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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 36

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Then Elihu spoke once more.

vai-YO-sef e-li-HU va-yo-MAR

אוַיֹּ֥סֶף אֱלִיה֗וּא וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2Wait a little and let me hold forth; There is still more to say for Hashem.

ka-TAR-li ze-EIR va-a-kha-VE-kha, ki OD le-E-lo-HA mi-LIM.

בכַּתַּר־לִ֣י זְ֭עֵיר וַאֲחַוֶּ֑ךָּ כִּ֤י ע֖וֹד לֶאֱל֣וֹהַּ מִלִּֽים׃

3I will make my opinions widely known; I will justify my Maker.

e-SA de-I le-me-RA-khOQ u-le-po-a-LEE et-TEYN tze-DEK

גאֶשָּׂ֣א דֵ֭עִי לְמֵרָח֑וֹק וּ֝לְפֹעֲלִ֗י אֶֽתֵּֽן־צֶֽדֶק׃

4In truth, my words are not false; A man of sound opinions is before you.

ki-a-m'-NAM lo-SHE-ker mi-LAI t'-MEEM d'-OT i-MAKH

דכִּֽי־אׇ֭מְנָם לֹא־שֶׁ֣קֶר מִלָּ֑י תְּמִ֖ים דֵּע֣וֹת עִמָּֽךְ׃

5See, Hashem is mighty; He is not contemptuous; He is mighty in strength and mind.

hen-EIL ka-BEER v'-lo yim-AS ka-BEER KO-akh LEV

ההֶן־אֵ֣ל כַּ֭בִּיר וְלֹ֣א יִמְאָ֑ס כַּ֝בִּ֗יר כֹּ֣חַֽ לֵֽב׃

6He does not let the wicked live; He grants justice to the lowly.

lo y'-kha-YEH ra-SHA, u-mish-PAT a-nee-YEEM yi-TEN

ולֹא־יְחַיֶּ֥ה רָשָׁ֑ע וּמִשְׁפַּ֖ט עֲנִיִּ֣ים יִתֵּֽן׃

7He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; With kings on thrones He seats them forever, and they are exalted.

lo-yig-RA mitz-a-DEEK ay-NAV v'-et m'-la-KHEEM la-ki-SAY va-yo-SHI-vem la-NE-tzakh va-yig-BA-hu

זלֹֽא־יִגְרַ֥ע מִצַּדִּ֗יק עֵ֫ינָ֥יו וְאֶת־מְלָכִ֥ים לַכִּסֵּ֑א וַיֹּשִׁיבֵ֥ם לָ֝נֶ֗צַח וַיִּגְבָּֽהוּ׃

8If they are bound in shackles And caught in trammels of affliction,

v'-im-a-SU-rim ba-zi-KIM yi-la-K'-DUN b'-khav-lay-o-NEE

חוְאִם־אֲסוּרִ֥ים בַּזִּקִּ֑ים יִ֝לָּכְד֗וּן בְּחַבְלֵי־עֹֽנִי׃

9He declares to them what they have done, And that their transgressions are excessive;

vai-YA-ged LA-HEM po-a-LAM u-fi-sh'-AY-hem KEE yit-ga-BAR-u

טוַיַּגֵּ֣ד לָהֶ֣ם פׇּעֳלָ֑ם וּ֝פִשְׁעֵיהֶ֗ם כִּ֣י יִתְגַּבָּֽרוּ׃

10He opens their understanding by discipline, And orders them back from mischief.

vai-YI-gel a-Z'-NAM la-mu-SAR, va-YO-mer ki-y'-shu-VUN me-a-VEN

יוַיִּ֣גֶל אׇ֭זְנָם לַמּוּסָ֑ר וַ֝יֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־יְשׁוּב֥וּן מֵאָֽוֶן׃

11If they will serve obediently, They shall spend their days in happiness, Their years in delight.

im-yish-m'u v'-ya-a-vo-du ye-ka-LU ye-ME-hem ba-TOV u-sh'-nei-hem ba-ne-i-MEEM

יאאִֽם־יִשְׁמְע֗וּ וְֽיַ֫עֲבֹ֥דוּ יְכַלּ֣וּ יְמֵיהֶ֣ם בַּטּ֑וֹב וּ֝שְׁנֵיהֶ֗ם בַּנְּעִימִֽים׃

12But if they are not obedient, They shall perish by the sword, Die for lack of understanding.

v'-im-lo yish-m'-U b'-she-LAKH ya-a-vo-ROO v'-yi-g'-U bi-v'-li-da-AT

יבוְאִם־לֹ֣א יִ֭שְׁמְעוּ בְּשֶׁ֣לַח יַעֲבֹ֑רוּ וְ֝יִגְוְע֗וּ בִּבְלִי־דָֽעַת׃

13But the impious in heart become enraged; They do not cry for help when He afflicts them.

v'-khan-FAY layv ya-see-MU af lo y'-sha-v'-U kee a-sa-RAM

יגוְֽחַנְפֵי־לֵ֭ב יָשִׂ֣ימוּ אָ֑ף לֹ֥א יְ֝שַׁוְּע֗וּ כִּ֣י אֲסָרָֽם׃

14They die in their youth; [Expire] among the depraved.

ta-MOT ba-NO-ar naf-SHAM v'-cha-YA-tam ba-k'-de-SHEEM

ידתָּמֹ֣ת בַּנֹּ֣עַר נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם בַּקְּדֵשִֽׁים׃

15He rescues the lowly from their affliction, And opens their understanding through distress.

y'-kha-LAYTS a-NEE b'-o-NEE-o, v'-yi-GEL ba-LA-khats oz-NAM

טויְחַלֵּ֣ץ עָנִ֣י בְעׇנְי֑וֹ וְיִ֖גֶל בַּלַּ֣חַץ אׇזְנָֽם׃

16Indeed, He draws you away from the brink of distress To a broad place where there is no constraint; Your table is laid out with rich food.

v'-af ha-SEE-t'-KHA mi-pi-TZAR ra-KHAV lo-mu-TZAK ta-kh'-TE-ha v'-na-KHAT shul-kha-N'-KHA ma-LE da-SHEN

טזוְאַ֤ף הֲסִֽיתְךָ֨ ׀ מִפִּי־צָ֗ר רַ֭חַב לֹא־מוּצָ֣ק תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ וְנַ֥חַת שֻׁ֝לְחָנְךָ֗ מָ֣לֵא דָֽשֶׁן׃

17You are obsessed with the case of the wicked man, But the justice of the case will be upheld.

v'-DIN ra-SHA ma-LE-a-TA DIN u-mish-PAT yit-mo-KHU

יזוְדִין־רָשָׁ֥ע מָלֵ֑אתָ דִּ֖ין וּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט יִתְמֹֽכוּ׃

18Let anger at his affluence not mislead you; Let much bribery not turn you aside.

ki-CHE-mah PEN-y'-see-T'-KHA b'-SA-fek v'-ROV-KO-fer al ya-TE-kha

יחכִּֽי־חֵ֭מָה פֶּן־יְסִֽיתְךָ֣ בְסָ֑פֶק וְרׇב־כֹּ֝֗פֶר אַל־יַטֶּֽךָּ׃

19Will your limitless wealth avail you, All your powerful efforts?

ha-ya-a-ROKH shu-a-KHA lo b'-TZAR v'-KOL ma-a-ma-TZEI-KHO-akh

יטהֲיַעֲרֹ֣ךְ שׁ֭וּעֲךָ לֹ֣א בְצָ֑ר וְ֝כֹ֗ל מַאֲמַצֵּי־כֹֽחַ׃

20Do not long for the night When peoples vanish where they are.

al-tish-AF ha-la-y'-LAH la-a-LOT a-MEEM ta-KH'-tam

כאַל־תִּשְׁאַ֥ף הַלָּ֑יְלָה לַעֲל֖וֹת עַמִּ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃

21Beware! Do not turn to mischief; Because of that you have been tried by affliction.

hi-SHA-mer al-TE-fen el-a-VEN, ki-al-ZE ba-KHAR-ta me-o-NEE

כאהִ֭שָּׁמֶר אַל־תֵּ֣פֶן אֶל־אָ֑וֶן כִּֽי־עַל־זֶ֝֗ה בָּחַ֥רְתָּ מֵעֹֽנִי׃

22See, Hashem is beyond reach in His power; Who governs like Him?

hen-EIL yas-GEEV b'-ko-KHO, mee ka-MO-hu mo-REH

כבהֶן־אֵ֭ל יַשְׂגִּ֣יב בְּכֹח֑וֹ מִ֖י כָמֹ֣הוּ מוֹרֶֽה׃

23Who ever reproached Him for His conduct? Who ever said, “You have done wrong”?

mi-FA-kad a-LAV dar-KO, u-mi-a-MAR pa-AL-ta a-va-LAH

כגמִֽי־פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּמִי־אָ֝מַ֗ר פָּעַ֥לְתָּ עַוְלָֽה׃

24Remember, then, to magnify His work, Of which men have sung,

ZE-khor KI-tas-GEE po-A-lo, a-SHER sho-R'-RU a-na-SHEEM.

כדזְ֭כֹר כִּֽי־תַשְׂגִּ֣יא פׇעֳל֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר שֹׁרְר֣וּ אֲנָשִֽׁים׃

25Which all men have beheld, Men have seen, from a distance.

KOL-a-DAM cha-ZU-VO, e-NOSh ya-BEET me-RA-khOK.

כהכׇּל־אָדָ֥ם חָזוּ־ב֑וֹ אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ יַבִּ֥יט מֵרָחֽוֹק׃

26See, Hashem is greater than we can know; The number of His years cannot be counted.

hen-EIL sa-GEE v'-lo NE-da, mis-PAR sha-NAV v'-lo-KHE-kar

כוהֶן־אֵ֣ל שַׂ֭גִּיא וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע מִסְפַּ֖ר שָׁנָ֣יו וְלֹא־חֵֽקֶר׃

27He forms the droplets of water, Which cluster into rain, from His mist.

ki y'-ga-RA nit-fay-MA-yim ya-ZO-ku ma-TAR l'-E-do

כזכִּ֭י יְגָרַ֣ע נִטְפֵי־מָ֑יִם יָזֹ֖קּוּ מָטָ֣ר לְאֵדֽוֹ׃

28The skies rain; They pour down on all mankind.

a-SHER yiz-LO sh'-cha-KEEM yir-a-FU a-LAY a-DAM RAV

כחאֲשֶֽׁר־יִזְּל֥וּ שְׁחָקִ֑ים יִ֝רְעֲפ֗וּ עֲלֵ֤י ׀ אָדָ֬ם רָֽב׃

29Can one, indeed, contemplate the expanse of clouds, The thunderings from His pavilion?

af im-ya-VIN mif-re-sei-AV t'-shu-OT su-ka-TO

כטאַ֣ף אִם־יָ֭בִין מִפְרְשֵׂי־עָ֑ב תְּ֝שֻׁא֗וֹת סֻכָּתֽוֹ׃

30See, He spreads His lightning over it; It fills the bed of the sea.

hen-PA-ras a-LA-yu o-RO v'-shor-SHEI ha-YAM ki-SA

להֵן־פָּרַ֣שׂ עָלָ֣יו אוֹר֑וֹ וְשׇׁרְשֵׁ֖י הַיָּ֣ם כִּסָּֽה׃

31By these things He controls peoples; He gives food in abundance.

kee VAM ya-DEEN a-MEEM yi-TEN O-khel l'-makh-BEER

לאכִּי־בָ֭ם יָדִ֣ין עַמִּ֑ים יִֽתֶּן־אֹ֥כֶל לְמַכְבִּֽיר׃

 36:31   He gives food in abundance

Hashem uses His control over nature to punish people and to reward them. If He judges mankind favorably, then He will provide “food in abundance.” This is especially true in the Land of Israel, as expressed in Sefer Devarim (11:13-17). God says that if the Children of Israel perform good deeds and follow His com­mands, He will reward them with rain at the proper times, which will produce bountiful crops. Conversely, drought and famine are the punishments for national sin. It is important to recognize that while rain and drought are seemingly natural phenomena, they are actually Hashem’s vehicle for reward and punishment, and for communicating with His children.

32Lightning fills His hands; He orders it to hit the mark.

al-ka-PA-yim ki-SA-or va-Y'-tzav a-LE-ha b'-maf-GEE-a

לבעַל־כַּפַּ֥יִם כִּסָּה־א֑וֹר וַיְצַ֖ו עָלֶ֣יהָ בְמַפְגִּֽיעַ׃

33Its noise tells of Him. The kindling of anger against iniquity.

ya-GID a-LAV re-O miK-NEH af al-o-LEH

לגיַגִּ֣יד עָלָ֣יו רֵע֑וֹ מִ֝קְנֶ֗ה אַ֣ף עַל־עוֹלֶֽה׃