When Your Friend Becomes Your Prosecutor.

וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשֻּׁחִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

עַד־אָ֤נָה׀ תְּשִׂימ֣וּן קִנְצֵ֣י לְמִלִּ֑ין תָּ֝בִ֗ינוּ וְאַחַ֥ר נְדַבֵּֽר׃

[2] “How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and then we will speak.

מַ֭דּוּעַ נֶחְשַׁ֣בְנוּ כַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נִ֝טְמִ֗ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃

[3] Why are we counted as cattle? Why are we stupid in your sight?

טֹֽרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֗וֹ בְּאַ֫פּ֥וֹ הַ֭לְמַעַנְךָ תֵּעָ֣זַב אָ֑רֶץ וְיֶעְתַּק־צ֝֗וּר מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ׃

[4] You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you, or the rock be removed out of its place?

גַּ֤ם א֣וֹר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־יִ֝גַּ֗הּ שְׁבִ֣יב אִשּֽׁוֹ׃

[5] “Indeed, the light of the wicked is put out, and the flame of his fire does not shine.

א֖וֹר חָשַׁ֣ךְ בְּאָהֳל֑וֹ וְ֝נֵר֗וֹ עָלָ֥יו יִדְעָֽךְ׃

[6] The light is dark in his tent, and his lamp above him is put out.

יֵֽ֭צְרוּ צַעֲדֵ֣י אוֹנ֑וֹ וְֽתַשְׁלִיכֵ֥הוּ עֲצָתֽוֹ׃

[7] His strong steps are shortened, and his own schemes throw him down.

כִּֽי־שֻׁלַּ֣ח בְּרֶ֣שֶׁת בְּרַגְלָ֑יו וְעַל־שְׂ֝בָכָ֗ה יִתְהַלָּֽךְ׃

[8] For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walks on its mesh.

יֹאחֵ֣ז בְּעָקֵ֣ב פָּ֑ח יַחֲזֵ֖ק עָלָ֣יו צַמִּֽים׃

[9] A trap seizes him by the heel; a snare lays hold of him.

טָמ֣וּן בָּאָ֣רֶץ חַבְל֑וֹ וּ֝מַלְכֻּדְתּ֗וֹ עֲלֵ֣י נָתִֽיב׃

[10] A rope is hidden for him in the ground, a trap for him in the path.

סָ֭בִיב בִּֽעֲתֻ֣הוּ בַלָּה֑וֹת וֶהֱפִיצֻ֥הוּ לְרַגְלָֽיו׃

[11] Terrors frighten him on every side, and chase him at his heels.

יְהִי־רָעֵ֥ב אֹנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֵ֗יד נָכ֥וֹן לְצַלְעֽוֹ׃

[12] His strength is famished, and calamity is ready for his stumbling.

יֹ֭אכַל בַּדֵּ֣י עוֹר֑וֹ יֹאכַ֥ל בַּ֝דָּ֗יו בְּכ֣וֹר מָֽוֶת׃

[13] It consumes the parts of his skin; the firstborn of death consumes his limbs.

יִנָּתֵ֣ק מֵ֭אָהֳלוֹ מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְ֝תַצְעִדֵ֗הוּ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃

[14] He is torn from the tent in which he trusted and is brought to the king of terrors.

תִּשְׁכּ֣וֹן בְּ֭אָהֳלוֹ מִבְּלִי־ל֑וֹ יְזֹרֶ֖ה עַל־נָוֵ֣הוּ גָפְרִֽית׃

[15] In his tent dwells that which is none of his; sulfur is scattered over his habitation.

מִ֭תַּחַת שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יִבָ֑שׁוּ וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל יִמַּ֥ל קְצִירֽוֹ׃

[16] His roots dry up beneath, and his branches wither above.

זִֽכְרוֹ־אָ֭בַד מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶץ וְלֹא־שֵׁ֥ם ל֝֗וֹ עַל־פְּנֵי־חֽוּץ׃

[17] His memory perishes from the earth, and he has no name in the street.

יֶ֭הְדְּפֻהוּ מֵא֣וֹר אֶל־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּֽמִתֵּבֵ֥ל יְנִדֻּֽהוּ׃

[18] He is thrust from light into darkness, and driven out of the world.

לֹ֘א נִ֤ין ל֣וֹ וְלֹא־נֶ֣כֶד בְּעַמּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ין שָׂ֝רִ֗יד בִּמְגוּרָֽיו׃

[19] He has no posterity or progeny among his people, and no survivor where he used to live.

עַל־י֖וֹמוֹ נָשַׁ֣מּוּ אַחֲרֹנִ֑ים וְ֝קַדְמֹנִ֗ים אָ֣חֲזוּ שָֽׂעַר׃

[20] They of the west are appalled at his day, and horror seizes them of the east.

אַךְ־אֵ֭לֶּה מִשְׁכְּנ֣וֹת עַוָּ֑ל וְ֝זֶ֗ה מְק֣וֹם לֹא־יָדַֽע־אֵֽל׃ ס

[21] Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous, such is the place of him who knows not God.”