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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 24

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Why are times for judgment not reserved by Shaddai? Even those close to Him cannot foresee His actions.

ma-DU-a mi-sha-DAI lo nitz-p'-NU i-TEEM v'-yo-d'-AV lo KHA-zu ya-MAV

אמַדּ֗וּעַ מִ֭שַּׁדַּי לֹא־נִצְפְּנ֣וּ עִתִּ֑ים וְ֝יֹדְעָ֗ו לֹא־חָ֥זוּ יָמָֽיו׃

24:1   Even those close to Him cannot foresee His actions

A careful reading shows that Iyov is not complaining about his punishment, but about the fact that he cannot see the end of his suffering. Similarly, in Sefer Tehillim (44:24), the People of Israel complain to God about their long exile from the Land of Israel: “Rouse Yourself; why do You sleep, O Hashem? Awaken, do not reject us forever.” They cannot bear the seemingly endless exile from their homeland. It is always much easier to suffer if the end is in sight.

2People remove boundary-stones; They carry off flocks and pasture them;

ge-vu-LOT ya-see-GU, E-der gaz-LO va-yir-U

בגְּבֻל֥וֹת יַשִּׂ֑יגוּ עֵ֥דֶר גָּ֝זְל֗וּ וַיִּרְעֽוּ׃

3They lead away the donkeys of the fatherless, And seize the widow's bull as a pledge;

KHA-mor ye-TO-mim yin-HA-gu, yakh-B'-lu shor al-ma-NAH

גחֲמ֣וֹר יְתוֹמִ֣ים יִנְהָ֑גוּ יַ֝חְבְּל֗וּ שׁ֣וֹר אַלְמָנָֽה׃

4They chase the needy off the roads; All the poor of the land are forced into hiding.

ya-TU ev-yo-NIM mi-DA-rekh ya-KHAD khu-BA-u a-nee-YAY a-RETZ

דיַטּ֣וּ אֶבְיֹנִ֣ים מִדָּ֑רֶךְ יַ֥חַד חֻ֝בְּא֗וּ עֲנִיֵּי־אָֽרֶץ׃

5Like the wild asses of the wilderness, They go about their tasks, seeking food; The wilderness provides each with food for his lads;

HEIN p'-RA-IM ba-mid-BAR ya-t'-ZU b'-fa-o-LAM m'-sha-cha-REI la-ta-REF a-ra-VAH lo le-KHEM la-ne-a-REEM

ההֵ֤ן פְּרָאִ֨ים ׀ בַּ֥מִּדְבָּ֗ר יָצְא֣וּ בְּ֭פׇעֳלָם מְשַׁחֲרֵ֣י לַטָּ֑רֶף עֲרָבָ֥ה ל֥וֹ לֶ֝֗חֶם לַנְּעָרִֽים׃

6They harvest fodder in the field, And glean the late grapes in the vineyards of the wicked.

ba-sa-DEH b'-li-LO (yik-TZI-ro) [yik-TZO-ru] v'-khe-REM ra-SHA y'-la-KE-shu

ובַּ֭שָּׂדֶה בְּלִיל֣וֹ (יקצירו) [יִקְצ֑וֹרוּ] וְכֶ֖רֶם רָשָׁ֣ע יְלַקֵּֽשׁוּ׃

7They pass the night naked for lack of clothing, They have no covering against the cold;

a-rom ya-LEE-nu mi-b'-LEE l'-BUSH, v'-AYN k'-SUT ba-ka-RAH

זעָר֣וֹם יָ֭לִינוּ מִבְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת בַּקָּרָֽה׃

8They are drenched by the mountain rains, And huddle against the rock for lack of shelter.

mi-ZE-rem ha-REEM yir-ta-VU u-mi-be-LEE makh-SEH khiv-KU-TZUR

חמִזֶּ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים יִרְטָ֑בוּ וּֽמִבְּלִ֥י מַ֝חְסֶ֗ה חִבְּקוּ־צֽוּר׃

9They snatch the fatherless infant from the breast, And seize the child of the poor as a pledge.

YIG-z'-LU mi-SHOD ya-TOM v'-al a-NEE yakh-BO-lu

טיִ֭גְזְלוּ מִשֹּׁ֣ד יָת֑וֹם וְֽעַל־עָנִ֥י יַחְבֹּֽלוּ׃

10They go about naked for lack of clothing, And, hungry, carry sheaves;

a-ROM hi-l'-KU b'-LEE l'-VUSH u-r'-E-vim na-s'-U o-MER

יעָר֣וֹם הִ֭לְּכוּ בְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וּ֝רְעֵבִ֗ים נָ֣שְׂאוּ עֹֽמֶר׃

11Between rows [of olive trees] they make oil, And, thirsty, they tread the winepresses.

bein-shu-RO-tam yatz-hi-ROO, y'-ka-VIM dar-KHU va-yitz-ma-U

יאבֵּין־שׁוּרֹתָ֥ם יַצְהִ֑ירוּ יְקָבִ֥ים דָּ֝רְכ֗וּ וַיִּצְמָֽאוּ׃

12Men groan in the city; The souls of the dying cry out; Yet Hashem does not regard it as a reproach.

me-IR me-TIM yin-AKU v'-ne-FESH cha-la-LIM t'-sha-VE-a ve-e-LO-a lo-ya-SIM tif-LAH

יבמֵ֘עִ֤יר מְתִ֨ים ׀ יִנְאָ֗קוּ וְנֶֽפֶשׁ־חֲלָלִ֥ים תְּשַׁוֵּ֑עַ וֶ֝אֱל֗וֹהַּ לֹֽא־יָשִׂ֥ים תִּפְלָֽה׃

13They are rebels against the light; They are strangers to its ways, And do not stay in its path.

HEM-MA ha-YU b'-mor-DAY-oR lo-hi-KI-ru d'-ra-KHAV v'-lo ya-SHE-vu bin-ti-vo-TAV

יגהֵ֤מָּה ׀ הָיוּ֮ בְּֽמֹרְדֵ֫י־א֥וֹר לֹא־הִכִּ֥ירוּ דְרָכָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יָ֝שְׁב֗וּ בִּנְתִיבֹתָֽיו׃

14The murderer arises in the evening To kill the poor and needy, And at night he acts the thief.

la-OR ya-KUM ro-TZE-akh yik-TAL-a-NEE v'-ev-YON u-va-la-YE-lah y'-HI kha-ga-NAV

ידלָא֡וֹר יָ֘ק֤וּם רוֹצֵ֗חַ יִֽקְטׇל־עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְי֑וֹן וּ֝בַלַּ֗יְלָה יְהִ֣י כַגַּנָּֽב׃

15The eyes of the adulterer watch for twilight, Thinking, “No one will glimpse me then.” He masks his face.

v'-EYN no-AYF sha-M'-RAH NE-shef lay-MOR: lo t'-shu-RAY-nee a-YIN v'-SE-ter pa-NIM ya-SEEM

טווְעֵ֤ין נֹאֵ֨ף ׀ שָׁ֤מְרָֽה נֶ֣שֶׁף לֵ֭אמֹר לֹא־תְשׁוּרֵ֣נִי עָ֑יִן וְסֵ֖תֶר פָּנִ֣ים יָשִֽׂים׃

16In the dark they break into houses; By day they shut themselves in; They do not know the light.

kha-TAR ba-KHO-shekh ba-TIM yo-MAM khit-MU-la-MO lo-ya-d'-U or

טזחָתַ֥ר בַּחֹ֗שֶׁךְ בָּ֫תִּ֥ים יוֹמָ֥ם חִתְּמוּ־לָ֗מוֹ לֹא־יָ֥דְעוּ אֽוֹר׃

17For all of them morning is darkness; It is then that they discern the terror of darkness.

ki yakh-DAV bo-KER la-MO tzal-MA-vet ki-ya-KHEER bal-HOT tzal-MA-vet

יזכִּ֤י יַחְדָּ֨ו ׀ בֹּ֣קֶר לָ֣מוֹ צַלְמָ֑וֶת כִּֽי־יַ֝כִּ֗יר בַּלְה֥וֹת צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

18May they be flotsam on the face of the water; May their portion in the land be cursed; May none turn aside by way of their vineyards.

kal-hu al-pe-nei-ma-yim te-ku-LAL khel-ka-TAM ba-A-rets lo-yif-NEH de-REKH ke-ra-MEEM

יחקַל־ה֤וּא ׀ עַל־פְּנֵי־מַ֗יִם תְּקֻלַּ֣ל חֶלְקָתָ֣ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ לֹא־יִ֝פְנֶ֗ה דֶּ֣רֶךְ כְּרָמִֽים׃

19May drought and heat snatch away their snow waters, And Sheol, those who have sinned.

tzi-YAH gam-KHOM yig-Z'-LU mei-MEI she-LEG she-OL kha-TA-u

יטצִיָּ֤ה גַם־חֹ֗ם יִגְזְל֥וּ מֵֽימֵי־שֶׁ֗לֶג שְׁא֣וֹל חָטָֽאוּ׃

20May the womb forget him; May he be sweet to the worms; May he be no longer remembered; May wrongdoers be broken like a tree.

yish-KA-khe-HU RE-khem m'-TA-ko ri-MAH od lo yi-ZA-kher va-ti-SHA-ver ka-ETZ a-va-LAH

כיִשְׁכָּ֘חֵ֤הוּ רֶ֨חֶם ׀ מְתָ֘ק֤וֹ רִמָּ֗ה ע֥וֹד לֹֽא־יִזָּכֵ֑ר וַתִּשָּׁבֵ֖ר כָּעֵ֣ץ עַוְלָֽה׃

21May he consort with a barren woman who bears no child, Leave his widow deprived of good.

RO-e a-KA-rah lo TE-led, v'-al-ma-NAH lo ye-ye-TEEV.

כארֹעֶ֣ה עֲ֭קָרָה לֹ֣א תֵלֵ֑ד וְ֝אַלְמָנָ֗ה לֹ֣א יְיֵטִֽיב׃

22Though he has the strength to seize bulls, May he live with no assurance of survival.

u-ma-SHAK a-BEE-reem b'-ko-KHO ya-KUM v'-lo-ya-a-MEEN ba-kha-YEEN

כבוּמָשַׁ֣ךְ אַבִּירִ֣ים בְּכֹח֑וֹ יָ֝ק֗וּם וְֽלֹא־יַאֲמִ֥ין בַּֽחַיִּֽין׃

23Yet [Hashem] gives him the security on which he relies, And keeps watch over his affairs.

YIT-ten-LO la-VE-takh v'-yi-sha-EN v'-ei-NE-hu al dar-KHE-hem

כגיִתֶּן־ל֣וֹ לָ֭בֶטַח וְיִשָּׁעֵ֑ן וְ֝עֵינֵ֗יהוּ עַל־דַּרְכֵיהֶֽם׃

24Exalted for a while, let them be gone; Be brought low, and shrivel like mallows, And wither like the heads of grain.

ro-MU m'-AT v'-EY-ne-NU v'-hu-m'-KU ka-KOL yi-ka-F'-tzuN u-k'-ROSH shi-B'-let yi-ma-LU

כדר֤וֹמּוּ מְּעַ֨ט ׀ וְֽאֵינֶ֗נּוּ וְֽהֻמְּכ֗וּ כַּכֹּ֥ל יִקָּפְצ֑וּן וּכְרֹ֖אשׁ שִׁבֹּ֣לֶת יִמָּֽלוּ׃

25Surely no one can confute me, Or prove that I am wrong.

v'-im-LO e-FO, mi yakh-zi-VE-ni, va-ya-SEM l'-AL mi-la-TEE.

כהוְאִם־לֹ֣א אֵ֭פוֹ מִ֣י יַכְזִיבֵ֑נִי וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְ֝אַ֗ל מִלָּתִֽי׃