The Friend Who Had All the Answers.

קְֽרָא־נָ֭א הֲיֵ֣שׁ עוֹנֶ֑ךָּ וְאֶל־מִ֖י מִקְּדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּפְנֶֽה׃

“Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

כִּֽי־לֶֽ֭אֱוִיל יַהֲרָג־כָּ֑עַשׂ וּ֝פֹתֶ֗ה תָּמִ֥ית קִנְאָֽה׃

[2] Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple.

אֲ‍ֽנִי־רָ֭אִיתִי אֱוִ֣יל מַשְׁרִ֑ישׁ וָאֶקּ֖וֹב נָוֵ֣הוּ פִתְאֹֽם׃

[3] I have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.

יִרְחֲק֣וּ בָנָ֣יו מִיֶּ֑שַׁע וְיִֽדַּכְּא֥וּ בַ֝שַּׁ֗עַר וְאֵ֣ין מַצִּֽיל׃

[4] His children are far from safety; they are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them.

אֲשֶׁ֤ר קְצִיר֨וֹ׀ רָ֘עֵ֤ב יֹאכֵ֗ל וְאֶֽל־מִצִּנִּ֥ים יִקָּחֵ֑הוּ וְשָׁאַ֖ף צַמִּ֣ים חֵילָֽם׃

[5] The hungry eat his harvest, and he takes it even out of thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.

כִּ֤י׀ לֹא־יֵצֵ֣א מֵעָפָ֣ר אָ֑וֶן וּ֝מֵאֲדָמָ֗ה לֹא־יִצְמַ֥ח עָמָֽל׃

[6] For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

כִּֽי־אָ֭דָם לְעָמָ֣ל יוּלָּ֑ד וּבְנֵי־רֶ֝֗שֶׁף יַגְבִּ֥יהוּ עֽוּף׃

[7] but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.

אוּלָ֗ם אֲ֭נִי אֶדְרֹ֣שׁ אֶל־אֵ֑ל וְאֶל־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים אָשִׂ֥ים דִּבְרָתִֽי׃

[8] “As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause,

עֹשֶׂ֣ה גְ֭דֹלוֹת וְאֵ֣ין חֵ֑קֶר נִ֝פְלָא֗וֹת עַד־אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר׃

[9] who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:

הַנֹּתֵ֣ן מָ֭טָר עַל־פְּנֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְשֹׁ֥לֵֽחַ מַ֝יִם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י חוּצֽוֹת׃

[10] he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields;

לָשׂ֣וּם שְׁפָלִ֣ים לְמָר֑וֹם וְ֝קֹדְרִ֗ים שָׂ֣גְבוּ יֶֽשַׁע׃

[11] he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.

מֵ֭פֵר מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת עֲרוּמִ֑ים וְֽלֹא־תַעֲשֶׂ֥ינָה יְ֝דֵיהֶ֗ם תּוּשִׁיָּֽה׃

[12] He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.

לֹכֵ֣ד חֲכָמִ֣ים בְּעָרְמָ֑ם וַעֲצַ֖ת נִפְתָּלִ֣ים נִמְהָֽרָה׃

[13] He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.

יוֹמָ֥ם יְפַגְּשׁוּ־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וְ֝כַלַּ֗יְלָה יְֽמַשְׁשׁ֥וּ בַֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃

[14] They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope at noonday as in the night.

וַיֹּ֣שַׁע מֵ֭חֶרֶב מִפִּיהֶ֑ם וּמִיַּ֖ד חָזָ֣ק אֶבְיֽוֹן׃

[15] But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty.

וַתְּהִ֣י לַדַּ֣ל תִּקְוָ֑ה וְ֝עֹלָ֗תָה קָ֣פְצָה פִּֽיהָ׃

[16] So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.

הִנֵּ֤ה אַשְׁרֵ֣י אֱ֭נוֹשׁ יוֹכִחֶ֣נּֽוּ אֱל֑וֹהַּ וּמוּסַ֥ר שַׁ֝דַּ֗י אַל־תִּמְאָֽס׃

[17] “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.

כִּ֤י ה֣וּא יַכְאִ֣יב וְיֶחְבָּ֑שׁ יִ֝מְחַ֗ץ ׳וְיָדוֹ׳ ״וְיָדָ֥יו״ תִּרְפֶּֽינָה׃

[18] For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.

בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ צָ֭רוֹת יַצִּילֶ֑ךָּ וּבְשֶׁ֓בַע׀ לֹא־יִגַּ֖ע בְּךָ֣ רָֽע׃

[19] He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you.

בְּ֭רָעָב פָּֽדְךָ֣ מִמָּ֑וֶת וּ֝בְמִלְחָמָ֗ה מִ֣ידֵי חָֽרֶב׃

[20] In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.

בְּשׁ֣וֹט לָ֭שׁוֹן תֵּחָבֵ֑א וְֽלֹא־תִירָ֥א מִ֝שֹּׁ֗ד כִּ֣י יָבֽוֹא׃

[21] You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes.

לְשֹׁ֣ד וּלְכָפָ֣ן תִּשְׂחָ֑ק וּֽמֵחַיַּ֥ת הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃

[22] At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth.

כִּ֤י עִם־אַבְנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֣ה בְרִיתֶ֑ךָ וְחַיַּ֥ת הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗ה הָשְׁלְמָה־לָֽךְ׃

[23] For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.

וְֽ֭יָדַעְתָּ כִּי־שָׁל֣וֹם אָהֳלֶ֑ךָ וּֽפָקַדְתָּ֥ נָ֝וְךָ וְלֹ֣א תֶחֱטָֽא׃

[24] You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.

וְֽ֭יָדַעְתָּ כִּי־רַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֶ֗יךָ כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָֽרֶץ׃

[25] You shall know also that your offspring shall be many, and your descendants as the grass of the earth.

תָּב֣וֹא בְכֶ֣לַח אֱלֵי־קָ֑בֶר כַּעֲל֖וֹת גָּדִ֣ישׁ בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃

[26] You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season.

הִנֵּה־זֹ֭את חֲקַרְנ֥וּהָ כֶּֽן־הִ֑יא שְׁ֝מָעֶ֗נָּה וְאַתָּ֥ה דַֽע־לָֽךְ׃ פ

[27] Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.”