Great Books - Wisdom & Theodicy
(א) וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע֙ בְּקוֹל֙ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם וּנְתָ֨נְךָ֜ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ עֶלְי֔וֹן עַ֖ל כׇּל־גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) וּבָ֧אוּ עָלֶ֛יךָ כׇּל־הַבְּרָכ֥וֹת הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְהִשִּׂיגֻ֑ךָ כִּ֣י תִשְׁמַ֔ע בְּק֖וֹל ה' אֱלֹקֶֽיךָ׃ (ג) בָּר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בָּעִ֑יר וּבָר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃ (ד) בָּר֧וּךְ פְּרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֛ וּפְרִ֥י אַדְמָתְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י בְהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָ שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּר֥וֹת צֹאנֶֽךָ׃ (ה) בָּר֥וּךְ טַנְאֲךָ֖ וּמִשְׁאַרְתֶּֽךָ׃ (ו) בָּר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בְּבֹאֶ֑ךָ וּבָר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בְּצֵאתֶֽךָ׃ (ז) יִתֵּ֨ן ה' אֶת־אֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ הַקָּמִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ נִגָּפִ֖ים לְפָנֶ֑יךָ בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ אֶחָד֙ יֵצְא֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וּבְשִׁבְעָ֥ה דְרָכִ֖ים יָנ֥וּסוּ לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ (ח) יְצַ֨ו ה' אִתְּךָ֙ אֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֔ה בַּאֲסָמֶ֕יךָ וּבְכֹ֖ל מִשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֶ֑ךָ וּבֵ֣רַכְךָ֔ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ה' אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ (ט) יְקִֽימְךָ֨ ה' לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם קָד֔וֹשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר נִֽשְׁבַּֽע־לָ֑ךְ כִּ֣י תִשְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־מִצְוֺת֙ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ֖ בִּדְרָכָֽיו׃ (י) וְרָאוּ֙ כׇּל־עַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם ה' נִקְרָ֣א עָלֶ֑יךָ וְיָֽרְא֖וּ מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ (יא) וְהוֹתִרְךָ֤ ה' לְטוֹבָ֔ה בִּפְרִ֧י בִטְנְךָ֛ וּבִפְרִ֥י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֖ וּבִפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ עַ֚ל הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע ה' לַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ לָ֥תֶת לָֽךְ׃ (יב) יִפְתַּ֣ח ה' ׀ לְ֠ךָ֠ אֶת־אוֹצָר֨וֹ הַטּ֜וֹב אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם לָתֵ֤ת מְטַֽר־אַרְצְךָ֙ בְּעִתּ֔וֹ וּלְבָרֵ֕ךְ אֵ֖ת כׇּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִלְוִ֙יתָ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א תִלְוֶֽה׃ (יג) וּנְתָֽנְךָ֨ ה' לְרֹאשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א לְזָנָ֔ב וְהָיִ֙יתָ֙ רַ֣ק לְמַ֔עְלָה וְלֹ֥א תִהְיֶ֖ה לְמָ֑טָּה כִּֽי־תִשְׁמַ֞ע אֶל־מִצְוֺ֣ת ׀ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם לִשְׁמֹ֥ר וְלַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ (יד) וְלֹ֣א תָס֗וּר מִכׇּל־הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֜י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֛ם הַיּ֖וֹם יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לָלֶ֗כֶת אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹקִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים לְעׇבְדָֽם׃ {פ}
(טו) וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמַע֙ בְּקוֹל֙ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺתָ֣יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם וּבָ֧אוּ עָלֶ֛יךָ כׇּל־הַקְּלָל֥וֹת הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְהִשִּׂיגֽוּךָ׃ (טז) אָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בָּעִ֑יר וְאָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃ (יז) אָר֥וּר טַנְאֲךָ֖ וּמִשְׁאַרְתֶּֽךָ׃ (יח) אָר֥וּר פְּרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹ֥ת צֹאנֶֽךָ׃ (יט) אָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בְּבֹאֶ֑ךָ וְאָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בְּצֵאתֶֽךָ׃ (כ) יְשַׁלַּ֣ח ה' ׀ בְּ֠ךָ֠ אֶת־הַמְּאֵרָ֤ה אֶת־הַמְּהוּמָה֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּגְעֶ֔רֶת בְּכׇל־מִשְׁלַ֥ח יָדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲשֶׂ֑ה עַ֣ד הִשָּׁמֶדְךָ֤ וְעַד־אֲבׇדְךָ֙ מַהֵ֔ר מִפְּנֵ֛י רֹ֥עַ מַֽעֲלָלֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲזַבְתָּֽנִי׃ (כא) יַדְבֵּ֧ק ה' בְּךָ֖ אֶת־הַדָּ֑בֶר עַ֚ד כַּלֹּת֣וֹ אֹֽתְךָ֔ מֵעַל֙ הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (כב) יַכְּכָ֣ה ה' בַּשַּׁחֶ֨פֶת וּבַקַּדַּ֜חַת וּבַדַּלֶּ֗קֶת וּבַֽחַרְחֻר֙ וּבַחֶ֔רֶב וּבַשִּׁדָּפ֖וֹן וּבַיֵּרָק֑וֹן וּרְדָפ֖וּךָ עַ֥ד אׇבְדֶֽךָ׃ (כג) וְהָי֥וּ שָׁמֶ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־רֹאשְׁךָ֖ נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְהָאָ֥רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־תַּחְתֶּ֖יךָ בַּרְזֶֽל׃ (כד) יִתֵּ֧ן ה' אֶת־מְטַ֥ר אַרְצְךָ֖ אָבָ֣ק וְעָפָ֑ר מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ יֵרֵ֣ד עָלֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד הִשָּׁמְדָֽךְ׃ (כה) יִתֶּנְךָ֨ ה' ׀ נִגָּף֮ לִפְנֵ֣י אֹיְבֶ֒יךָ֒ בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ אֶחָד֙ תֵּצֵ֣א אֵלָ֔יו וּבְשִׁבְעָ֥ה דְרָכִ֖ים תָּנ֣וּס לְפָנָ֑יו וְהָיִ֣יתָ לְזַֽעֲוָ֔ה לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כו) וְהָיְתָ֤ה נִבְלָֽתְךָ֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְכׇל־ע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶהֱמַ֣ת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְאֵ֖ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃ (כז) יַכְּכָ֨ה ה' בִּשְׁחִ֤ין מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ (ובעפלים) [וּבַטְּחֹרִ֔ים] וּבַגָּרָ֖ב וּבֶחָ֑רֶס אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תוּכַ֖ל לְהֵרָפֵֽא׃ (כח) יַכְּכָ֣ה ה' בְּשִׁגָּע֖וֹן וּבְעִוָּר֑וֹן וּבְתִמְה֖וֹן לֵבָֽב׃ (כט) וְהָיִ֜יתָ מְמַשֵּׁ֣שׁ בַּֽצׇּהֳרַ֗יִם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ הַֽעִוֵּר֙ בָּאֲפֵלָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א תַצְלִ֖יחַ אֶת־דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ וְהָיִ֜יתָ אַ֣ךְ עָשׁ֧וּק וְגָז֛וּל כׇּל־הַיָּמִ֖ים וְאֵ֥ין מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ (ל) אִשָּׁ֣ה תְאָרֵ֗שׂ וְאִ֤ישׁ אַחֵר֙ (ישגלנה) [יִשְׁכָּבֶ֔נָּה] בַּ֥יִת תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְלֹא־תֵשֵׁ֣ב בּ֑וֹ כֶּ֥רֶם תִּטַּ֖ע וְלֹ֥א תְחַלְּלֶֽנּוּ׃ (לא) שׁוֹרְךָ֞ טָב֣וּחַ לְעֵינֶ֗יךָ וְלֹ֣א תֹאכַל֮ מִמֶּ֒נּוּ֒ חֲמֹֽרְךָ֙ גָּז֣וּל מִלְּפָנֶ֔יךָ וְלֹ֥א יָשׁ֖וּב לָ֑ךְ צֹֽאנְךָ֙ נְתֻנ֣וֹת לְאֹיְבֶ֔יךָ וְאֵ֥ין לְךָ֖ מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ (לב) בָּנֶ֨יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֜יךָ נְתֻנִ֨ים לְעַ֤ם אַחֵר֙ וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ רֹא֔וֹת וְכָל֥וֹת אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כׇּל־הַיּ֑וֹם וְאֵ֥ין לְאֵ֖ל יָדֶֽךָ׃ (לג) פְּרִ֤י אַדְמָֽתְךָ֙ וְכׇל־יְגִ֣יעֲךָ֔ יֹאכַ֥ל עַ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יָדָ֑עְתָּ וְהָיִ֗יתָ רַ֛ק עָשׁ֥וּק וְרָצ֖וּץ כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ (לד) וְהָיִ֖יתָ מְשֻׁגָּ֑ע מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה עֵינֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְאֶֽה׃ (לה) יַכְּכָ֨ה ה' בִּשְׁחִ֣ין רָ֗ע עַל־הַבִּרְכַּ֙יִם֙ וְעַל־הַשֹּׁקַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תוּכַ֖ל לְהֵרָפֵ֑א מִכַּ֥ף רַגְלְךָ֖ וְעַ֥ד קׇדְקֳדֶֽךָ׃ (לו) יוֹלֵ֨ךְ ה' אֹתְךָ֗ וְאֶֽת־מַלְכְּךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּקִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ אֶל־גּ֕וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָדַ֖עְתָּ אַתָּ֣ה וַאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וְעָבַ֥דְתָּ שָּׁ֛ם אֱלֹקִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים עֵ֥ץ וָאָֽבֶן׃ (לז) וְהָיִ֣יתָ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה לְמָשָׁ֖ל וְלִשְׁנִינָ֑ה בְּכֹל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יְנַהֶגְךָ֥ ה' שָֽׁמָּה׃ (לח) זֶ֥רַע רַ֖ב תּוֹצִ֣יא הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּמְעַ֣ט תֶּאֱסֹ֔ף כִּ֥י יַחְסְלֶ֖נּוּ הָאַרְבֶּֽה׃ (לט) כְּרָמִ֥ים תִּטַּ֖ע וְעָבָ֑דְתָּ וְיַ֤יִן לֹֽא־תִשְׁתֶּה֙ וְלֹ֣א תֶאֱגֹ֔ר כִּ֥י תֹאכְלֶ֖נּוּ הַתֹּלָֽעַת׃ (מ) זֵיתִ֛ים יִהְי֥וּ לְךָ֖ בְּכׇל־גְּבוּלֶ֑ךָ וְשֶׁ֙מֶן֙ לֹ֣א תָס֔וּךְ כִּ֥י יִשַּׁ֖ל זֵיתֶֽךָ׃ (מא) בָּנִ֥ים וּבָנ֖וֹת תּוֹלִ֑יד וְלֹא־יִהְי֣וּ לָ֔ךְ כִּ֥י יֵלְכ֖וּ בַּשֶּֽׁבִי׃ (מב) כׇּל־עֵצְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ יְיָרֵ֖שׁ הַצְּלָצַֽל׃ (מג) הַגֵּר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבְּךָ֔ יַעֲלֶ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ מַ֣עְלָה מָּ֑עְלָה וְאַתָּ֥ה תֵרֵ֖ד מַ֥טָּה מָּֽטָּה׃ (מד) ה֣וּא יַלְוְךָ֔ וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹ֣א תַלְוֶ֑נּוּ ה֚וּא יִהְיֶ֣ה לְרֹ֔אשׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לְזָנָֽב׃ (מה) וּבָ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כׇּל־הַקְּלָל֣וֹת הָאֵ֗לֶּה וּרְדָפ֙וּךָ֙ וְהִשִּׂיג֔וּךָ עַ֖ד הִשָּׁמְדָ֑ךְ כִּי־לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ בְּקוֹל֙ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֛ר מִצְוֺתָ֥יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽךְ׃ (מו) וְהָי֣וּ בְךָ֔ לְא֖וֹת וּלְמוֹפֵ֑ת וּֽבְזַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (מז) תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־עָבַ֙דְתָּ֙ אֶת־ה' אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ בְּשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּבְט֣וּב לֵבָ֑ב מֵרֹ֖ב כֹּֽל׃ (מח) וְעָבַדְתָּ֣ אֶת־אֹיְבֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְשַׁלְּחֶ֤נּוּ ה' בָּ֔ךְ בְּרָעָ֧ב וּבְצָמָ֛א וּבְעֵירֹ֖ם וּבְחֹ֣סֶר כֹּ֑ל וְנָתַ֞ן עֹ֤ל בַּרְזֶל֙ עַל־צַוָּארֶ֔ךָ עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִיד֖וֹ אֹתָֽךְ׃ (מט) יִשָּׂ֣א ה' עָלֶ֨יךָ גּ֤וֹי מֵרָחֹק֙ מִקְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִדְאֶ֖ה הַנָּ֑שֶׁר גּ֕וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תִשְׁמַ֖ע לְשֹׁנֽוֹ׃ (נ) גּ֖וֹי עַ֣ז פָּנִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־יִשָּׂ֤א פָנִים֙ לְזָקֵ֔ן וְנַ֖עַר לֹ֥א יָחֹֽן׃ (נא) וְ֠אָכַ֠ל פְּרִ֨י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֥ וּפְרִֽי־אַדְמָתְךָ֮ עַ֣ד הִשָּׁמְדָךְ֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־יַשְׁאִ֜יר לְךָ֗ דָּגָן֙ תִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְיִצְהָ֔ר שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת צֹאנֶ֑ךָ עַ֥ד הַאֲבִיד֖וֹ אֹתָֽךְ׃ (נב) וְהֵצַ֨ר לְךָ֜ בְּכׇל־שְׁעָרֶ֗יךָ עַ֣ד רֶ֤דֶת חֹמֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ הַגְּבֹהֹ֣ת וְהַבְּצֻר֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה בֹּטֵ֥חַ בָּהֵ֖ן בְּכׇל־אַרְצֶ֑ךָ וְהֵצַ֤ר לְךָ֙ בְּכׇל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּכׇ֨ל־אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן ה' אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ לָֽךְ׃ (נג) וְאָכַלְתָּ֣ פְרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֗ בְּשַׂ֤ר בָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַן־לְךָ֖ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֑יךָ בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁר־יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֖ אֹיְבֶֽךָ׃ (נד) הָאִישׁ֙ הָרַ֣ךְ בְּךָ֔ וְהֶעָנֹ֖ג מְאֹ֑ד תֵּרַ֨ע עֵינ֤וֹ בְאָחִיו֙ וּבְאֵ֣שֶׁת חֵיק֔וֹ וּבְיֶ֥תֶר בָּנָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹתִֽיר׃ (נה) מִתֵּ֣ת ׀ לְאַחַ֣ד מֵהֶ֗ם מִבְּשַׂ֤ר בָּנָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹאכֵ֔ל מִבְּלִ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ כֹּ֑ל בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֛ אֹיִבְךָ֖ בְּכׇל־שְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ (נו) הָרַכָּ֨ה בְךָ֜ וְהָעֲנֻגָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־נִסְּתָ֤ה כַף־רַגְלָהּ֙ הַצֵּ֣ג עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵהִתְעַנֵּ֖ג וּמֵרֹ֑ךְ תֵּרַ֤ע עֵינָהּ֙ בְּאִ֣ישׁ חֵיקָ֔הּ וּבִבְנָ֖הּ וּבְבִתָּֽהּ׃ (נז) וּֽבְשִׁלְיָתָ֞הּ הַיּוֹצֵ֣ת ׀ מִבֵּ֣ין רַגְלֶ֗יהָ וּבְבָנֶ֙יהָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּלֵ֔ד כִּֽי־תֹאכְלֵ֥ם בְּחֹסֶר־כֹּ֖ל בַּסָּ֑תֶר בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֛ אֹיִבְךָ֖ בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ (נח) אִם־לֹ֨א תִשְׁמֹ֜ר לַעֲשׂ֗וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את הַכְּתֻבִ֖ים בַּסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה לְ֠יִרְאָ֠ה אֶת־הַשֵּׁ֞ם הַנִּכְבָּ֤ד וְהַנּוֹרָא֙ הַזֶּ֔ה אֵ֖ת ה' אֱלֹקֶֽיךָ׃ (נט) וְהִפְלָ֤א ה' אֶת־מַכֹּ֣תְךָ֔ וְאֵ֖ת מַכּ֣וֹת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ מַכּ֤וֹת גְּדֹלֹת֙ וְנֶ֣אֱמָנ֔וֹת וׇחֳלָיִ֖ם רָעִ֥ים וְנֶאֱמָנִֽים׃ (ס) וְהֵשִׁ֣יב בְּךָ֗ אֵ֚ת כׇּל־מַדְוֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָגֹ֖רְתָּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְדָבְק֖וּ בָּֽךְ׃ (סא) גַּ֤ם כׇּל־חֳלִי֙ וְכׇל־מַכָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א כָת֔וּב בְּסֵ֖פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את יַעְלֵ֤ם ה' עָלֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד הִשָּׁמְדָֽךְ׃ (סב) וְנִשְׁאַרְתֶּם֙ בִּמְתֵ֣י מְעָ֔ט תַּ֚חַת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֱיִיתֶ֔ם כְּכוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹ֑ב כִּי־לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔עְתָּ בְּק֖וֹל ה' אֱלֹקֶֽיךָ׃ (סג) וְ֠הָיָ֠ה כַּאֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֨שׂ ה' עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם לְהֵיטִ֣יב אֶתְכֶם֮ וּלְהַרְבּ֣וֹת אֶתְכֶם֒ כֵּ֣ן יָשִׂ֤ישׂ ה' עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם לְהַאֲבִ֥יד אֶתְכֶ֖ם וּלְהַשְׁמִ֣יד אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְנִסַּחְתֶּם֙ מֵעַ֣ל הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (סד) וֶהֱפִֽיצְךָ֤ ה' בְּכׇל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים מִקְצֵ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ וְעַד־קְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ וְעָבַ֨דְתָּ שָּׁ֜ם אֱלֹקִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־יָדַ֛עְתָּ אַתָּ֥ה וַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ עֵ֥ץ וָאָֽבֶן׃ (סה) וּבַגּוֹיִ֤ם הָהֵם֙ לֹ֣א תַרְגִּ֔יעַ וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה מָנ֖וֹחַ לְכַף־רַגְלֶ֑ךָ וְנָתַן֩ ה' לְךָ֥ שָׁם֙ לֵ֣ב רַגָּ֔ז וְכִלְי֥וֹן עֵינַ֖יִם וְדַאֲב֥וֹן נָֽפֶשׁ׃ (סו) וְהָי֣וּ חַיֶּ֔יךָ תְּלֻאִ֥ים לְךָ֖ מִנֶּ֑גֶד וּפָֽחַדְתָּ֙ לַ֣יְלָה וְיוֹמָ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תַאֲמִ֖ין בְּחַיֶּֽיךָ׃ (סז) בַּבֹּ֤קֶר תֹּאמַר֙ מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן עֶ֔רֶב וּבָעֶ֥רֶב תֹּאמַ֖ר מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן בֹּ֑קֶר מִפַּ֤חַד לְבָֽבְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּפְחָ֔ד וּמִמַּרְאֵ֥ה עֵינֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְאֶֽה׃ (סח) וֶהֱשִֽׁיבְךָ֨ ה' ׀ מִצְרַ֘יִם֮ בׇּאֳנִיּוֹת֒ בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣רְתִּֽי לְךָ֔ לֹא־תֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד לִרְאֹתָ֑הּ וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּ֨ם שָׁ֧ם לְאֹיְבֶ֛יךָ לַעֲבָדִ֥ים וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת וְאֵ֥ין קֹנֶֽה׃ {ס} (סט) אֵ֩לֶּה֩ דִבְרֵ֨י הַבְּרִ֜ית אֲֽשֶׁר־צִוָּ֧ה ה' אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֗ה לִכְרֹ֛ת אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֑ב מִלְּבַ֣ד הַבְּרִ֔ית אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַ֥ת אִתָּ֖ם בְּחֹרֵֽב׃ {פ}
(1) Now, if you obey your God ה', to observe faithfully all the divine commandments which I enjoin upon you this day, your God ה' will set you high above all the nations of the earth. (2) All these blessings shall come upon you and take effect, if you will but heed the word of your God ה': (3) Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the country. (4) Blessed shall be your issue from the womb, your produce from the soil, and the offspring of your cattle, the calving of your herd and the lambing of your flock. (5) Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. (6) Blessed shall you be in your comings and blessed shall you be in your goings. (7) ה' will put to rout before [your army] the enemies who attack you; they will march out against you by a single road, but flee from you by many*many Lit. “seven.” roads. (8) ה' will ordain blessings for you upon your barns and upon all your undertakings: you will be blessed in the land that your God ה' is giving you. (9) ה' will establish you as God’s holy people, as was sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of your God ה' and walk in God’s ways. (10) And all the peoples of the earth shall see that יהוה’s name is proclaimed over you,*יהוה’s name is proclaimed over you I.e., God provides protection, much as a (typically male) householder does upon formally recognizing someone as part of his household; cf. Isa. 4.1; Jer. 14.9; 2 Sam. 12.28. Cf. note at Deut. 1.31. and they shall stand in fear of you. (11) ה' will give you abounding prosperity in your issue from the womb, the offspring of your cattle, and the produce of your soil in the land that ה' swore to your fathers to assign to you. (12) ה' will open for you that bounteous store, the heavens, to provide rain for your land in season and to bless all your undertakings. You will be creditor to many nations, but debtor to none. (13) ה' will make you the head, not the tail; you will always be at the top and never at the bottom—if only you obey and faithfully observe the commandments of your God ה' that I enjoin upon you this day, (14) and do not deviate to the right or to the left from any of the commandments that I enjoin upon you this day and turn to the worship of other gods. (15) But if you do not obey your God ה' to observe faithfully all the commandments and laws which I enjoin upon you this day, all these curses shall come upon you and take effect: (16) Cursed shall you be in the city and cursed shall you be in the country. (17) Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. (18) Cursed shall be your issue from the womb and your produce from the soil, the calving of your herd and the lambing of your flock. (19) Cursed shall you be in your comings and cursed shall you be in your goings. (20) ה' will let loose against you calamity, panic, and frustration in all the enterprises you undertake, so that you shall soon be utterly wiped out because of your evildoing in forsaking Me. (21) ה' will make pestilence cling to you, until putting an end to you in the land that you are entering to possess. (22) ה' will strike you with consumption, fever, and inflammation,*consumption, fever, and inflammation Exact nature of these afflictions uncertain. with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew; they shall hound you until you perish. (23) The skies above your head shall be copper and the earth under you iron. (24) ה' will make the rain of your land dust, and sand shall drop on you from the sky, until you are wiped out. (25) ה' will put you to rout before your enemies; you shall march out against them by a single road, but flee from them by many*many Lit. “seven.” roads; and you shall become a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. (26) Your carcasses shall become food for all the birds of the sky and all the beasts of the earth, with none to frighten them off. (27) ה' will strike you with the Egyptian inflammation,*the Egyptian inflammation See Exod. 9.9–10. with hemorrhoids, boil-scars, and itch, from which you shall never recover. (28) ה' will strike you with madness, blindness, and dismay.*dismay Lit. “numbness of heart.” (29) You shall grope at noon as the blind grope in the dark; you shall not prosper in your ventures, but shall be constantly abused and robbed, with none to give help. (30) If you [a man] pay the bride-price for a wife, another man shall enjoy her. If you build a house, you shall not live in it. If you plant a vineyard, you shall not harvest it.*If you plant a vineyard … harvest it Cf. 20.6. (31) Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you shall not eat of it; your ass shall be seized in front of you, and it shall not be returned to you; your flock shall be delivered to your enemies, with none to help you. (32) Your sons and daughters shall be delivered to another people, while you look on; and your eyes shall strain for them constantly, but you shall be helpless. (33) A people you do not know shall eat up the produce of your soil and all your gains; you shall be abused and downtrodden continually, (34) until you are driven mad by what your eyes behold. (35) ה' will afflict you at the knees and thighs with a severe inflammation, from which you shall never recover—from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. (36) ה' will drive you, and the king you have set over you, to a nation unknown to you or your ancestors, where you shall serve other gods, of wood and stone. (37) You shall be a consternation, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples to which ה' will drive you. (38) Though you take much seed out to the field, you shall gather in little, for the locust shall consume it. (39) Though you plant vineyards and till them, you shall have no wine to drink or store, for the worm shall devour them. (40) Though you have olive trees throughout your territory, you shall have no oil for anointment, for your olives shall drop off. (41) Though you beget sons and daughters, they shall not remain with you, for they shall go into captivity. (42) The cricket shall take over all the trees and produce of your land. (43) The strangers in your midst shall rise above you higher and higher, while you sink lower and lower: (44) they shall be your creditors, but you shall not be theirs; they shall be the head and you the tail. (45) All these curses shall befall you; they shall pursue you and overtake you, until you are wiped out, because you did not heed your God ה' and keep the commandments and laws that were enjoined upon you. (46) They shall serve as signs and proofs against you and your offspring for all time. (47) Because you would not serve your God ה' in joy and gladness over the abundance of everything, (48) you shall have to serve—in hunger and thirst, naked and lacking everything—the enemies whom ה' will let loose against you. [God] will put an iron yoke upon your neck until you are wiped out. (49) ה' will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, which will swoop down like the eagle—a nation whose language you do not understand, (50) a ruthless nation, that will show the influential*influential Taking Heb. zaqen as a term of socioeconomic status; trad. “old.” See the Dictionary under “elder.” no regard and the vulnerable*vulnerable Taking the Heb. term as referring to socioeconomic status; trad. “young.” See previous note and the Dictionary under na‘ar. no mercy. (51) It shall devour the offspring of your cattle and the produce of your soil, until you have been wiped out, leaving you nothing of new grain, wine, or oil, of the calving of your herds and the lambing of your flocks, until it has brought you to ruin. (52) It shall shut you up in all your towns throughout your land until every mighty, towering wall in which you trust has come down. And when you are shut up in all your towns throughout your land that your God ה' has assigned to you, (53) you shall eat your own issue, the flesh of your sons and daughters that your God ה' has assigned to you, because of the desperate straits to which your enemy shall reduce you. (54) The householder*householder See the first note at 1.31. who is most tender and fastidious among you shall be too mean to his brother and the wife of his bosom and the children he has spared (55) to share with any of them the flesh of the children that he eats, because he has nothing else left as a result of the desperate straits to which your enemy shall reduce you in all your towns. (56) And she who is most tender and dainty among you, so tender and dainty that she would never venture to set a foot on the ground, shall begrudge the husband of her bosom, and her son and her daughter, (57) the afterbirth that issues from between her legs and the babies she bears; she shall eat them secretly, because of utter want, in the desperate straits to which your enemy shall reduce you in your towns. (58) If you fail to observe faithfully all the terms of this Teaching that are written in this book, to reverence this honored and awesome Name, your God ה', (59) ה' will inflict extraordinary plagues upon you and your offspring, strange and lasting plagues, malignant and chronic diseases— (60) bringing back upon you all the sicknesses of Egypt that you dreaded so, and they shall cling to you. (61) Moreover, ה' will bring upon you all the other diseases and plagues that are not mentioned in this book of Teaching, until you are wiped out. (62) You shall be left a scant few, after having been as numerous as the stars in the skies, because you did not heed the command of your God ה'. (63) And as ה' once delighted in making you prosperous and many, so will ה' now delight in causing you to perish and in wiping you out; you shall be torn from the land that you are about to enter and possess. (64) ה' will scatter you among all the peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, whom neither you nor your ancestors have experienced.*whom neither you nor your ancestors have experienced See note at 11.28. (65) Yet even among those nations you shall find no peace, nor shall your foot find a place to rest. ה' will give you there an anguished heart and eyes that pine and a despondent spirit. (66) The life you face shall be precarious; you shall be in terror, night and day, with no assurance of survival. (67) In the morning you shall say, “If only it were evening!” and in the evening you shall say, “If only it were morning!”—because of what your heart shall dread and your eyes shall see. (68) ה' will send you back to Egypt in galleys, by a route which I told you you should not see again. There you shall offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but none will buy. (69) *This verse constitutes 29.1 in some editions. These are the terms of the covenant which ה' commanded Moses to conclude with the Israelites in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant which was made with them at Horeb.
(א) וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־ה' אֶל־יוֹנָ֥ה בֶן־אֲמִתַּ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) ק֠וּם לֵ֧ךְ אֶל־נִֽינְוֵ֛ה הָעִ֥יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֖ה וּקְרָ֣א עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּֽי־עָלְתָ֥ה רָעָתָ֖ם לְפָנָֽי׃ (ג) וַיָּ֤קׇם יוֹנָה֙ לִבְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֔ישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵ֖י ה' וַיֵּ֨רֶד יָפ֜וֹ וַיִּמְצָ֥א אֳנִיָּ֣ה ׀ בָּאָ֣ה תַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֨ן שְׂכָרָ֜הּ וַיֵּ֤רֶד בָּהּ֙ לָב֤וֹא עִמָּהֶם֙ תַּרְשִׁ֔ישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵ֖י ה'׃ (ד) וַֽה' הֵטִ֤יל רֽוּחַ־גְּדוֹלָה֙ אֶל־קַיָּ֔ם וַיְהִ֥י סַֽעַר־גָּד֖וֹל בַּיָּ֑ם וְהָ֣אֳנִיָּ֔ה חִשְּׁבָ֖ה לְהִשָּׁבֵֽר׃ (ה) וַיִּֽירְא֣וּ הַמַּלָּחִ֗ים וַֽיִּזְעֲקוּ֮ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אֱלֹקָיו֒ וַיָּטִ֨לוּ אֶת־הַכֵּלִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּֽאֳנִיָּה֙ אֶל־קַיָּ֔ם לְהָקֵ֖ל מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְיוֹנָ֗ה יָרַד֙ אֶל־יַרְכְּתֵ֣י הַסְּפִינָ֔ה וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב וַיֵּרָדַֽם׃ (ו) וַיִּקְרַ֤ב אֵלָיו֙ רַ֣ב הַחֹבֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ מַה־לְּךָ֣ נִרְדָּ֑ם ק֚וּם קְרָ֣א אֶל־אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ אוּלַ֞י יִתְעַשֵּׁ֧ת הָאֱלֹקִ֛ים לָ֖נוּ וְלֹ֥א נֹאבֵֽד׃ (ז) וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֗הוּ לְכוּ֙ וְנַפִּ֣ילָה גֽוֹרָל֔וֹת וְנֵ֣דְעָ֔ה בְּשֶׁלְּמִ֛י הָרָעָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָ֑נוּ וַיַּפִּ֙לוּ֙ גּֽוֹרָל֔וֹת וַיִּפֹּ֥ל הַגּוֹרָ֖ל עַל־יוֹנָֽה׃ (ח) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו הַגִּידָה־נָּ֣א לָ֔נוּ בַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר לְמִי־הָרָעָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָ֑נוּ מַה־מְּלַאכְתְּךָ֙ וּמֵאַ֣יִן תָּב֔וֹא מָ֣ה אַרְצֶ֔ךָ וְאֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה עַ֖ם אָֽתָּה׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם עִבְרִ֣י אָנֹ֑כִי וְאֶת־ה' אֱלֹקֵ֤י הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ אֲנִ֣י יָרֵ֔א אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הַיָּ֖ם וְאֶת־הַיַּבָּשָֽׁה׃ (י) וַיִּֽירְא֤וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ יִרְאָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֔ה וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו מַה־זֹּ֣את עָשִׂ֑יתָ כִּֽי־יָדְע֣וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים כִּֽי־מִלִּפְנֵ֤י ה' ה֣וּא בֹרֵ֔חַ כִּ֥י הִגִּ֖יד לָהֶֽם׃ (יא) וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ מַה־נַּ֣עֲשֶׂה לָּ֔ךְ וְיִשְׁתֹּ֥ק הַיָּ֖ם מֵֽעָלֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֥י הַיָּ֖ם הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וְסֹעֵֽר׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם שָׂא֙וּנִי֙ וַהֲטִילֻ֣נִי אֶל־קַיָּ֔ם וְיִשְׁתֹּ֥ק הַיָּ֖ם מֵֽעֲלֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֚י יוֹדֵ֣עַ אָ֔נִי כִּ֣י בְשֶׁלִּ֔י הַסַּ֧עַר הַגָּד֛וֹל הַזֶּ֖ה עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ (יג) וַיַּחְתְּר֣וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים לְהָשִׁ֛יב אֶל־הַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה וְלֹ֣א יָכֹ֑לוּ כִּ֣י הַיָּ֔ם הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וְסֹעֵ֖ר עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (יד) וַיִּקְרְא֨וּ אֶל־ה' וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אָנָּ֤ה ה' אַל־נָ֣א נֹאבְדָ֗ה בְּנֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֔ה וְאַל־תִּתֵּ֥ן עָלֵ֖ינוּ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֑יא כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה ה' כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר חָפַ֖צְתָּ עָשִֽׂיתָ׃ (טו) וַיִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־יוֹנָ֔ה וַיְטִלֻ֖הוּ אֶל־קַיָּ֑ם וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד הַיָּ֖ם מִזַּעְפּֽוֹ׃ (טז) וַיִּֽירְא֧וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים יִרְאָ֥ה גְדוֹלָ֖ה אֶת־ה' וַיִּֽזְבְּחוּ־זֶ֙בַח֙ לַֽה' וַֽיִּדְּר֖וּ נְדָרִֽים׃ (א) וַיְמַ֤ן ה' דָּ֣ג גָּד֔וֹל לִבְלֹ֖עַ אֶת־יוֹנָ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י יוֹנָה֙ בִּמְעֵ֣י הַדָּ֔ג שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יָמִ֖ים וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה לֵילֽוֹת׃ (ב) וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֣ל יוֹנָ֔ה אֶל־ה' אֱלֹקָ֑יו מִמְּעֵ֖י הַדָּגָֽה׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר קָ֠רָ֠אתִי מִצָּ֥רָה לִ֛י אֶל־ה' וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑נִי מִבֶּ֧טֶן שְׁא֛וֹל שִׁוַּ֖עְתִּי שָׁמַ֥עְתָּ קוֹלִֽי׃ (ד) וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵ֤נִי מְצוּלָה֙ בִּלְבַ֣ב יַמִּ֔ים וְנָהָ֖ר יְסֹבְבֵ֑נִי כׇּל־מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָ וְגַלֶּ֖יךָ עָלַ֥י עָבָֽרוּ׃ (ה) וַאֲנִ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי נִגְרַ֖שְׁתִּי מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ אַ֚ךְ אוֹסִ֣יף לְהַבִּ֔יט אֶל־הֵיכַ֖ל קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (ו) אֲפָפ֤וּנִי מַ֙יִם֙ עַד־נֶ֔פֶשׁ תְּה֖וֹם יְסֹבְבֵ֑נִי ס֖וּף חָב֥וּשׁ לְרֹאשִֽׁי׃ (ז) לְקִצְבֵ֤י הָרִים֙ יָרַ֔דְתִּי הָאָ֛רֶץ בְּרִחֶ֥יהָ בַעֲדִ֖י לְעוֹלָ֑ם וַתַּ֧עַל מִשַּׁ֛חַת חַיַּ֖י ה' אֱלֹקָֽי׃ (ח) בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֤ף עָלַי֙ נַפְשִׁ֔י אֶת־ה' זָכָ֑רְתִּי וַתָּב֤וֹא אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּפִלָּתִ֔י אֶל־הֵיכַ֖ל קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (ט) מְשַׁמְּרִ֖ים הַבְלֵי־שָׁ֑וְא חַסְדָּ֖ם יַעֲזֹֽבוּ׃ (י) וַאֲנִ֗י בְּק֤וֹל תּוֹדָה֙ אֶזְבְּחָה־לָּ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָדַ֖רְתִּי אֲשַׁלֵּ֑מָה יְשׁוּעָ֖תָה לַה'׃ {פ}
(יא) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ה' לַדָּ֑ג וַיָּקֵ֥א אֶת־יוֹנָ֖ה אֶל־הַיַּבָּשָֽׁה׃ {ס} (א) וַיְהִ֧י דְבַר־ה' אֶל־יוֹנָ֖ה שֵׁנִ֥ית לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) ק֛וּם לֵ֥ךְ אֶל־נִֽינְוֵ֖ה הָעִ֣יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה וּקְרָ֤א אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ אֶת־הַקְּרִיאָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י דֹּבֵ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (ג) וַיָּ֣קׇם יוֹנָ֗ה וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־נִֽינְוֵ֖ה כִּדְבַ֣ר ה' וְנִֽינְוֵ֗ה הָיְתָ֤ה עִיר־גְּדוֹלָה֙ לֵֽאלֹקִ֔ים מַהֲלַ֖ךְ שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים׃ (ד) וַיָּ֤חֶל יוֹנָה֙ לָב֣וֹא בָעִ֔יר מַהֲלַ֖ךְ י֣וֹם אֶחָ֑ד וַיִּקְרָא֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר ע֚וֹד אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְנִֽינְוֵ֖ה נֶהְפָּֽכֶת׃ (ה) וַֽיַּאֲמִ֛ינוּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י נִֽינְוֵ֖ה בֵּֽאלֹקִ֑ים וַיִּקְרְאוּ־צוֹם֙ וַיִּלְבְּשׁ֣וּ שַׂקִּ֔ים מִגְּדוֹלָ֖ם וְעַד־קְטַנָּֽם׃ (ו) וַיִּגַּ֤ע הַדָּבָר֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ נִֽינְוֵ֔ה וַיָּ֙קׇם֙ מִכִּסְא֔וֹ וַיַּעֲבֵ֥ר אַדַּרְתּ֖וֹ מֵֽעָלָ֑יו וַיְכַ֣ס שַׂ֔ק וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב עַל־הָאֵֽפֶר׃ (ז) וַיַּזְעֵ֗ק וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ בְּנִֽינְוֵ֔ה מִטַּ֧עַם הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וּגְדֹלָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָדָ֨ם וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה הַבָּקָ֣ר וְהַצֹּ֗אן אַֽל־יִטְעֲמוּ֙ מְא֔וּמָה אַ֨ל־יִרְע֔וּ וּמַ֖יִם אַל־יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃ (ח) וְיִתְכַּסּ֣וּ שַׂקִּ֗ים הָֽאָדָם֙ וְהַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וְיִקְרְא֥וּ אֶל־אֱלֹקִ֖ים בְּחׇזְקָ֑ה וְיָשֻׁ֗בוּ אִ֚ישׁ מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָֽרָעָ֔ה וּמִן־הֶחָמָ֖ס אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּכַפֵּיהֶֽם׃ (ט) מִֽי־יוֹדֵ֣עַ יָשׁ֔וּב וְנִחַ֖ם הָאֱלֹקִ֑ים וְשָׁ֛ב מֵחֲר֥וֹן אַפּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א נֹאבֵֽד׃ (י) וַיַּ֤רְא הָֽאֱלֹקִים֙ אֶֽת־מַ֣עֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם כִּי־שָׁ֖בוּ מִדַּרְכָּ֣ם הָרָעָ֑ה וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם הָאֱלֹקִ֗ים עַל־הָרָעָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר לַעֲשׂוֹת־לָהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א עָשָֽׂה׃ (א) וַיֵּ֥רַע אֶל־יוֹנָ֖ה רָעָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וַיִּ֖חַר לֽוֹ׃ (ב) וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֶל־ה' וַיֹּאמַ֗ר אָנָּ֤ה ה' הֲלוֹא־זֶ֣ה דְבָרִ֗י עַד־הֱיוֹתִי֙ עַל־אַדְמָתִ֔י עַל־כֵּ֥ן קִדַּ֖מְתִּי לִבְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י אַתָּה֙ אֵֽל־חַנּ֣וּן וְרַח֔וּם אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד וְנִחָ֖ם עַל־הָרָעָֽה׃ (ג) וְעַתָּ֣ה ה' קַח־נָ֥א אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִמֶּ֑נִּי כִּ֛י ט֥וֹב מוֹתִ֖י מֵחַיָּֽי׃ {פ}
(ד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' הַהֵיטֵ֖ב חָ֥רָה לָֽךְ׃ (ה) וַיֵּצֵ֤א יוֹנָה֙ מִן־הָעִ֔יר וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב מִקֶּ֣דֶם לָעִ֑יר וַיַּ֩עַשׂ֩ ל֨וֹ שָׁ֜ם סֻכָּ֗ה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב תַּחְתֶּ֙יהָ֙ בַּצֵּ֔ל עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִרְאֶ֔ה מַה־יִּהְיֶ֖ה בָּעִֽיר׃ (ו) וַיְמַ֣ן יְהֹוָֽה־אֱ֠לֹקִ֠ים קִיקָי֞וֹן וַיַּ֣עַל ׀ מֵעַ֣ל לְיוֹנָ֗ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת צֵל֙ עַל־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ לְהַצִּ֥יל ל֖וֹ מֵרָֽעָת֑וֹ וַיִּשְׂמַ֥ח יוֹנָ֛ה עַל־הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן שִׂמְחָ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃ (ז) וַיְמַ֤ן הָֽאֱלֹקִים֙ תּוֹלַ֔עַת בַּעֲל֥וֹת הַשַּׁ֖חַר לַֽמׇּחֳרָ֑ת וַתַּ֥ךְ אֶת־הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן וַיִּיבָֽשׁ׃ (ח) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּזְרֹ֣חַ הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ וַיְמַ֨ן אֱלֹקִ֜ים ר֤וּחַ קָדִים֙ חֲרִישִׁ֔ית וַתַּ֥ךְ הַשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ יוֹנָ֖ה וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ף וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֕אמֶר ט֥וֹב מוֹתִ֖י מֵחַיָּֽי׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹקִים֙ אֶל־יוֹנָ֔ה הַהֵיטֵ֥ב חָרָֽה־לְךָ֖ עַל־הַקִּֽיקָי֑וֹן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הֵיטֵ֥ב חָֽרָה־לִ֖י עַד־מָֽוֶת׃ (י) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אַתָּ֥ה חַ֙סְתָּ֙ עַל־הַקִּ֣יקָי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־עָמַ֥לְתָּ בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א גִדַּלְתּ֑וֹ שֶׁבִּן־לַ֥יְלָה הָיָ֖ה וּבִן־לַ֥יְלָה אָבָֽד׃ (יא) וַֽאֲנִי֙ לֹ֣א אָח֔וּס עַל־נִינְוֵ֖ה הָעִ֣יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ־בָּ֡הּ הַרְבֵּה֩ מִֽשְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה רִבּ֜וֹ אָדָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדַע֙ בֵּין־יְמִינ֣וֹ לִשְׂמֹאל֔וֹ וּבְהֵמָ֖ה רַבָּֽה׃
(1) The word of GOD came to JonahaJonah Mentioned in 2 Kings 14.25. son of Amittai: (2) Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim judgment upon it; for their wickedness has come before Me. (3) Jonah, however, started out to flee to Tarshish from GOD’s service. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went aboard to sail with the others to Tarshish, away from GOD’s service. (4) But GOD cast a mighty wind upon the sea, and such a great tempest came upon the sea that the ship was in danger of breaking up. (5) In their fright, the sailors cried out, each to his own god; and they flung the ship’s cargo overboard to make it lighter for them. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold of the vessel where he lay down and fell asleep. (6) The captain went over to him and cried out, “How can you be sleeping so soundly! Up, call upon your god! Perhaps the god will be kind to us and we will not perish.” (7) Those aboardbThose aboard Heb. “They.” said to one another, “Let us cast lots and find out on whose account this misfortune has come upon us.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. (8) They said to him, “Tell us, you who have brought this misfortune upon us, what is your business? Where have you come from? What is your country, and of what people are you?” (9) “I am a Hebrew,” he replied. “I worship the ETERNAL, the God of Heaven, who made both sea and land.” (10) The men were greatly terrified, and they asked him, “What have you done?” And when the men learned that he was fleeing from GOD’s service—for so he told them— (11) they said to him, “What must we do to you to make the sea calm around us?” For the sea was growing more and more stormy. (12) He answered, “Heave me overboard, and the sea will calm down for you; for I know that this terrible storm came upon you on my account.” (13) Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to regain the shore, but they could not, for the sea was growing more and more stormy about them. (14) Then they cried out to GOD: “Oh, please, ETERNAL One, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life. Do not hold us guilty of killing an innocent person! For You, O ETERNAL One, by Your will, have brought this about.” (15) And they heaved Jonah overboard, and the sea stopped raging. (16) The men feared GOD greatly; they offered a sacrifice to GOD and they made vows. (1) GOD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah; and Jonah remained in the fish’s belly three days and three nights. (2) Jonah prayed to the ETERNAL his God from the belly of the fish. (3) He said:
In my trouble I called to GOD,
Who answered me;
From the belly of Sheol I cried out,
And You heard my voice.
(4) You cast me into the depths,
Into the heart of the sea,
The floods engulfed me;
All Your breakers and billows
Swept over me.
(5) I thought I was driven away
Out of Your sight:
Would I ever gaze again
Upon Your holy temple?
(6) The waters closed in over me,
The deep engulfed me.
Weeds twined around my head.
(7) I sank to the base of the mountains;
The bars of the earth closed upon me forever.
Yet You brought my life up from the pit,
My ETERNAL God!
(8) When my life was ebbing away,
I called GOD to mind;
And my prayer came before You,
Into Your holy temple.
(9) They who cling to empty folly
Forsake their own welfare,awelfare Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
(10) But I, with loud thanksgiving,
Will sacrifice to You;
What I have vowed I will perform.
Deliverance is GOD’s!
(11) GOD commanded the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon dry land. (1) The word of GOD came to Jonah a second time: (2) “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it what I tell you.” (3) Jonah went at once to Nineveh in accordance with GOD’s command.
Nineveh was an enormously large cityaan enormously large city Lit. “a large city of God.” a three days’ walk across.
(4) Jonah started out and made his way into the city the distance of one day’s walk, and proclaimed: “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (5) The people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast, and great and small alike put on sackcloth. (6) When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes. (7) And he had the word cried through Nineveh: “By decree of the king and his nobles: No human or animal—of flock or herd—shall taste anything! They shall not graze, and they shall not drink water! (8) They shall be covered with sackcloth—human and animal—and shall cry mightily to God. Let everyone turn back from their own evil ways and from the injustice of which they are guilty. (9) Who knows but that God may turn and relent? [God] may turn back from wrathfulness, so that we do not perish.” (10) God saw what they did, how they were turning back from their evil ways. And God renounced the punishment that had been planned for them, and did not carry it out. (1) This displeased Jonah greatly, and he was grieved. (2) He prayed to GOD, saying, “O ETERNAL One ! Isn’t this just what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I fled beforehand to Tarshish. For I know that You are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, renouncing punishment. (3) Please, ETERNAL One, take my life, for I would rather die than live.” (4) GOD replied, “Are you that deeply grieved?” (5) Now Jonah had left the city and found a place east of the city. He made a booth there and sat under it in the shade, until he should see what happened to the city. (6) The ETERNAL God provided a ricinus plant,aricinus plant Meaning of Heb. uncertain; in contrast to others “gourd.” which grew up over Jonah, to provide shade for his head and save him from discomfort. Jonah was very happy about the plant. (7) But the next day at dawn God provided a worm, which attacked the plant so that it withered. (8) And when the sun rose, God provided a sultrybsultry Meaning of Heb. uncertain. east wind; the sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he became faint. He begged for death, saying, “I would rather die than live.” (9) Then God said to Jonah, “Are you so deeply grieved about the plant?” “Yes,” he replied, “so deeply that I want to die.” (10) Then GOD said: “You cared about the plant, which you did not work for and which you did not grow, which appeared overnight and perished overnight. (11) And should not I care about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not yet know their right hand from their left, and many animals as well!”cI.e., infants and animals are not held responsible for their actions.
(א) אִ֛ישׁ הָיָ֥ה בְאֶֽרֶץ־ע֖וּץ אִיּ֣וֹב שְׁמ֑וֹ וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֗וּא תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר וִירֵ֥א אֱלֹקִ֖ים וְסָ֥ר מֵרָֽע׃ (ב) וַיִּוָּ֥לְדוּ ל֛וֹ שִׁבְעָ֥ה בָנִ֖ים וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ בָּנֽוֹת׃ (ג) וַיְהִ֣י מִ֠קְנֵ֠הוּ שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת אַלְפֵי־צֹ֜אן וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֣י גְמַלִּ֗ים וַחֲמֵ֨שׁ מֵא֤וֹת צֶֽמֶד־בָּקָר֙ וַחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אֲתוֹנ֔וֹת וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא גָּד֖וֹל מִכׇּל־בְּנֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃ (ד) וְהָלְכ֤וּ בָנָיו֙ וְעָשׂ֣וּ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה בֵּ֖ית אִ֣ישׁ יוֹמ֑וֹ וְשָׁלְח֗וּ וְקָֽרְאוּ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אַחְיֹתֵיהֶ֔ם לֶאֱכֹ֥ל וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת עִמָּהֶֽם׃ (ה) וַיְהִ֡י כִּ֣י הִקִּ֩יפוּ֩ יְמֵ֨י הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֜ה וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח אִיּ֣וֹב וַֽיְקַדְּשֵׁ֗ם וְהִשְׁכִּ֣ים בַּבֹּ֘קֶר֮ וְהֶעֱלָ֣ה עֹלוֹת֮ מִסְפַּ֣ר כֻּלָּם֒ כִּ֚י אָמַ֣ר אִיּ֔וֹב אוּלַי֙ חָטְא֣וּ בָנַ֔י וּבֵרְכ֥וּ אֱלֹקִ֖ים בִּלְבָבָ֑ם כָּ֛כָה יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אִיּ֖וֹב כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ {פ}
(ו) וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹקִ֔ים לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב עַל־ה' וַיָּב֥וֹא גַֽם־הַשָּׂטָ֖ן בְּתוֹכָֽם׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר ה' אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֖ן מֵאַ֣יִן תָּבֹ֑א וַיַּ֨עַן הַשָּׂטָ֤ן אֶת־ה' וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מִשּׁ֣וּט בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּמֵֽהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְ בָּֽהּ׃ (ח) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֔ן הֲשַׂ֥מְתָּ לִבְּךָ֖ עַל־עַבְדִּ֣י אִיּ֑וֹב כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ אִ֣ישׁ תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר יְרֵ֥א אֱלֹקִ֖ים וְסָ֥ר מֵרָֽע׃ (ט) וַיַּ֧עַן הַשָּׂטָ֛ן אֶת־ה' וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַֽחִנָּ֔ם יָרֵ֥א אִיּ֖וֹב אֱלֹקִֽים׃ (י) הֲלֹֽא־[אַ֠תָּ֠ה] (את) שַׂ֣כְתָּ בַעֲד֧וֹ וּבְעַד־בֵּית֛וֹ וּבְעַ֥ד כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ מִסָּבִ֑יב מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה יָדָיו֙ בֵּרַ֔כְתָּ וּמִקְנֵ֖הוּ פָּרַ֥ץ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ (יא) וְאוּלָם֙ שְֽׁלַֽח־נָ֣א יָֽדְךָ֔ וְגַ֖ע בְּכׇל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֑וֹ אִם־לֹ֥א עַל־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְבָרְכֶֽךָּ׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֗ן הִנֵּ֤ה כׇל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ רַ֣ק אֵלָ֔יו אַל־תִּשְׁלַ֖ח יָדֶ֑ךָ וַיֵּצֵא֙ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן מֵעִ֖ם פְּנֵ֥י ה'׃ (יג) וַיְהִ֖י הַיּ֑וֹם וּבָנָ֨יו וּבְנֹתָ֤יו אֹֽכְלִים֙ וְשֹׁתִ֣ים יַ֔יִן בְּבֵ֖ית אֲחִיהֶ֥ם הַבְּכֽוֹר׃ (יד) וּמַלְאָ֛ךְ בָּ֥א אֶל־אִיּ֖וֹב וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַבָּקָר֙ הָי֣וּ חֹֽרְשׁ֔וֹת וְהָאֲתֹנ֖וֹת רֹע֥וֹת עַל־יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ (טו) וַתִּפֹּ֤ל שְׁבָא֙ וַתִּקָּחֵ֔ם וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים הִכּ֣וּ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃ (טז) ע֣וֹד ׀ זֶ֣ה מְדַבֵּ֗ר וְזֶה֮ בָּ֣א וַיֹּאמַר֒ אֵ֣שׁ אֱלֹקִ֗ים נָֽפְלָה֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַתִּבְעַ֥ר בַּצֹּ֛אן וּבַנְּעָרִ֖ים וַתֹּֽאכְלֵ֑ם וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃ (יז) ע֣וֹד ׀ זֶ֣ה מְדַבֵּ֗ר וְזֶה֮ בָּ֣א וַיֹּאמַר֒ כַּשְׂדִּ֞ים שָׂ֣מוּ ׀ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה רָאשִׁ֗ים וַֽיִּפְשְׁט֤וּ עַל־הַגְּמַלִּים֙ וַיִּקָּח֔וּם וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים הִכּ֣וּ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃ (יח) עַ֚ד זֶ֣ה מְדַבֵּ֔ר וְזֶ֖ה בָּ֣א וַיֹּאמַ֑ר בָּנֶ֨יךָ וּבְנוֹתֶ֤יךָ אֹֽכְלִים֙ וְשֹׁתִ֣ים יַ֔יִן בְּבֵ֖ית אֲחִיהֶ֥ם הַבְּכֽוֹר׃ (יט) וְהִנֵּה֩ ר֨וּחַ גְּדוֹלָ֜ה בָּ֣אָה ׀ מֵעֵ֣בֶר הַמִּדְבָּ֗ר וַיִּגַּע֙ בְּאַרְבַּע֙ פִּנּ֣וֹת הַבַּ֔יִת וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים וַיָּמ֑וּתוּ וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃ (כ) וַיָּ֤קׇם אִיּוֹב֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע אֶת־מְעִל֔וֹ וַיָּ֖גׇז אֶת־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ׃ (כא) וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ עָרֹ֨ם יָצָ֜תִי מִבֶּ֣טֶן אִמִּ֗י וְעָרֹם֙ אָשׁ֣וּב שָׁ֔מָּה ה' נָתַ֔ן וַֽה' לָקָ֑ח יְהִ֛י שֵׁ֥ם ה' מְבֹרָֽךְ׃ (כב) בְּכׇל־זֹ֖את לֹא־חָטָ֣א אִיּ֑וֹב וְלֹא־נָתַ֥ן תִּפְלָ֖ה לֵאלֹקִֽים׃ {פ}
(א) וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹקִ֔ים לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב עַל־ה' וַיָּב֤וֹא גַֽם־הַשָּׂטָן֙ בְּתֹכָ֔ם לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב עַל־ה'׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֔ן אֵ֥י מִזֶּ֖ה תָּבֹ֑א וַיַּ֨עַן הַשָּׂטָ֤ן אֶת־ה' וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מִשֻּׁ֣ט בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּמֵֽהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְ בָּֽהּ׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֗ן הֲשַׂ֣מְתָּ לִבְּךָ֮ אֶל־עַבְדִּ֣י אִיּוֹב֒ כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין כָּמֹ֜הוּ בָּאָ֗רֶץ אִ֣ישׁ תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר יְרֵ֥א אֱלֹקִ֖ים וְסָ֣ר מֵרָ֑ע וְעֹדֶ֙נּוּ֙ מַחֲזִ֣יק בְּתֻמָּת֔וֹ וַתְּסִיתֵ֥נִי ב֖וֹ לְבַלְּע֥וֹ חִנָּֽם׃ (ד) וַיַּ֧עַן הַשָּׂטָ֛ן אֶת־ה' וַיֹּאמַ֑ר ע֣וֹר בְּעַד־ע֗וֹר וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָאִ֔ישׁ יִתֵּ֖ן בְּעַ֥ד נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (ה) אוּלָם֙ שְֽׁלַֽח־נָ֣א יָֽדְךָ֔ וְגַ֥ע אֶל־עַצְמ֖וֹ וְאֶל־בְּשָׂר֑וֹ אִם־לֹ֥א אֶל־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְבָרְכֶֽךָּ׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר ה' אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֖ן הִנּ֣וֹ בְיָדֶ֑ךָ אַ֖ךְ אֶת־נַפְשׁ֥וֹ שְׁמֹֽר׃ (ז) וַיֵּצֵא֙ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן מֵאֵ֖ת פְּנֵ֣י ה' וַיַּ֤ךְ אֶת־אִיּוֹב֙ בִּשְׁחִ֣ין רָ֔ע מִכַּ֥ף רַגְל֖וֹ (עד) [וְעַ֥ד] קׇדְקֳדֽוֹ׃ (ח) וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ל֣וֹ חֶ֔רֶשׂ לְהִתְגָּרֵ֖ד בּ֑וֹ וְה֖וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּתוֹךְ־הָאֵֽפֶר׃ (ט) וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ עֹדְךָ֖ מַחֲזִ֣יק בְּתֻמָּתֶ֑ךָ בָּרֵ֥ךְ אֱלֹקִ֖ים וָמֻֽת׃ (י) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֗יהָ כְּדַבֵּ֞ר אַחַ֤ת הַנְּבָלוֹת֙ תְּדַבֵּ֔רִי גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַטּ֗וֹב נְקַבֵּל֙ מֵאֵ֣ת הָאֱלֹקִ֔ים וְאֶת־הָרָ֖ע לֹ֣א נְקַבֵּ֑ל בְּכׇל־זֹ֛את לֹא־חָטָ֥א אִיּ֖וֹב בִּשְׂפָתָֽיו׃ {פ}
(יא) וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת ׀ רֵעֵ֣י אִיּ֗וֹב אֵ֣ת כׇּל־הָרָעָ֣ה הַזֹּאת֮ הַבָּ֣אָה עָלָיו֒ וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִמְּקֹמ֔וֹ אֱלִיפַ֤ז הַתֵּֽימָנִי֙ וּבִלְדַּ֣ד הַשּׁוּחִ֔י וְצוֹפַ֖ר הַנַּֽעֲמָתִ֑י וַיִּוָּעֲד֣וּ יַחְדָּ֔ו לָב֥וֹא לָנֽוּד־ל֖וֹ וּֽלְנַחֲמֽוֹ׃ (יב) וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֤ם מֵֽרָחוֹק֙ וְלֹ֣א הִכִּירֻ֔הוּ וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ קוֹלָ֖ם וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ וַֽיִּקְרְעוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מְעִל֔וֹ וַיִּזְרְק֥וּ עָפָ֛ר עַל־רָאשֵׁיהֶ֖ם הַשָּׁמָֽיְמָה׃ (יג) וַיֵּֽשְׁב֤וּ אִתּוֹ֙ לָאָ֔רֶץ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעַ֣ת לֵיל֑וֹת וְאֵין־דֹּבֵ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ דָּבָ֔ר כִּ֣י רָא֔וּ כִּי־גָדַ֥ל הַכְּאֵ֖ב מְאֹֽד׃ (א) אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן פָּתַ֤ח אִיּוֹב֙ אֶת־פִּ֔יהוּ וַיְקַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־יוֹמֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(ב) וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ג) יֹ֣אבַד י֭וֹם אִוָּ֣לֶד בּ֑וֹ וְהַלַּ֥יְלָה אָ֝מַ֗ר הֹ֣רָה גָֽבֶר׃ (ד) הַיּ֥וֹם הַה֗וּא יְֽהִ֫י־חֹ֥שֶׁךְ אַֽל־יִדְרְשֵׁ֣הוּ אֱל֣וֹקַּ מִמַּ֑עַל וְאַל־תּוֹפַ֖ע עָלָ֣יו נְהָרָֽה׃ (ה) יִגְאָלֻ֡הוּ חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְ֭צַלְמָוֶת תִּשְׁכׇּן־עָלָ֣יו עֲנָנָ֑ה יְ֝בַעֲתֻ֗הוּ כִּֽמְרִ֥ירֵי יֽוֹם׃ (ו) הַלַּ֥יְלָה הַהוּא֮ יִקָּחֵ֢ה֫וּ אֹ֥פֶל אַל־יִ֭חַדְּ בִּימֵ֣י שָׁנָ֑ה בְּמִסְפַּ֥ר יְ֝רָחִ֗ים אַל־יָבֹֽא׃ (ז) הִנֵּ֤ה הַלַּ֣יְלָה הַ֭הוּא יְהִ֣י גַלְמ֑וּד אַל־תָּב֖וֹא רְנָנָ֣ה בֽוֹ׃ (ח) יִקְּבֻ֥הוּ אֹֽרְרֵי־י֑וֹם הָ֝עֲתִידִ֗ים עֹרֵ֥ר לִוְיָתָֽן׃ (ט) יֶחְשְׁכוּ֮ כּוֹכְבֵ֢י נִ֫שְׁפּ֥וֹ יְקַו־לְא֥וֹר וָאַ֑יִן וְאַל־יִ֝רְאֶ֗ה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי־שָֽׁחַר׃ (י) כִּ֤י לֹ֣א סָ֭גַר דַּלְתֵ֣י בִטְנִ֑י וַיַּסְתֵּ֥ר עָ֝מָ֗ל מֵעֵינָֽי׃ (יא) לָ֤מָּה לֹּ֣א מֵרֶ֣חֶם אָמ֑וּת מִבֶּ֖טֶן יָצָ֣אתִי וְאֶגְוָֽע׃ (יב) מַ֭דּוּעַ קִדְּמ֣וּנִי בִרְכָּ֑יִם וּמַה־שָּׁ֝דַ֗יִם כִּ֣י אִינָֽק׃ (יג) כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה שָׁכַ֣בְתִּי וְאֶשְׁק֑וֹט יָ֝שַׁ֗נְתִּי אָ֤ז ׀ יָנ֬וּחַֽ לִֽי׃ (יד) עִם־מְ֭לָכִים וְיֹ֣עֲצֵי אָ֑רֶץ הַבֹּנִ֖ים חֳרָב֣וֹת לָֽמוֹ׃ (טו) א֣וֹ עִם־שָׂ֭רִים זָהָ֣ב לָהֶ֑ם הַֽמְמַלְאִ֖ים בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם כָּֽסֶף׃ (טז) א֤וֹ כְנֵ֣פֶל טָ֭מוּן לֹ֣א אֶהְיֶ֑ה כְּ֝עֹלְלִ֗ים לֹא־רָ֥אוּ אֽוֹר׃ (יז) שָׁ֣ם רְ֭שָׁעִים חָ֣דְלוּ רֹ֑גֶז וְשָׁ֥ם יָ֝נ֗וּחוּ יְגִ֣יעֵי כֹֽחַ׃ (יח) יַ֭חַד אֲסִירִ֣ים שַׁאֲנָ֑נוּ לֹ֥א שָׁ֝מְע֗וּ ק֣וֹל נֹגֵֽשׂ׃ (יט) קָטֹ֣ן וְ֭גָדוֹל שָׁ֣ם ה֑וּא וְ֝עֶ֗בֶד חׇפְשִׁ֥י מֵאֲדֹנָֽיו׃ (כ) לָ֤מָּה יִתֵּ֣ן לְעָמֵ֣ל א֑וֹר וְ֝חַיִּ֗ים לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃ (כא) הַֽמְחַכִּ֣ים לַמָּ֣וֶת וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וַֽ֝יַּחְפְּרֻ֗הוּ מִמַּטְמוֹנִֽים׃ (כב) הַשְּׂמֵחִ֥ים אֱלֵי־גִ֑יל יָ֝שִׂ֗ישׂוּ כִּ֣י יִמְצְאוּ־קָֽבֶר׃ (כג) לְ֭גֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר־דַּרְכּ֣וֹ נִסְתָּ֑רָה וַיָּ֖סֶךְ אֱל֣וֹקַּ בַּעֲדֽוֹ׃ (כד) כִּֽי־לִפְנֵ֣י לַ֭חְמִי אַנְחָתִ֣י תָבֹ֑א וַֽיִּתְּכ֥וּ כַ֝מַּ֗יִם שַׁאֲגֹתָֽי׃ (כה) כִּ֤י פַ֣חַד פָּ֭חַדְתִּי וַיֶּאֱתָיֵ֑נִי וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָ֝גֹ֗רְתִּי יָ֣בֹא לִֽי׃ (כו) לֹ֤א שָׁלַ֨וְתִּי ׀ וְלֹ֖א שָׁקַ֥טְתִּי וְֽלֹא־נָ֗חְתִּי וַיָּ֥בֹא רֹֽגֶז׃ {פ}
(א) וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ב) הֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ תִּלְאֶ֑ה וַעְצֹ֥ר בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין מִ֣י יוּכָֽל׃ (ג) הִ֭נֵּה יִסַּ֣רְתָּ רַבִּ֑ים וְיָדַ֖יִם רָפ֣וֹת תְּחַזֵּֽק׃ (ד) כּ֭וֹשֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְע֣וֹת תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃ (ה) כִּ֤י עַתָּ֨ה ׀ תָּב֣וֹא אֵלֶ֣יךָ וַתֵּ֑לֶא תִּגַּ֥ע עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ וַתִּבָּהֵֽל׃ (ו) הֲלֹ֣א יִ֭רְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶ֑ךָ תִּ֝קְוָתְךָ֗ וְתֹ֣ם דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃ (ז) זְכׇר־נָ֗א מִ֤י ה֣וּא נָקִ֣י אָבָ֑ד וְ֝אֵיפֹ֗ה יְשָׁרִ֥ים נִכְחָֽדוּ׃ (ח) כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתִי חֹ֣רְשֵׁי אָ֑וֶן וְזֹרְעֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל יִקְצְרֻֽהוּ׃ (ט) מִנִּשְׁמַ֣ת אֱל֣וֹקַּ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וּמֵר֖וּחַ אַפּ֣וֹ יִכְלֽוּ׃ (י) שַׁאֲגַ֣ת אַ֭רְיֵה וְק֣וֹל שָׁ֑חַל וְשִׁנֵּ֖י כְפִירִ֣ים נִתָּֽעוּ׃ (יא) לַ֭יִשׁ אֹבֵ֣ד מִבְּלִי־טָ֑רֶף וּבְנֵ֥י לָ֝בִ֗יא יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃ (יב) וְ֭אֵלַי דָּבָ֣ר יְגֻנָּ֑ב וַתִּקַּ֥ח אׇ֝זְנִ֗י שֵׁ֣מֶץ מֶֽנְהֽוּ׃ (יג) בִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנ֣וֹת לָ֑יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֥ל תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה עַל־אֲנָשִֽׁים׃ (יד) פַּ֣חַד קְ֭רָאַנִי וּרְעָדָ֑ה וְרֹ֖ב עַצְמוֹתַ֣י הִפְחִֽיד׃ (טו) וְ֭רוּחַ עַל־פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי׃ (טז) יַעֲמֹ֤ד ׀ וְֽלֹא־אַכִּ֬יר מַרְאֵ֗הוּ תְּ֭מוּנָה לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י דְּמָמָ֖ה וָק֣וֹל אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ (יז) הַ֭אֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱל֣וֹקַּ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר׃ (יח) הֵ֣ן בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו יָשִׂ֥ים תׇּהֳלָֽה׃ (יט) אַ֤ף ׀ שֹׁכְנֵ֬י בָֽתֵּי־חֹ֗מֶר אֲשֶׁר־בֶּעָפָ֥ר יְסוֹדָ֑ם יְ֝דַכְּא֗וּם לִפְנֵי־עָֽשׁ׃ (כ) מִבֹּ֣קֶר לָעֶ֣רֶב יֻכַּ֑תּוּ מִבְּלִ֥י מֵ֝שִׂ֗ים לָנֶ֥צַח יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ (כא) הֲלֹא־נִסַּ֣ע יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחׇכְמָֽה׃ (א) קְֽרָא־נָ֭א הֲיֵ֣שׁ עוֹנֶ֑ךָּ וְאֶל־מִ֖י מִקְּדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּפְנֶֽה׃ (ב) כִּֽי־לֶ֭אֱוִיל יַהֲרׇג־כָּ֑עַשׂ וּ֝פֹתֶ֗ה תָּמִ֥ית קִנְאָֽה׃ (ג) אֲֽנִי־רָ֭אִיתִי אֱוִ֣יל מַשְׁרִ֑ישׁ וָאֶקּ֖וֹב נָוֵ֣הוּ פִתְאֹֽם׃ (ד) יִרְחֲק֣וּ בָנָ֣יו מִיֶּ֑שַׁע וְיִֽדַּכְּא֥וּ בַ֝שַּׁ֗עַר וְאֵ֣ין מַצִּֽיל׃ (ה) אֲשֶׁ֤ר קְצִיר֨וֹ ׀ רָ֘עֵ֤ב יֹאכֵ֗ל וְאֶֽל־מִצִּנִּ֥ים יִקָּחֵ֑הוּ וְשָׁאַ֖ף צַמִּ֣ים חֵילָֽם׃ (ו) כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־יֵצֵ֣א מֵעָפָ֣ר אָ֑וֶן וּ֝מֵאֲדָמָ֗ה לֹא־יִצְמַ֥ח עָמָֽל׃ (ז) כִּֽי־אָ֭דָם לְעָמָ֣ל יוּלָּ֑ד וּבְנֵי־רֶ֝֗שֶׁף יַגְבִּ֥יהוּ עֽוּף׃ (ח) אוּלָ֗ם אֲ֭נִי אֶדְרֹ֣שׁ אֶל־אֵ֑ל וְאֶל־אֱ֝לֹקִ֗ים אָשִׂ֥ים דִּבְרָתִֽי׃ (ט) עֹשֶׂ֣ה גְ֭דֹלוֹת וְאֵ֣ין חֵ֑קֶר נִ֝פְלָא֗וֹת עַד־אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר׃ (י) הַנֹּתֵ֣ן מָ֭טָר עַל־פְּנֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְשֹׁ֥לֵֽחַ מַ֝֗יִם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י חוּצֽוֹת׃ (יא) לָשׂ֣וּם שְׁפָלִ֣ים לְמָר֑וֹם וְ֝קֹדְרִ֗ים שָׂ֣גְבוּ יֶֽשַׁע׃ (יב) מֵ֭פֵר מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת עֲרוּמִ֑ים וְֽלֹא־תַעֲשֶׂ֥נָה יְ֝דֵיהֶ֗ם תֻּֽשִׁיָּֽה׃ (יג) לֹכֵ֣ד חֲכָמִ֣ים בְּעׇרְמָ֑ם וַעֲצַ֖ת נִפְתָּלִ֣ים נִמְהָֽרָה׃ (יד) יוֹמָ֥ם יְפַגְּשׁוּ־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וְ֝כַלַּ֗יְלָה יְֽמַשְׁשׁ֥וּ בַֽצׇּהֳרָֽיִם׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֣שַׁע מֵ֭חֶרֶב מִפִּיהֶ֑ם וּמִיַּ֖ד חָזָ֣ק אֶבְיֽוֹן׃ (טז) וַתְּהִ֣י לַדַּ֣ל תִּקְוָ֑ה וְ֝עֹלָ֗תָה קָ֣פְצָה פִּֽיהָ׃ (יז) הִנֵּ֤ה אַשְׁרֵ֣י אֱ֭נוֹשׁ יוֹכִחֶ֣נּוּ אֱל֑וֹקַּ וּמוּסַ֥ר שַׁ֝דַּ֗י אַל־תִּמְאָֽס׃ (יח) כִּ֤י ה֣וּא יַכְאִ֣יב וְיֶחְבָּ֑שׁ יִ֝מְחַ֗ץ וְיָדָ֥ו תִּרְפֶּֽינָה׃ (יט) בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ צָ֭רוֹת יַצִּילֶ֑ךָּ וּבְשֶׁ֓בַע ׀ לֹֽא־יִגַּ֖ע בְּךָ֣ רָֽע׃ (כ) בְּֽ֭רָעָב פָּדְךָ֣ מִמָּ֑וֶת וּ֝בְמִלְחָמָ֗ה מִ֣ידֵי חָֽרֶב׃ (כא) בְּשׁ֣וֹט לָ֭שׁוֹן תֵּחָבֵ֑א וְֽלֹא־תִירָ֥א מִ֝שֹּׁ֗ד כִּ֣י יָבֽוֹא׃ (כב) לְשֹׁ֣ד וּלְכָפָ֣ן תִּשְׂחָ֑ק וּֽמֵחַיַּ֥ת הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ (כג) כִּ֤י עִם־אַבְנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֣ה בְרִיתֶ֑ךָ וְחַיַּ֥ת הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗ה הׇשְׁלְמָה־לָּֽךְ׃ (כד) וְֽ֭יָדַעְתָּ כִּֽי־שָׁל֣וֹם אׇהֳלֶ֑ךָ וּֽפָקַדְתָּ֥ נָ֝וְךָ֗ וְלֹ֣א תֶחֱטָֽא׃ (כה) וְֽ֭יָדַעְתָּ כִּֽי־רַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֶ֗יךָ כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כו) תָּב֣וֹא בְכֶ֣לַח אֱלֵי־קָ֑בֶר כַּעֲל֖וֹת גָּדִ֣ישׁ בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃ (כז) הִנֵּה־זֹ֭את חֲקַרְנ֥וּהָ כֶּֽן־הִ֑יא שְׁ֝מָעֶ֗נָּה וְאַתָּ֥ה דַֽע־לָֽךְ׃ {פ}
(1) There was a man in the land of Uz named Job. That man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. (2) Seven sons and three daughters were born to him; (3) his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred she-asses, and a very large household. That man was wealthier than anyone in the East. (4) It was the custom of his sons to hold feasts, each on his set day in his own home. They would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. (5) When a round of feast days was over, Job would send word to them to sanctify themselves, and, rising early in the morning, he would make burnt offerings, one for each of them; for Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their thoughts.” This is what Job always used to do. (6) One day the divine beings presented themselves before the LORD, and aHeb. ha-satan.the Adversary-a came along with them. (7) The LORD said to the Adversary, “Where have you been?” The Adversary answered the LORD, “I have been roaming all over the earth.” (8) The LORD said to the Adversary, “Have you noticed My servant Job? There is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil!” (9) The Adversary answered the LORD, “Does Job not have good reason to fear God? (10) Why, it is You who have fenced him round, him and his household and all that he has. You have blessed his efforts so that his possessions spread out in the land. (11) But lay Your hand upon all that he has and he will surely blaspheme You to Your face.” (12) The LORD replied to the Adversary, “See, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on him.” The Adversary departed from the presence of the LORD. (13) One day, as his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, (14) a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the she-asses were grazing alongside them (15) when Sabeans attacked them and carried them off, and put the boys to the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” (16) This one was still speaking when another came and said, “God’s fire fell from heaven, took hold of the sheep and the boys, and burned them up; I alone have escaped to tell you.” (17) This one was still speaking when another came and said, “A Chaldean formation of three columns made a raid on the camels and carried them off and put the boys to the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” (18) This one was still speaking when another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother (19) when suddenly a mighty wind came from the wilderness. It struck the four corners of the house so that it collapsed upon the young people and they died; I alone have escaped to tell you.” (20) Then Job arose, tore his robe, cut off his hair, and threw himself on the ground and worshiped. (21) He said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the LORD has given, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (22) For all that, Job did not sin nor did he cast reproach on God. (1) One day the divine beings presented themselves before the LORD. The Adversary came along with them to present himself before the LORD. (2) The LORD said to the Adversary, “Where have you been?” The Adversary answered the LORD, “I have been roaming all over the earth.” (3) The LORD said to the Adversary, “Have you noticed My servant Job? There is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil. He still keeps his integrity; so you have incited Me against him to destroy him for no good reason.” (4) The Adversary answered the LORD, aApparently a proverb whose meaning is uncertain.“Skin for skin-a—all that a man has he will give up for his life. (5) But lay a hand on his bones and his flesh, and he will surely blaspheme You to Your face.” (6) So the LORD said to the Adversary, “See, he is in your power; only spare his life.” (7) The Adversary departed from the presence of the LORD and inflicted a severe inflammation on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (8) He took a potsherd to scratch himself as he sat in ashes. (9) His wife said to him, “You still keep your integrity! Blaspheme God and die!” (10) But he said to her, “You talk as any shameless woman might talk! Should we accept only good from God and not accept evil?” For all that, Job said nothing sinful. (11) When Job’s three friends heard about all these calamities that had befallen him, each came from his home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to go and console and comfort him. (12) When they saw him from a distance, they could not recognize him, and they broke into loud weeping; each one tore his robe and threw dust into the air onto his head. (13) They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights. None spoke a word to him for they saw how very great was his suffering. (1) aThere are many difficulties in the poetry of Job, making the interpretation of words, verses, and even chapters uncertain. The rubric “Meaning of Heb. uncertain” in this book indicates only some of the extreme instances.Afterward, Job began to speak and cursed the day of his birth. (2) Job spoke up and said:
(3) Perish the day on which I was born,
And the night it was announced,
“A male has been conceived!”
(4) May that day be darkness;
May God above have no concern for it;
May light not shine on it;
(5) May darkness and deep gloom reclaim it;
May a pall lie over it;
May bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.what blackens-b the day terrify it.
(6) May obscurity carry off that night;
May it not be counted among the days of the year;
May it not appear in any of its months;
(7) May that night be desolate;
May no sound of joy be heard in it;
(8) May those who cast spells upon the daycOr “sea,” taking Heb. yom as equivalent of yam; compare the combination of sea with Leviathan in Ps. 74.13, 14 and with Dragon in Job 7.12; cf. also Isa. 27.1. damn it,
Those prepared to disable Leviathan;
(9) May its twilight stars remain dark;
May it hope for light and have none;
May it not see the glimmerings of the dawn—
(10) Because it did not block my mother’s womb,
And hide trouble from my eyes.
(11) Why did I not die at birth,
Expire as I came forth from the womb?
(12) Why were there knees to receive me,
Or breasts for me to suck?
(13) For now would I be lying in repose, asleep and at rest, (14) With the world’s kings and counselors who rebuild ruins for themselves, (15) Or with nobles who possess gold and who fill their houses with silver. (16) Or why was I not like a buried stillbirth,
Like babies who never saw the light?
(17) There the wicked cease from troubling;
There rest those whose strength is spent.
(18) Prisoners are wholly at ease;
They do not hear the taskmaster’s voice.
(19) Small and great alike are there,
And the slave is free of his master.
(20) Why does He give light to the sufferer
And life to the bitter in spirit;
(21) To those who wait for death but it does not come,
Who search for it more than for treasure,
(22) Who rejoice to exultation,
And are glad to reach the grave;
(23) To the man who has lost his way,
Whom God has hedged about?
(24) My groaning serves as my bread;
My roaring pours forth as water.
(25) For what I feared has overtaken me;
What I dreaded has come upon me.
(26) I had no repose, no quiet, no rest,
And trouble came.
(1) Then Eliphaz the Temanite said in reply:
(2) If one ventures a word with you, will it be too much?
But who can hold back his words?
(3) See, you have encouraged many;
You have strengthened failing hands.
(4) Your words have kept him who stumbled from falling;
You have braced knees that gave way.
(5) But now that it overtakes you, it is too much;
It reaches you, and you are unnerved.
(6) Is not your piety your confidence,
Your integrity your hope?
(7) Think now, what innocent man ever perished?
Where have the upright been destroyed?
(8) As I have seen, those who plow evil
And sow mischief reap them.
(9) They perish by a blast from God,
Are gone at the breath of His nostrils.
(10) The lion may roar, the cub may howl,
But the teeth of the king of beasts aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.are broken.-a
(11) The lion perishes for lack of prey,
And its whelps are scattered.
(12) A word came to me in stealth;
My ear caught a whisper of it.
(13) In thought-filled visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
(14) Fear and trembling came upon me,
Causing all my bones to quake with fright.
(15) A wind passed by me,
Making the hair of my flesh bristle.
(16) It halted; its appearance was strange to me;
A form loomed before my eyes;
I heard a murmur, a voice,
(17) “Can mortals be acquitted by God?
Can man be cleared by his Maker?
(18) If He cannot trust His own servants,
And casts reproachaMeaning of Heb. uncertain. on His angels,
(19) How much less those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose origin is dust,
Who are crushed like the moth,
(20) Shattered between daybreak and evening,
Perishing forever, unnoticed.
(21) Their cord is pulled up
And they die, and not with wisdom.”
(1) Call now! Will anyone answer you?
To whom among the holy beings will you turn?
(2) Vexation kills the fool;
Passion slays the simpleton.
(3) I myself saw a fool who had struck roots;
Impulsively, I cursed his home:
(4) May his children be far from success;
May they be oppressed in the gate with none to deliver them;
(5) May the hungry devour his harvest,
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Carrying it off in baskets;
May the thirsty swallow their wealth.-a
(6) Evil does not grow out of the soil,
Nor does mischief spring from the ground;
(7) For man is born to [do] mischief,
Just as sparks fly upward.
(8) But I would resort to God;
I would lay my case before God,
(9) Who performs great deeds which cannot be fathomed,
Wondrous things without number;
(10) Who gives rain to the earth,
And sends water over the fields;
(11) Who raises the lowly up high,
So that the dejected are secure in victory;
(12) Who thwarts the designs of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot gain success;
(13) Who traps the clever in their own wiles;
The plans of the crafty go awry.
(14) By day they encounter darkness,
At noon they grope as in the night.
(15) But He saves the needy from the sword of their mouth,
From the clutches of the strong.
(16) So there is hope for the wretched;
The mouth of wrongdoing is stopped.
(17) See how happy is the man whom God reproves;
Do not reject the discipline of the Almighty.
(18) He injures, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands heal.
(19) He will deliver you from six troubles;
In seven no harm will reach you:
(20) In famine He will redeem you from death,
In war, from the sword.
(21) You will be sheltered from the scourging tongue;
You will have no fear when violence comes.
(22) You will laugh at violence and starvation,
And have no fear of wild beasts.
(23) For you will have a pact with the rocks in the field,
And the beasts of the field will be your allies.
(24) You will know that all is well in your tent;
When you visit your wifebLit. “home.” you will never fail.
(25) You will see that your offspring are many,
Your descendants like the grass of the earth.
(26) You will come to the grave aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.in ripe old age,-a
As shocks of grain are taken away in their season.
(27) See, we have inquired into this and it is so;
Hear it and accept it.
(א) וַיַּֽעַן־ה' אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב (מנהסערה) [מִ֥ן ׀ הַסְּעָרָ֗ה] וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ב) מִ֤י זֶ֨ה ׀ מַחְשִׁ֖יךְ עֵצָ֥ה בְמִלִּ֗ין בְּֽלִי־דָֽעַת׃ (ג) אֱזׇר־נָ֣א כְגֶ֣בֶר חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ וְ֝אֶשְׁאָלְךָ֗ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ (ד) אֵיפֹ֣ה הָ֭יִיתָ בְּיׇסְדִי־אָ֑רֶץ הַ֝גֵּ֗ד אִם־יָדַ֥עְתָּ בִינָֽה׃ (ה) מִי־שָׂ֣ם מְ֭מַדֶּיהָ כִּ֣י תֵדָ֑ע א֤וֹ מִֽי־נָטָ֖ה עָלֶ֣יהָ קָּֽו׃ (ו) עַל־מָ֭ה אֲדָנֶ֣יהָ הׇטְבָּ֑עוּ א֥וֹ מִי־יָ֝רָ֗ה אֶ֣בֶן פִּנָּתָֽהּ׃ (ז) בְּרׇן־יַ֭חַד כּ֣וֹכְבֵי בֹ֑קֶר וַ֝יָּרִ֗יעוּ כׇּל־בְּנֵ֥י אֱלֹקִֽים׃ (ח) וַיָּ֣סֶךְ בִּדְלָתַ֣יִם יָ֑ם בְּ֝גִיח֗וֹ מֵרֶ֥חֶם יֵצֵֽא׃ (ט) בְּשׂוּמִ֣י עָנָ֣ן לְבֻשׁ֑וֹ וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל חֲתֻלָּתֽוֹ׃ (י) וָאֶשְׁבֹּ֣ר עָלָ֣יו חֻקִּ֑י וָ֝אָשִׂ֗ים בְּרִ֣יחַ וּדְלָתָֽיִם׃ (יא) וָאֹמַ֗ר עַד־פֹּ֣ה תָ֭בוֹא וְלֹ֣א תֹסִ֑יף וּפֹא־יָ֝שִׁ֗ית בִּגְא֥וֹן גַּלֶּֽיךָ׃
(1) Then the LORD replied to Job out of the tempest and said:
(2) Who is this who darkens counsel,
Speaking without knowledge?
(3) Gird your loins like a man;
I will ask and you will inform Me.
(4) Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations?
Speak if you have understanding.
(5) Do you know who fixed its dimensions
Or who measured it with a line?
(6) Onto what were its bases sunk?
Who set its cornerstone
(7) When the morning stars sang together
And all the divine beings shouted for joy?
(8) Who closed the sea behind doors
When it gushed forth out of the womb,
(9) When I clothed it in clouds,
Swaddled it in dense clouds,
(10) When I made breakers My limit for it,
And set up its bar and doors,
(11) And said, “You may come so far and no farther;
Here your surging waves will stop”?
(א) וַיַּ֖עַן אִיּ֥וֹב אֶת־ה' וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ב) (ידעת) [יָ֭דַעְתִּי] כִּי־כֹ֣ל תּוּכָ֑ל וְלֹֽא־יִבָּצֵ֖ר מִמְּךָ֣ מְזִמָּֽה׃ (ג) מִ֤י זֶ֨ה ׀ מַעְלִ֥ים עֵצָ֗ה בְּֽלִ֫י־דָ֥עַת לָכֵ֣ן הִ֭גַּדְתִּי וְלֹ֣א אָבִ֑ין נִפְלָא֥וֹת מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי וְלֹ֣א אֵדָֽע׃ (ד) שְֽׁמַֽע־נָ֭א וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר אֶ֝שְׁאָלְךָ֗ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ (ה) לְשֵֽׁמַע־אֹ֥זֶן שְׁמַעְתִּ֑יךָ וְ֝עַתָּ֗ה עֵינִ֥י רָאָֽתְךָ׃ (ו) עַל־כֵּ֭ן אֶמְאַ֣ס וְנִחַ֑מְתִּי עַל־עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃ {פ}
(ז) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר ה' אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶל־אִיּ֑וֹב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־אֱלִיפַ֣ז הַתֵּימָנִ֗י חָרָ֨ה אַפִּ֤י בְךָ֙ וּבִשְׁנֵ֣י רֵעֶ֔יךָ כִּ֠י לֹ֣א דִבַּרְתֶּ֥ם אֵלַ֛י נְכוֹנָ֖ה כְּעַבְדִּ֥י אִיּֽוֹב׃ {ס} (ח) וְעַתָּ֡ה קְחוּ־לָכֶ֣ם שִׁבְעָֽה־פָרִים֩ וְשִׁבְעָ֨ה אֵילִ֜ים וּלְכ֣וּ ׀ אֶל־עַבְדִּ֣י אִיּ֗וֹב וְהַעֲלִיתֶ֤ם עוֹלָה֙ בַּעַדְכֶ֔ם וְאִיּ֣וֹב עַבְדִּ֔י יִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֧י אִם־פָּנָ֣יו אֶשָּׂ֗א לְבִלְתִּ֞י עֲשׂ֤וֹת עִמָּכֶם֙ נְבָלָ֔ה כִּ֠י לֹ֣א דִבַּרְתֶּ֥ם אֵלַ֛י נְכוֹנָ֖ה כְּעַבְדִּ֥י אִיּֽוֹב׃ (ט) וַיֵּלְכוּ֩ אֱלִיפַ֨ז הַתֵּימָנִ֜י וּבִלְדַּ֣ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י צֹפַר֙ הַנַּ֣עֲמָתִ֔י וַיַּעֲשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם ה' וַיִּשָּׂ֥א ה' אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י אִיּֽוֹב׃ (י) וַה' שָׁ֚ב אֶת־[שְׁב֣וּת] (שבית) אִיּ֔וֹב בְּהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֖וֹ בְּעַ֣ד רֵעֵ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֧סֶף ה' אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְאִיּ֖וֹב לְמִשְׁנֶֽה׃ (יא) וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ אֵ֠לָ֠יו כׇּל־אֶחָ֨יו וְכׇל־אַחְיֹתָ֜יו וְכׇל־יֹדְעָ֣יו לְפָנִ֗ים וַיֹּאכְל֨וּ עִמּ֣וֹ לֶחֶם֮ בְּבֵיתוֹ֒ וַיָּנֻ֤דוּ לוֹ֙ וַיְנַחֲמ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ עַ֚ל כׇּל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵבִ֥יא ה' עָלָ֑יו וַיִּתְּנוּ־ל֗וֹ אִ֚ישׁ קְשִׂיטָ֣ה אֶחָ֔ת וְאִ֕ישׁ נֶ֥זֶם זָהָ֖ב אֶחָֽד׃ (יב) וַה' בֵּרַ֛ךְ אֶת־אַחֲרִ֥ית אִיּ֖וֹב מֵרֵֽאשִׁת֑וֹ וַֽיְהִי־ל֡וֹ אַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר אֶ֜לֶף צֹ֗אן וְשֵׁ֤שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֙ גְּמַלִּ֔ים וְאֶלֶף־צֶ֥מֶד בָּקָ֖ר וְאֶ֥לֶף אֲתוֹנֽוֹת׃ (יג) וַֽיְהִי־ל֛וֹ שִׁבְעָ֥נָה בָנִ֖ים וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ בָּנֽוֹת׃ (יד) וַיִּקְרָ֤א שֵׁם־הָאַחַת֙ יְמִימָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית קְצִיעָ֑ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖ית קֶ֥רֶן הַפּֽוּךְ׃ (טו) וְלֹ֨א נִמְצָ֜א נָשִׁ֥ים יָפ֛וֹת כִּבְנ֥וֹת אִיּ֖וֹב בְּכׇל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתֵּ֨ן לָהֶ֧ם אֲבִיהֶ֛ם נַחֲלָ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃ (טז) וַיְחִ֤י אִיּוֹב֙ אַחֲרֵי־זֹ֔את מֵאָ֥ה וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה (וירא) [וַיִּרְאֶ֗ה] אֶת־בָּנָיו֙ וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֣י בָנָ֔יו אַרְבָּעָ֖ה דֹּרֽוֹת׃ (יז) וַיָּ֣מׇת אִיּ֔וֹב זָקֵ֖ן וּשְׂבַ֥ע יָמִֽים׃
(1) Job said in reply to the LORD:
(2) I know that You can do everything,
That nothing You propose is impossible for You.
(3) Who is this who obscures counsel without knowledge?
Indeed, I spoke without understanding
Of things beyond me, which I did not know.
(4) Hear now, and I will speak;
I will ask, and You will inform me.
(5) I had heard You with my ears,
But now I see You with my eyes;
(6) Therefore, I recant and relent,
Being but dust and ashes.
(7) After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am incensed at you and your two friends, for you have not spoken the truth about Me as did My servant Job. (8) Now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to My servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. And let Job, My servant, pray for you; for to him I will show favor and not treat you vilely, since you have not spoken the truth about Me as did My servant Job.” (9) Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD had told them, and the LORD showed favor to Job. (10) The LORD restored Job’s fortunes when he prayed on behalf of his friends, and the LORD gave Job twice what he had before. (11) All his brothers and sisters and all his former friends came to him and had a meal with him in his house. They consoled and comforted him for all the misfortune that the LORD had brought upon him. Each gave him one kesitahaA unit of unknown value. and each one gold ring. (12) Thus the LORD blessed the latter years of Job’s life more than the former. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand she-asses. (13) He also had seven sons and three daughters. (14) The first he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. (15) Nowhere in the land were women as beautiful as Job’s daughters to be found. Their father gave them estates together with their brothers. (16) Afterward, Job lived one hundred and forty years to see four generations of sons and grandsons. (17) So Job died old and contented.
(א) הֲלֹֽא־חׇכְמָ֥ה תִקְרָ֑א וּ֝תְבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלָֽהּ׃ (ב) בְּרֹאשׁ־מְרֹמִ֥ים עֲלֵי־דָ֑רֶךְ בֵּ֖ית נְתִיב֣וֹת נִצָּֽבָה׃ (ג) לְיַד־שְׁעָרִ֥ים לְפִי־קָ֑רֶת מְב֖וֹא פְתָחִ֣ים תָּרֹֽנָּה׃ (ד) אֲלֵיכֶ֣ם אִישִׁ֣ים אֶקְרָ֑א וְ֝קוֹלִ֗י אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ (ה) הָבִ֣ינוּ פְתָאיִ֣ם עׇרְמָ֑ה וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים הָבִ֥ינוּ לֵֽב׃ (ו) שִׁ֭מְעוּ כִּֽי־נְגִידִ֣ים אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וּמִפְתַּ֥ח שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י מֵישָׁרִֽים׃ (ז) כִּֽי־אֱ֭מֶת יֶהְגֶּ֣ה חִכִּ֑י וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת שְׂפָתַ֣י רֶֽשַׁע׃ (ח) בְּצֶ֥דֶק כׇּל־אִמְרֵי־פִ֑י אֵ֥ין בָּ֝הֶ֗ם נִפְתָּ֥ל וְעִקֵּֽשׁ׃ (ט) כֻּלָּ֣ם נְ֭כֹחִים לַמֵּבִ֑ין וִ֝ישָׁרִ֗ים לְמֹ֣צְאֵי דָֽעַת׃ (י) קְחֽוּ־מוּסָרִ֥י וְאַל־כָּ֑סֶף וְ֝דַ֗עַת מֵחָר֥וּץ נִבְחָֽר׃ (יא) כִּֽי־טוֹבָ֣ה חׇ֭כְמָה מִפְּנִינִ֑ים וְכׇל־חֲ֝פָצִ֗ים לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־בָֽהּ׃ (יב) אֲֽנִי־חׇ֭כְמָה שָׁכַ֣נְתִּי עׇרְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת מְזִמּ֣וֹת אֶמְצָֽא׃ (יג) יִ֥רְאַ֣ת ה' שְֽׂנֹ֫את־רָ֥ע גֵּ֘אָ֤ה וְגָא֨וֹן ׀ וְדֶ֣רֶךְ רָ֭ע וּפִ֨י תַהְפֻּכ֬וֹת שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃ (יד) לִֽי־עֵ֭צָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה׃ (טו) בִּ֭י מְלָכִ֣ים יִמְלֹ֑כוּ וְ֝רֹזְנִ֗ים יְחֹ֣קְקוּ צֶֽדֶק׃ (טז) בִּ֭י שָׂרִ֣ים יָשֹׂ֑רוּ וּ֝נְדִיבִ֗ים כׇּל־שֹׁ֥פְטֵי צֶֽדֶק׃ (יז) אֲ֭נִי (אהביה) [אֹהֲבַ֣י] אֵהָ֑ב וּ֝מְשַׁחֲרַ֗י יִמְצָאֻֽנְנִי׃ (יח) עֹֽשֶׁר־וְכָב֥וֹד אִתִּ֑י ה֥וֹן עָ֝תֵ֗ק וּצְדָקָֽה׃ (יט) ט֣וֹב פִּ֭רְיִי מֵחָר֣וּץ וּמִפָּ֑ז וּ֝תְבוּאָתִ֗י מִכֶּ֥סֶף נִבְחָֽר׃ (כ) בְּאֹֽרַח־צְדָקָ֥ה אֲהַלֵּ֑ךְ בְּ֝ת֗וֹךְ נְתִיב֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (כא) לְהַנְחִ֖יל אֹהֲבַ֥י ׀ יֵ֑שׁ וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם אֲמַלֵּֽא׃ (כב) ה' קָ֭נָנִי רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכּ֑וֹ קֶ֖דֶם מִפְעָלָ֣יו מֵאָֽז׃ (כג) מֵ֭עוֹלָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ (כד) בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמ֥וֹת חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי בְּאֵ֥ין מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם׃ (כה) בְּטֶ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים הׇטְבָּ֑עוּ לִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתִּי׃ (כו) עַד־לֹ֣א עָ֭שָׂה אֶ֣רֶץ וְחוּצ֑וֹת וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ עַפְר֥וֹת תֵּבֵֽל׃ (כז) בַּהֲכִינ֣וֹ שָׁ֭מַיִם שָׁ֣ם אָ֑נִי בְּחֻ֥קוֹ ח֝֗וּג עַל־פְּנֵ֥י תְהֽוֹם׃ (כח) בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהֽוֹם׃ (כט) בְּשׂ֘וּמ֤וֹ לַיָּ֨ם ׀ חֻקּ֗וֹ וּ֭מַיִם לֹ֣א יַֽעַבְרוּ־פִ֑יו בְּ֝חוּק֗וֹ מ֣וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ (ל) וָאֶהְיֶ֥ה אֶצְל֗וֹ אָ֫מ֥וֹן וָאֶהְיֶ֣ה שַׁ֭עֲשׁוּעִים י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם מְשַׂחֶ֖קֶת לְפָנָ֣יו בְּכׇל־עֵֽת׃ (לא) מְ֭שַׂחֶקֶת בְּתֵבֵ֣ל אַרְצ֑וֹ וְ֝שַׁעֲשֻׁעַ֗י אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ {פ}
(לב) וְעַתָּ֣ה בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י וְ֝אַשְׁרֵ֗י דְּרָכַ֥י יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃ (לג) שִׁמְע֖וּ מוּסָ֥ר וַחֲכָ֗מוּ וְאַל־תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃ (לד) אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי אָדָם֮ שֹׁמֵ֢עַֽ֫־לִ֥י לִשְׁקֹ֣ד עַל־דַּ֭לְתֹתַי י֤וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר מְזוּזֹ֥ת פְּתָחָֽי׃ (לה) כִּ֣י מֹ֭צְאִי (מצאי) [מָצָ֣א] חַיִּ֑ים וַיָּ֥פֶק רָ֝צ֗וֹן מֵה'׃ (לו) וְֽ֭חֹטְאִי חֹמֵ֣ס נַפְשׁ֑וֹ כׇּל־מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י אָ֣הֲבוּ מָֽוֶת׃
(1) It is Wisdom calling,
Understanding raising her voice.
(2) She takes her stand at the topmost heights,
By the wayside, at the crossroads,
(3) Near the gates at the city entrance;
At the entryways, she shouts,
(4) “O men, I call to you;
My cry is to all mankind.
(5) O simple ones, learn shrewdness;
O dullards, instruct your minds.
(6) Listen, for I speak noble things;
Uprightness comes from my lips;
(7) My mouth utters truth;
Wickedness is abhorrent to my lips.
(8) All my words are just,
None of them perverse or crooked;
(9) All are straightforward to the intelligent man,
And right to those who have attained knowledge.
(10) Accept my discipline rather than silver,
Knowledge rather than choice gold.
(11) For wisdom is better than rubies;
No goods can equal her.
(12) “I, Wisdom, live with Prudence;
I attain knowledge and foresight.
(13) To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way,
And duplicity in speech.
(14) Mine are counsel and resourcefulness;
I am understanding; courage is mine.
(15) Through me kings reign
And rulers decree just laws;
(16) Through me princes rule,
Great men and all the aAccording to some Heb. mss. and printed editions, “judges of the earth.”righteous judges.-a
(17) Those who love me I love,
And those who seek me will find me.
(18) Riches and honor belong to me,
Enduring wealth and success.
(19) My fruit is better than gold, fine gold,
And my produce better than choice silver.
(20) I walk on the way of righteousness,
On the paths of justice.
(21) I endow those who love me with substance;
I will fill their treasuries.
(22) “The LORD created me at the beginning of His course
As the first of His works of old.
(23) In the distant past I was fashioned,
At the beginning, at the origin of earth.
(24) There was still no deep when I was brought forth,
No springs rich in water;
(25) Before [the foundations of] the mountains were sunk,
Before the hills I was born.
(26) He had not yet made earth and fields,
Or the world’s first clumps of clay.
(27) I was there when He set the heavens into place;
When He fixed the horizon upon the deep;
(28) When He made the heavens above firm,
And the fountains of the deep gushed forth;
(29) When He assigned the sea its limits,
So that its waters never transgress His command;
When He fixed the foundations of the earth,
(30) I was with Him as a confidant,
A source of delight every day,
Rejoicing before Him at all times,
(31) Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
Finding delight with mankind.
(32) Now, sons, listen to me;
Happy are they who keep my ways.
(33) Heed discipline and become wise;
Do not spurn it.
(34) Happy is the man who listens to me,
Coming early to my gates each day,
Waiting outside my doors.
(35) For he who finds me finds life
And obtains favor from the LORD.
(36) But he who misses me destroys himself;
All who hate me love death.”
(יז) כִּ֚י ה' אֱלֹֽקֵיכֶ֔ם ה֚וּא אֱלֹקֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹקִ֔ים וַאדושם הָאֲדֹנִ֑ים הָאֵ֨ל הַגָּדֹ֤ל הַגִּבֹּר֙ וְהַנּוֹרָ֔א אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹא־יִשָּׂ֣א פָנִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יִקַּ֖ח שֹֽׁחַד׃
(17) For your God ה' is God supreme and Lord supreme,*God supreme and Lord supreme Lit. “the god of gods and the lord of lords.” Heb. ’adon (“lord”) normally denotes a man in a position of authority. Here it is used to claim that Israel’s God is beyond the men who sit atop the social hierarchies of rank and gender. the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who shows no favor and takes no bribe,
(יח) עֹ֤שֶׂה חֶ֙סֶד֙ לַֽאֲלָפִ֔ים וּמְשַׁלֵּם֙ עֲוֺ֣ן אָב֔וֹת אֶל־חֵ֥יק בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם הָאֵ֤ל הַגָּדוֹל֙ הַגִּבּ֔וֹר ה' צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמֽוֹ׃
(18) You show kindness to the thousandth generation, but visit the guilt of the parents upon their children after them. O great and mighty God whose name is GOD of Hosts,
(ד) וָֽאֶתְפַּֽלְלָ֛ה לַה' אֱלֹקַ֖י וָאֶתְוַדֶּ֑ה וָאֹֽמְרָ֗ה אָנָּ֤א אדושם הָאֵ֤ל הַגָּדוֹל֙ וְהַנּוֹרָ֔א שֹׁמֵ֤ר הַבְּרִית֙ וְֽהַחֶ֔סֶד לְאֹהֲבָ֖יו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֺתָֽיו׃
(4) I prayed to the LORD my God, making confession thus: “O Lord, great and awesome God, who stays faithful to His covenant with those who love Him and keep His commandments!
אֵין יְשִׁיבָה בָּעֲזָרָה אֶלָּא לְמַלְכֵי בֵּית דָּוִד בִּלְבַד. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַיֵּשֶׁב לִפְנֵי ה׳״? כִּדְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא — בְּעֶזְרַת נָשִׁים, הָכָא נָמֵי — בְּעֶזְרַת נָשִׁים. וְהֵיכָא אִיתְּמַר דְּרַב חִסְדָּא? אַהָא. מֵיתִיבִי: דְּתַנְיָא, הֵיכָן קוֹרִין בּוֹ — בָּעֲזָרָה, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: בְּהַר הַבַּיִת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּקְרָא בוֹ לִפְנֵי הָרְחוֹב אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי שַׁעַר הַמַּיִם״, וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: בְּעֶזְרַת נָשִׁים. ״וַיְבָרֶךְ עֶזְרָא אֶת ה׳ הָאֱלֹקִים הַגָּדוֹל״. מַאי ״גָּדוֹל״? אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף אָמַר רַב: שֶׁגִּדְּלוֹ בְּשֵׁם הַמְפוֹרָשׁ. רַב גִּידֵּל אָמַר: ״בָּרוּךְ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי לְרַב דִּימִי: וְדִילְמָא שֶׁגִּידְּלוֹ בְּשֵׁם הַמְפוֹרָשׁ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֵין אוֹמְרִים שֵׁם הַמְפוֹרָשׁ בִּגְבוּלִים. וְלָא? וְהָכְתִיב: ״וַיַּעֲמוֹד עֶזְרָא הַסּוֹפֵר עַל מִגְדַּל עֵץ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ לַדָּבָר״. וְאָמַר רַב גִּידֵּל: שֶׁגִּדְּלוֹ בְּשֵׁם הַמְפוֹרָשׁ! הוֹרָאַת שָׁעָה הָיְתָה. ״וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה׳ אֱלֹקִים בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל״. מַאי אֲמוּר? אָמַר רַב, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בִּיָּיא בִּיָּיא הַיְינוּ הַאי דְּאַחְרְבֵיהּ לְמַקְדְּשָׁא וְקַלְיֵהּ לְהֵיכְלֵיהּ וְקַטְלִינְהוּ לְכוּלְּהוּ צַדִּיקֵי וְאַגְלִינְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְעֲהוֹן, וַעֲדַיִין מְרַקֵּד בֵּינַן. כְּלוּם יְהַבְתֵּיהּ לַן אֶלָּא לְקַבּוֹלֵי בֵּיהּ אַגְרָא? לָא אִיהוּ בָּעֵינַן, וְלָא אַגְרֵיהּ בָּעֵינַן! נְפַל לְהוּ פִּיתְקָא מֵרְקִיעָא, דַּהֲוָה כְּתִב בֵּהּ ״אֱמֶת״. אָמַר רַב חֲנִינָא: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ חוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ״אֱמֶת״. אוֹתִיבוּ בְּתַעֲנִיתָא תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין וּתְלָתָא לֵילָוָאתָא, מַסְרוּהוּ נִיהֲלַיְהוּ. נְפַק אֲתָא כִּי גוּרְיָא דְנוּרָא מִבֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים, אֲמַר לְהוּ נָבִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: הַיְינוּ יִצְרָא דַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר זֹאת הָרִשְׁעָה״. בַּהֲדֵי דְּתַפְסוּהּ לֵיהּ אִשְׁתְּמִיט בִּינִיתָא מִמַּזְּיֵיא וּרְמָא קָלָא, וַאֲזַל קָלֵיהּ אַרְבַּע מְאָה פַּרְסֵי. אָמְרוּ: הֵיכִי נַעֲבֵיד? דִּילְמָא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מְרַחֲמִי עֲלֵיהּ מִן שְׁמַיָּא. אֲמַר לְהוּ נָבִיא: שַׁדְיוּהוּ בְּדוּדָא דַאֲבָרָא, וְחַפְיוּהוּ לְפוּמֵּיהּ בַּאֲבָרָא, דַּאֲבָרָא מִשְׁאָב שָׁאֵיב קָלָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר זֹאת הָרִשְׁעָה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אוֹתָהּ אֶל תּוֹךְ הָאֵיפָה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶת אֶבֶן הָעוֹפֶרֶת אֶל פִּיהָ״. אֲמַרוּ: הוֹאִיל וְעֵת רָצוֹן הוּא, נִבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי אַיִּצְרָא דַעֲבֵירָה. בְּעוֹ רַחֲמֵי וְאִמְּסַר בִּידַיְיהוּ. אֲמַר לְהוּ: חֲזוֹ, דְּאִי קָטְלִיתוּ לֵיהּ לְהָהוּא, כָּלֵי עָלְמָא. חַבְשׁוּהוּ תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי, וּבָעוּ בֵּיעֲתָא בַּת יוֹמָא בְּכׇל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח. אָמְרִי: הֵיכִי נַעֲבֵיד? נִקְטְלֵיהּ — כָּלֵי עָלְמָא, נִיבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי אַפַּלְגָא — פַּלְגָא בִּרְקִיעָא לָא יָהֲבִי. כַּחְלִינְהוּ לְעֵינֵיהּ וְשַׁבְקוּהוּ, וְאַהְנִי דְּלָא מִיגָּרֵי בֵּיהּ לְאִינִישׁ בְּקָרִיבְתֵּהּ. בְּמַעְרְבָא מַתְנוּ הָכִי: רַב גִּידֵּל אָמַר: ״גָּדוֹל״ — שֶׁגִּדְּלוֹ בְּשֵׁם הַמְפוֹרָשׁ, וְרַב מַתְנָא אָמַר: ״הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא״. וְהָא דְּרַב מַתְנָא מָטְיָיא לִדְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָן אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה — שֶׁהֶחְזִירוּ עֲטָרָה לְיוֹשְׁנָהּ. אֲתָא מֹשֶׁה, אָמַר: ״הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא״. אֲתָא יִרְמְיָה וַאֲמַר: גּוֹיִם מְקַרְקְרִין בְּהֵיכָלוֹ, אַיֵּה נוֹרְאוֹתָיו? לָא אֲמַר ״נוֹרָא״. אֲתָא דָּנִיאֵל אֲמַר: גּוֹיִם מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִים בְּבָנָיו, אַיֵּה גְּבוּרוֹתָיו? לָא אֲמַר ״גִּבּוֹר״. אֲתוֹ אִינְהוּ וְאָמְרוּ: אַדְּרַבָּה, זוֹ הִיא (גְּבוּרַת) גְּבוּרָתוֹ: שֶׁכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ — שֶׁנּוֹתֵן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם לָרְשָׁעִים. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן נוֹרְאוֹתָיו — שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא מוֹרָאוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֵיאַךְ אוּמָּה אַחַת יְכוֹלָה לְהִתְקַיֵּים בֵּין הָאוּמּוֹת? וְרַבָּנַן: הֵיכִי עָבְדִי הָכִי וְעָקְרִי תַּקַּנְתָּא דְּתַקֵּין מֹשֶׁה? אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁיּוֹדְעִין בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֲמִתִּי הוּא, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא כִּיזְּבוּ בּוֹ. וְקוֹרֵא ״אַחֲרֵי מוֹת״ וְ״אַךְ בֶּעָשׂוֹר״. וּרְמִינְהִי: מְדַלְּגִין בַּנָּבִיא, וְאֵין מְדַלְּגִין בַּתּוֹרָה! לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיַּפְסִיק הַתּוּרְגְּמָן. כָּאן, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַפְסִיק הַתּוּרְגְּמָן. וְהָא עֲלַהּ קָתָנֵי: מְדַלְּגִין בַּנָּבִיא, וְאֵין מְדַלְּגִין בַּתּוֹרָה. וְעַד כַּמָּה מְדַלֵּג — בִּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַפְסִיק הַתּוּרְגְּמָן, הָא בַּתּוֹרָה — כְּלָל כְּלָל לָא! אָמַר אַבָּיֵי, לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן, בְּעִנְיָן אֶחָד. כָּאן, בִּשְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִין. וְהָתַנְיָא: מְדַלְּגִין בַּתּוֹרָה בְּעִנְיָן אֶחָד, וּבַנָּבִיא בִּשְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִין. כָּאן וְכָאן בִּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַפְסִיק הַתּוּרְגְּמָן. וְאֵין מְדַלְּגִין מִנָּבִיא לְנָבִיא. וּבַנָּבִיא שֶׁל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מְדַלְּגִין,
Sitting in the Temple courtyard is permitted only for kings of the House of David, as it is stated: “Then King David went in and sat before the Lord” (I Chronicles 17:16)? How, then, could the High Priest have been sitting? The Gemara explains: As Rav Ḥisda said in a similar context: This took place not in the Israelite courtyard, where the prohibition against sitting applies, but in the women’s courtyard. Here, too, the reading was in the women’s courtyard, where it is permitted to sit. § The Gemara clarifies: And where was this statement of Rav Ḥisda originally stated? It was stated in relation to the following: The Sages raised an objection based on that which was taught in a baraita: Where did they read the Torah scroll in fulfillment of the mitzva of assembly, in which the Torah is publicly read on the Sukkot following the Sabbatical Year? It was read in the Temple courtyard. Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: It is read on the Temple Mount, as it is stated concerning the public reading performed by Ezra: “And he read from it before the wide road that was before the Gate of the Water” (Nehemiah 8:3). And Rav Ḥisda said: The courtyard referred to by the first tanna is the women’s courtyard. Apropos the verse in Nehemiah, the Gemara interprets an adjacent verse homiletically. It is stated: “And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God” (Nehemiah 8:6). The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of “great” here? Rav Yosef said that Rav said: It means that he ascribed greatness to Him by enunciating God’s explicit name. Rav Giddel said: He established that one should say at the conclusion of every blessing: “Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, from eternity to eternity” (I Chronicles 16:36). Abaye said to Rav Dimi: Why does Rav Giddel interpret it this way? Perhaps the meaning of “great” is that he ascribed greatness to Him by enunciating God’s explicit name? Rav Dimi said to him: The explicit name may not be enunciated in the provinces, i.e., outside the Temple courtyard. The Gemara asks: And is this really not permitted? Isn’t it written: “And Ezra the Scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose... and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God” (Nehemiah 8:4-6); and Rav Giddel said: “Great” in this verse means that he ascribed greatness to Him by enunciating God’s explicit name. Since this event took place outside the Temple (see Nehemiah 8:3), it suggests that God’s explicit name may indeed be enunciated outside the Temple. The Gemara answers: That cannot be proven from here because the permission to use God’s explicit name in that context was a provisional edict issued in exigent circumstances, since the people had uniquely come together in a prayerful commitment to God. The Gemara recounts the event described in the verses: The verse states: And they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God (Nehemiah 9:4). What was said? Rav said, and some say it was Rabbi Yoḥanan who said: Woe, woe. It is this, i.e., the evil inclination for idol worship, that destroyed the Temple, and burned its Sanctuary, and murdered all the righteous ones, and caused the Jewish people to be exiled from their land. And it still dances among us, i.e., it still affects us. Didn’t You give it to us solely for the purpose of our receiving reward for overcoming it? We do not want it, and we do not want its reward. We are prepared to forgo the potential rewards for overcoming the evil inclination as long as it departs from us. In response to their prayer a note fell to them from the heavens upon which was written: Truth, indicating that God accepted their request. The Gemara makes a parenthetical observation. Rav Ḥanina said: Learn from this that the seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is truth. In response to the indication of divine acceptance, they observed a fast for three days and three nights, and He delivered the evil inclination to them. A form of a fiery lion cub came forth from the chamber of the Holy of Holies. Zechariah the prophet said to the Jewish people: This is the evil inclination for idol worship, as it is stated in the verse that refers to this event: “And he said: This is the evil one” (Zechariah 5:8). The use of the word “this” indicates that the evil inclination was perceived in a physical form. When they caught hold of it one of its hairs fell, and it let out a shriek of pain that was heard for four hundred parasangs. They said: What should we do to kill it? Perhaps, Heaven forfend, they will have mercy upon him from Heaven, since it cries out so much. The prophet said to them: Throw it into a container made of lead and seal the opening with lead, since lead absorbs sound. As it is stated: “And he said: This is the evil one. And he cast it down into the midst of the measure, and he cast a stone of lead upon its opening” (Zechariah 5:8). They followed this advice and were freed of the evil inclination for idol worship. When they saw that the evil inclination for idol worship was delivered into their hands as they requested, the Sages said: Since it is an auspicious time, let us pray also concerning the evil inclination for sin in the area of sexual relationships. They prayed, and it was also delivered into their hands. Zechariah the prophet said to them: See and understand that if you kill this evil inclination the world will be destroyed because as a result there will also no longer be any desire to procreate. They followed his warning, and instead of killing the evil inclination they imprisoned it for three days. At that time, people searched for a fresh egg throughout all of Eretz Yisrael and could not find one. Since the inclination to reproduce was quashed, the chickens stopped laying eggs. They said: What should we do? If we kill it, the world will be destroyed. If we pray for half, i.e., that only half its power be annulled, nothing will be achieved because Heaven does not grant half gifts, only whole gifts. What did they do? They gouged out its eyes, effectively limiting its power, and set it free. And this was effective to the extent that a person is no longer aroused to commit incest with his close relatives. The Gemara returns to its discussion of the verse in Nehemiah cited above: In the West, i.e., Eretz Yisrael, they taught the debate concerning the verse “the Lord, the great God” as follows: Rav Giddel said: “Great” means that he ascribed greatness to Him by enunciating God’s explicit name. And Rav Mattana said: They reinserted the following appellations of God into their prayers: “The great, the mighty, and the awesome God” (Nehemiah 9:32). The Gemara comments: This interpretation that Rav Mattana said leans to, i.e., is consonant with, the exposition of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Why are the Sages of those generations called the members of the Great Assembly? It is because they returned the crown of the Holy One, Blessed be He, to its former glory. How so? Moses came and said in his prayer: “The great, the mighty, and the awesomeGod” (Deuteronomy 10:17). Jeremiah the prophet came and said: Gentiles, i.e., the minions of Nebuchadnezzar, are carousing in His sanctuary; where is His awesomeness? Therefore, he did not say awesome in his prayer: “The great God, the mighty Lord of Hosts, is His name” (Jeremiah 32:18). Daniel came and said: Gentiles are enslaving His children; where is His might? Therefore he did not say mighty in his prayer: “The great and awesome God” (Daniel 9:4). The members of the Great Assembly came and said: On the contrary, this is the might of His might, i.e., this is the fullest expression of it, that He conquers His inclination in that He exercises patience toward the wicked. God’s anger is flared by the gentile nations’ enslavement of His people, yet He expresses tremendous might by suppressing His anger and holding back from punishing them immediately. Therefore, it is still appropriate to refer to God as mighty. And these acts also express His awesomeness: Were it not for the awesomeness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, how could one people, i.e., the Jewish people, who are alone and hated by the gentile nations, survive among the nations? The Gemara asks: And the Rabbis, i.e., Jeremiah and Daniel, how could they do this and uproot an ordinance instituted by Moses, the greatest teacher, who instituted the mention of these attributes in prayer? Rabbi Elazar said: They did so because they knew of the Holy One Blessed be He, that He is truthful and hates a lie. Consequently, they did not speak falsely about Him. Since they did not perceive His attributes of might and awesomeness, they did not refer to them; therefore, they cannot be criticized for doing so. § It was taught in the mishna: And he reads from the scroll the Torah portion beginning with the verse: “After the death” (Leviticus 16:1), and the portion beginning with the verse: “But on the tenth” (Leviticus 23:26). Although both of these portions appear in the book of Leviticus, they are not adjacent to one another. Perforce, the High Priest skipped the sections in between the two portions. The Gemara raises a contradiction: It is taught in a mishna in tractate Megilla: One may skip sections when reading the haftara in the Prophets, but one may not skip sections when reading in the Torah. The Gemara answers: This is not difficult: There, in the mishna in tractate Megilla that teaches that one may not skip, the intention is that one should not skip if the sections are so far apart from one another that the delay caused by doing so will be of such length that the translator who recites the Aramaic translation will conclude his translation before the next section is reached. In that case, the community would have to remain in silence while waiting for the next section to be reached, which is considered disrespectful of the community’s honor. Here, in the case of the mishna, where it is permitted to skip, the delay caused is of such short length that the translator will still not conclude his translation before the new section is reached. The Gemara challenges this resolution: But it was taught concerning this statement in the continuation of that mishna: One may skip sections when reading in the Prophets, and one may not skip sections when reading in the Torah. And how much may one skip? One may skip when the section skipped is of such short length that when the furling of the scroll is completed the translator will still not have concluded his translation. The baraita implies that the qualification for the length of the section that may be skipped applies only to reading the Prophets, but when reading the Torah, one may not skip at all. The Gemara’s resolution is therefore refuted. The Gemara offers a different resolution. Abaye said: This is not difficult. Here, in the case of the mishna here, where it is permitted to skip, it is referring to when both sections pertain to a single topic, and therefore the listeners will be unaware that sections were skipped. There, in the mishna in tractate Megilla, which teaches that one may not skip, it is referring to when the two sections pertain to two different topics. As it was taught in a baraita: One may skip sections when reading in the Torah when both sections read pertain to one topic, and in the Prophets one may skip from one section to another even if they pertain to two different topics. Both here and there, one may skip only when the section skipped is of such short length that when furling is completed the translator will still not have concluded his translation. But one may not skip from one book of the Prophets to another book of the Prophets even if both pertain to the same topic, and even if the gap between them is short. However, among the books of the Twelve Prophets one may skip, as the twelve are considered one book for these purposes.