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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 4

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite said in reply:

va-YA-an e-lee-FAZ ha-tay-ma-NEE va-yo-MAR

אוַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

4:1   Then Eliphaz the Temanite said in reply

Eliphaz the Temanite is the first of Iyov’s friends to respond to his suffering. He asserts that Hashem would not punish those who are free of sin, as Iyov seems to believe; since all people sin, Iyov must not be an exception. He urges Iyov to confess his secret sins in order to alleviate his suffering. Though he means well, Eliphaz’s view of divine justice is criticized by God Himself at the end of the book (42:7). Eliphaz is called a Temanite, presumably because he is from the city called Teman, which belonged to the descendants of Esau, the Edomites, and is mentioned in Sefer Ovadya (1:9). Eliphaz was also the name of Esau’s firstborn son (Genesis 36:4). Many therefore assume that Eliphaz is an Edomite, and in Sefer Iyov represents Edomite wisdom, which was well-known in biblical times (see Jeremiah 49:7).

2If one ventures a word with you, will it be too much? But who can hold back his words?

ha-NIS-sah da-VAR e-LE-kha til-EH va-a-TZOR b'-mi-LIN mi YU-khal

בהֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ תִּלְאֶ֑ה וַעְצֹ֥ר בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין מִ֣י יוּכָֽל׃

3See, you have encouraged many; You have strengthened failing hands.

hi-ne YI-sar-TA ra-BEEM v'-ya-da-YIM ra-FOT t'-cha-ZEK

גהִ֭נֵּה יִסַּ֣רְתָּ רַבִּ֑ים וְיָדַ֖יִם רָפ֣וֹת תְּחַזֵּֽק׃

4Your words have kept him who stumbled from falling; You have braced knees that gave way.

Ko-SHEL ye-ki-MUN mi-LE-kha u-vir-KA-yim kor-OT te-a-METZ

דכּ֭וֹשֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְע֣וֹת תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃

5But now that it overtakes you, it is too much; It reaches you, and you are unnerved.

ki a-TAH ta-VO e-LE-kha va-te-LE tig-GA a-DE-kha va-ti-BA-HEL

הכִּ֤י עַתָּ֨ה ׀ תָּב֣וֹא אֵלֶ֣יךָ וַתֵּ֑לֶא תִּגַּ֥ע עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ וַתִּבָּהֵֽל׃

6Is not your piety your confidence, Your integrity your hope?

ha-LO yir-a-TE-kha kis-la-TE-kha tik-va-TE-kha v'-TOM d'-ra-KHE-kha

והֲלֹ֣א יִ֭רְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ וְתֹ֣ם דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃

7Think now, what innocent man ever perished? Where have the upright been destroyed?

ZE-khor-NA mee HU na-KEE a-VAD v'-AY-foh y'-sha-REEM nikh-KHA-du

זזְכׇר־נָ֗א מִ֤י ה֣וּא נָקִ֣י אָבָ֑ד וְ֝אֵיפֹ֗ה יְשָׁרִ֥ים נִכְחָֽדוּ׃

8As I have seen, those who plow evil And sow mischief reap them.

ka-a-SHER ra-EE-tee khor-SHEI a-VEN v'-zo-re-EI a-MAL yik-tz'-RU-hu

חכַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתִי חֹ֣רְשֵׁי אָ֑וֶן וְזֹרְעֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל יִקְצְרֻֽהוּ׃

9They perish by a blast from Hashem, Are gone at the breath of His nostrils.

mi-NISH-mat e-LO-a yo-VE-du u-m'-RU-akh a-PO yi-KLU

טמִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת אֱל֣וֹהַּ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וּמֵר֖וּחַ אַפּ֣וֹ יִכְלֽוּ׃

10The lion may roar, the cub may howl, But the teeth of the king of beasts are broken.

sha-a-GAT ar-YAY v'-KOL sha-KHAL v'-shi-NEI k'-fi-RIM ni-TA-u

ישַׁאֲגַ֣ת אַ֭רְיֵה וְק֣וֹל שָׁ֑חַל וְשִׁנֵּ֖י כְפִירִ֣ים נִתָּֽעוּ׃

11The lion perishes for lack of prey, And its whelps are scattered.

la-YISH o-VED mi-be-LEE-ta-REF u-ve-NAY la-VEE yit-pa-RA-du

יאלַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃

12A word came to me in stealth; My ear caught a whisper of it.

v'-E-lai da-VAR y'-gu-NAB, va-ti-KAKH a-Z'-ni SHE-mets men-HU

יבוְ֭אֵלַי דָּבָ֣ר יְגֻנָּ֑ב וַתִּקַּ֥ח אׇ֝זְנִ֗י שֵׁ֣מֶץ מֶֽנְהֽוּ׃

13In thought-filled visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men,

bi-s'-i-PEEM me-khez-yo-NOT la-y'-LAH, bin-FOL tar-DE-mah al a-na-SHEEM

יגבִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנ֣וֹת לָ֑יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֥ל תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה עַל־אֲנָשִֽׁים׃

14Fear and trembling came upon me, Causing all my bones to quake with fright.

PA-khad k'-ra-a-NEE u-r'-a-DAH v'-ROV ats-mo-TAI hif-KHEED

ידפַּ֣חַד קְ֭רָאַנִי וּרְעָדָ֑ה וְרֹ֖ב עַצְמוֹתַ֣י הִפְחִֽיד׃

15A wind passed by me, Making the hair of my flesh bristle.

v'-RU-akh al-PA-nai ya-cha-LOF t'-sa-MER sa-a-RAT b'-sa-REE

טווְ֭רוּחַ עַל־פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃

16It halted; its appearance was strange to me; A form loomed before my eyes; I heard a murmur, a voice,

ya-a-MOD v'-lo a-KIR mar-E-hu t'-mu-NA l'-NE-ged ay-NAI d'-ma-MAH va-KOL esh-MA

טזיַעֲמֹ֤ד ׀ וְֽלֹא־אַכִּ֬יר מַרְאֵ֗הוּ תְּ֭מוּנָה לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י דְּמָמָ֖ה וָק֣וֹל אֶשְׁמָֽע׃

17“Can mortals be acquitted by Hashem? Can man be cleared by his Maker?

ha-E-nosh me-E-lo-HA yitZ-DAK, im me-o-SE-hu yit-HAR ga-VER

יזהַ֭אֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱל֣וֹהַּ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר׃

18If He cannot trust His own servants, And casts reproach on His angels,

HEN ba-a-va-DAV lo ya-a-MEEN u-v'-mal-a-KHAV ya-SEEM to-HA-lah

יחהֵ֣ן בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו יָשִׂ֥ים תׇּהֳלָֽה׃

19How much less those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose origin is dust, Who are crushed like the moth,

af shokh-NAY ba-TAY-kho-MER a-SHER be-a-FAR ye-SO-dam ye-da-KE-um lif-NEI-aSH

יטאַ֤ף ׀ שֹׁכְנֵ֬י בָֽתֵּי־חֹ֗מֶר אֲשֶׁר־בֶּעָפָ֥ר יְסוֹדָ֑ם יְ֝דַכְּא֗וּם לִפְנֵי־עָֽשׁ׃

20Shattered between daybreak and evening, Perishing forever, unnoticed.

mi-BO-ker la-E-REV yu-KA-tu mi-b'-LI me-SIM la-NE-tsakh yo-VE-du

כמִבֹּ֣קֶר לָעֶ֣רֶב יֻכַּ֑תּוּ מִבְּלִ֥י מֵ֝שִׂ֗ים לָנֶ֥צַח יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

21Their cord is pulled up And they die, and not with wisdom.”

ha-LO ni-SA yit-RAM bam ya-MU-tu v'-LO b'-khok-MAH

כאהֲלֹא־נִסַּ֣ע יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחׇכְמָֽה׃