּחְתָּ רֵיקָם וּזְרֹעוֹת יְתֹמִים יְדֻכָּא׃
10Therefore snares are all around you, And sudden terrors frighten you,
יעַל־כֵּן סְבִיבוֹתֶיךָ פַחִים וִיבַהֶלְךָ פַּחַד פִּתְאֹם׃
11Or darkness, so you cannot see; A flood of waters covers you.
יאאוֹ־חֹשֶׁךְ לֹא־תִרְאֶה וְשִׁפְעַת־מַיִם תְּכַסֶּךָּ׃
12Hashem is in the heavenly heights; See the highest stars, how lofty!
יבהֲלֹא־אֱלוֹהַּ גֹּבַהּ שָׁמָיִם וּרְאֵה רֹאשׁ כּוֹכָבִים כִּי־רָמּוּ׃
13You say, “What can Hashem know? Can He govern through the dense cloud?
יגוְאָמַרְתָּ מַה־יָּדַע אֵל הַבְעַד עֲרָפֶל יִשְׁפּוֹט׃
14The clouds screen Him so He cannot see As He moves about the circuit of heaven.”
ידעָבִים סֵתֶר־לוֹ וְלֹא יִרְאֶה וְחוּג שָׁמַיִם יִתְהַלָּךְ׃
15Have you observed the immemorial path That evil men have trodden;
טוהַאֹרַח עוֹלָם תִּשְׁמֹר אֲשֶׁר דָּרְכוּ מְתֵי־אָוֶן׃
16How they were shriveled up before their time And their foundation poured out like a river?
טזאֲשֶׁר־קֻמְּטוּ וְלֹא־עֵת נָהָר יוּצַק יְסוֹדָם׃
17They said to Hashem, “Leave us alone; What can Shaddai do about it?”
יזהָאֹמְרִים לָאֵל סוּר מִמֶּנּוּ וּמַה־יִּפְעַל שַׁדַּי לָמוֹ׃
18But it was He who filled their houses with good things. (The thoughts of the wicked are beyond me!)
יחוְהוּא מִלֵּא בָתֵּיהֶם טוֹב וַעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים רָחֲקָה מֶנִּי׃
19The righteous, seeing it, rejoiced; The innocent laughed with scorn.
יטיִרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים וְיִשְׂמָחוּ וְנָקִי יִלְעַג־לָמוֹ׃
20Surely their substance was destroyed, And their remnant consumed by fire.
כאִם־לֹא נִכְחַד קִימָנוּ וְיִתְרָם אָכְלָה אֵשׁ׃
21Be close to Him and wholehearted; Good things will come to you thereby.
כאהַסְכֶּן־נָא עִמּוֹ וּשְׁלם בָּהֶם תְּבוֹאַתְךָ טוֹבָה׃
22Accept instruction from His mouth; Lay up His words in your heart.
כבקַח־נָא מִפִּיו תּוֹרָה וְשִׂים אֲמָרָיו בִּלְבָבֶךָ׃
23If you return to Shaddai you will be restored, If you banish iniquity from your tent;
כגאִם־תָּשׁוּב עַד־שַׁדַּי תִּבָּנֶה תַּרְחִיק עַוְלָה מֵאָהֳלֶךָ׃
24If you regard treasure as dirt, Ophir-gold as stones of the wadi,
כדוְשִׁית־עַל־עָפָר בָּצֶר וּבְצוּר נְחָלִים אוֹפִיר׃
25And Shaddai be your treasure And precious silver for you,
כהוְהָיָה שַׁדַּי בְּצָרֶיךָ וְכֶסֶף תּוֹעָפוֹת לָךְ׃
26When you seek the favor of Shaddai, And lift up your face to Hashem,
כוכִּי־אָז עַל־שַׁדַּי תִּתְעַנָּג וְתִשָּׂא אֶל־אֱלוֹהַּ פָּנֶיךָ׃
27You will pray to Him, and He will listen to you, And you will pay your vows.
כזתַּעְתִּיר אֵלָיו וְיִשְׁמָעֶךָּ וּנְדָרֶיךָ תְשַׁלֵּם׃
28You will decree and it will be fulfilled, And light will shine upon your affairs.
כחוְתִגְזַר־אוֹמֶר וְיָקָם לָךְ וְעַל־דְּרָכֶיךָ נָגַהּ אוֹר׃
29When others sink low, you will say it is pride; For He saves the humble.
כטכִּי־הִשְׁפִּילוּ וַתֹּאמֶר גֵּוָה וְשַׁח עֵינַיִם יוֹשִׁעַ׃
30He will deliver the guilty; He will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.
ליְמַלֵּט אִי־נָקִי וְנִמְלַט בְּבֹר כַּפֶּיךָ׃
