The Question Nobody Wants to Ask.

וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered and said:

שִׁמְע֣וּ שָׁ֭מוֹעַ מִלָּתִ֑י וּתְהִי־זֹ֝֗את תַּנְח֥וּמֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃

[2] “Keep listening to my words, and let this be your comfort. [2] “Keep listening to my words, and let this be your comfort.

שָׂ֭אוּנִי וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְאַחַ֖ר דַּבְּרִ֣י תַלְעִֽיג׃

[3] Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on. [3] Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.

הֶ֭אָנֹכִי לְאָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְאִם־מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ לֹא־תִקְצַ֥ר רוּחִֽי׃

[4] As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient? [4] As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient?

פְּנוּ־אֵלַ֥י וְהָשַׁ֑מּוּ וְשִׂ֖ימוּ יָ֣ד עַל־פֶּֽה׃

[5] Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth. [5] Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.

וְאִם־זָכַ֥רְתִּי וְנִבְהָ֑לְתִּי וְאָחַ֥ז בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י פַּלָּצֽוּת׃

[6] When I remember, I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh. [6] When I remember, I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.

מַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם־גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל׃

[7] Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power? [7] Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

זַרְעָ֤ם נָכ֣וֹן לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם עִמָּ֑ם וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֗ם לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃

[8] Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes. [8] Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes.

בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם שָׁל֣וֹם מִפָּ֑חַד וְלֹ֤א שֵׁ֖בֶט אֱל֣וֹהַּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

[9] Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them. [9] Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.

שׁוֹר֣וֹ עִ֭בַּר וְלֹ֣א יַגְעִ֑ל תְּפַלֵּ֥ט פָּ֝רָת֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א תְשַׁכֵּֽל׃

[10] Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry. [10] Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry.

יְשַׁלְּח֣וּ כַ֭צֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝יַלְדֵיהֶ֗ם יְרַקֵּדֽוּן׃

[11] They send out their little boys like a flock, and their children dance. [11] They send out their little boys like a flock, and their children dance.

יִ֭שְׂאוּ כְּתֹ֣ף וְכִנּ֑וֹר וְ֝יִשְׂמְח֗וּ לְק֣וֹל עוּגָֽב׃

[12] They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe. [12] They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

׳יְבַלּוּ׳ ״יְכַלּ֣וּ״ בַטּ֣וֹב יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝בְרֶ֗גַע שְׁא֣וֹל יֵחָֽתּוּ׃

[13] They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol. [13] They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָ֭אֵל ס֣וּר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְדַ֥עַת דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א חָפָֽצְנוּ׃

[14] They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. [14] They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.

מַה־שַׁדַּ֥י כִּֽי־נַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ וּמַה־נּ֝וֹעִ֗יל כִּ֣י נִפְגַּע־בּֽוֹ׃

[15] What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’ [15] What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’

הֵ֤ן לֹ֣א בְיָדָ֣ם טוּבָ֑ם עֲצַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים רָ֣חֲקָה מֶֽנִּי׃

[16] Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me. [16] Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

כַּמָּ֤ה׀ נֵר־רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים יִדְעָ֗ךְ וְיָבֹ֣א עָלֵ֣ימוֹ אֵידָ֑ם חֲ֝בָלִ֗ים יְחַלֵּ֥ק בְּאַפּֽוֹ׃

[17] “How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains in his anger?

יִהְי֗וּ כְּתֶ֥בֶן לִפְנֵי־ר֑וּחַ וּ֝כְמֹ֗ץ גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ סוּפָֽה׃

[18] That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?

אֱל֗וֹהַּ יִצְפֹּן־לְבָנָ֥יו אוֹנ֑וֹ יְשַׁלֵּ֖ם אֵלָ֣יו וְיֵדָֽע׃

[19] You say, ‘God stores up their iniquity for their children.’ Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it.

יִרְא֣וּ ׳עֵינָו׳ ״עֵינָ֣יו״ כִּיד֑וֹ וּמֵחֲמַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יִשְׁתֶּֽה׃

[20] Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

כִּ֤י מַה־חֶפְצ֣וֹ בְּבֵית֣וֹ אַחֲרָ֑יו וּמִסְפַּ֖ר חֳדָשָׁ֣יו חֻצָּֽצוּ׃

[21] For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off?

הַלְאֵ֥ל יְלַמֶּד־דָּ֑עַת וְ֝ה֗וּא רָמִ֥ים יִשְׁפּֽוֹט׃

[22] Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those who are on high?

זֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּעֶ֣צֶם תֻּמּ֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ שַׁלְאֲנַ֥ן וְשָׁלֵֽיו׃

[23] One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure,

עֲ֭טִינָיו מָלְא֣וּ חָלָ֑ב וּמֹ֖חַ עַצְמוֹתָ֣יו יְשֻׁקֶּֽה׃

[24] his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.

וְזֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ מָרָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־אָ֝כַ֗ל בַּטּוֹבָֽה׃

[25] Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity.

יַ֭חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ וְ֝רִמָּ֗ה תְּכַסֶּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

[26] They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.

הֵ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וּ֝מְזִמּ֗וֹת עָלַ֥י תַּחְמֹֽסוּ׃

[27] “Behold, I know your thoughts and your schemes to wrong me.

כִּ֤י תֹֽאמְר֗וּ אַיֵּ֥ה בֵית־נָדִ֑יב וְ֝אַיֵּ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל׀ מִשְׁכְּנ֬וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים׃

[28] For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’

הֲלֹ֣א שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם ע֣וֹבְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗ם לֹ֣א תְנַכֵּֽרוּ׃

[29] Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony

כִּ֤י לְי֣וֹם אֵ֭יד יֵחָ֣שֶׂךְ רָ֑ע לְי֖וֹם עֲבָר֣וֹת יוּבָֽלוּ׃

[30] that the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath?

מִֽי־יַגִּ֣יד עַל־פָּנָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְהֽוּא־עָ֝שָׂ֗ה מִ֣י יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ׃

[31] Who declares his way to his face, and who repays him for what he has done?

וְ֭הוּא לִקְבָר֣וֹת יוּבָ֑ל וְֽעַל־גָּדִ֥ישׁ יִשְׁקֽוֹד׃

[32] When he is carried to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.

מָֽתְקוּ־ל֗וֹ רִגְבֵ֫י נָ֥חַל וְ֭אַחֲרָיו כָּל־אָדָ֣ם יִמְשׁ֑וֹךְ וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃

[33] The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all mankind follows after him, and those who go before him are innumerable.

וְ֭אֵיךְ תְּנַחֲמ֣וּנִי הָ֑בֶל וּ֝תְשֽׁוּבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם נִשְׁאַר־מָֽעַל׃ ס

[34] How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”