וַיַּעַן צֹפַר הַנַּעֲמָתִי וַיֹּאמַר׃

Tzofar the Naamatite answered and said:

הרֹב דְּבָרִים לֹא יֵעָנֶה וְאִם־אִישׁ שְׂפָתַיִם יִצְדָּק

Should one who speaks so many words not be answered? Do you think that your verbosity is enough to end all discussion, so that the debate will of necessity end with your stated position? And should an eloquent man, a skilled rhetorician, be vindicated simply by virtue of his eloquence?

בַּדֶּיךָ מְתִים יַחֲרִישׁוּ וַתִּלְעַג וְאֵין מַכְלִם

Your fabrications have silenced men; you have mocked, and there is no one to reproach you. No one rebukes you or stops you. Perhaps Tzofar is referring to others who are present at the scene apart from Elifaz and Bildad, who heard Job’s discourse and were left speechless by his declarations.

וַתֹּאמֶר זַךְ לִקְחִי וּבַר הָיִיתִי בְעֵינֶיךָ

You said: My discourse is pure, and I am clean in your eyes. I am considered innocent by my audience.

וְאוּלָם מִי־יִתֵּן אֱלוֹהַּ דַּבֵּר וְיִפְתַּח שְׂפָתָיו עִמָּךְ

However, if only God would speak and instead of letting you go astray with such thoughts, open His lips to speak against you.

וְיַגֶּד־לְךָ תַּעֲלֻמוֹת חָכְמָה כִּי כִפְלַיִם לְתוּשִׁיָּה וְדַע כִּי־יַשֶּׁה לְךָ אֱלוֹהַּ מֵעֲוֹנֶךָ

He would tell you the secrets of wisdom, the esoteric knowledge that is hidden from you, as sagacity is double-sided and has many things to reveal to you. Know that God may overlook some of your iniquities for you. Alternatively, God can forget your sins, that is, forgive you for them. However, you must listen to Him and speak less.

הַחֵקֶר אֱלוֹהַּ תִּמְצָא אִם עַד־תַּכְלִית שַׁדַּי תִּמְצָא

Can you discover the understanding of God, His ultimate intentions? Can you discover the purpose of the Almighty? Do you think that you can examine and understand God?

גָבְהֵי שָׁמַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָל עֲמֻקָּה מִשְּׁאוֹל מַה־תֵּדָע

In the heights of heavens, what can you do? What power do you have to change the heavenly spheres? God’s wisdom is deeper than the grave; what can you know of it?

אֲרֻכָּה מֵאֶרֶץ מִדָּהּ וּרְחָבָה מִנִּי־יָם

Its measure is longer than the earth, and its expanse is broader than the sea. You are trying to understand matters that are beyond your comprehension.

אִם־יַחֲלֹף וְיַסְגִּיר וְיַקְהִיל וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ

If He causes those who have sinned against Him to pass on, to be cut off or killed, or if He confines, imprisons, or assembles them, who can restrain Him? Who can prevent Him from doing so?

כִּי־הוּא יָדַע מְתֵי־שָׁוְא וַיַּרְא־אָוֶן וְלֹא יִתְבּוֹנָן

For He knows vain men. He is familiar with sinners. He sees iniquity without looking for it. He does not need to pause to reflect on the details; He knows everything immediately.

ואִישׁ נָבוּב יִלָּבֵב וְעַיִר פֶּרֶא אָדָם יִוָּלֵד

But a hollow man can take heart. In contrast to God, man is an empty receptacle; therefore, his heart can be filled with understanding, as a colt of an onager can be born a man. When a person is born, he is like the colt of a wild ass, and he must then grow and develop into a man.

אִם־אַתָּה הֲכִינוֹתָ לִבֶּךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ אֵלָיו כַּפֶּיךָ

Therefore, if you, Job, prepare your heart, and spread your hands to Him in prayer,

אִם־אָוֶן בְּיָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵהוּ וְאַל־תַּשְׁכֵּן בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ עַוְלָה

if there is iniquity in your hand, banish it from you; do not let injustice dwell in your tents,

כִּי־אָז תִּשָּׂא פָנֶיךָ מִמּוּם וְהָיִיתָ מֻצָק וְלֹא תִירָא

for then you can raise your face without blemish. You will not have to bow your head due to your blemish. You will be steadfast and will not fear.

כִּי אַתָּה עָמָל תִּשְׁכָּח כְּמַיִם עָבְרוּ תִזְכֹּר

For in this state, you will forget your travail and misery; you will remember it like water that has passed. You will have only vague memories of your pain, like the bare trace of passing waters.

ומצָּהֳרַיִם יָקוּם חָלֶד תָּעֻפָה כַּבֹּקֶר תִּהְיֶה

The world will rise up and be built brighter than the light of noon; it will be illuminated; like the morning it will be. Then the world will shine for you and be renewed as the morning.

וּבָטַחְתָּ כִּי־יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה וְחָפַרְתָּ לָבֶטַח תִּשְׁכָּב

You will be secure because there is hope; you will be entrenched [veh·] and lie down in security. You will be as secure as if you were surrounded by excavated moats [ḥafira] that protect you from your enemies. Alternatively, you will have security in the World to Come when you arrive at your grave, which has already been dug [ḥafur].

וְרָבַצְתָּ וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד וְחִלּוּ פָנֶיךָ רַבִּים

You will lie down without threat, and many will court your favor. They will come to your door to seek your advice.

וְעֵינֵי רְשָׁעִים תִּכְלֶינָה וּמָנוֹס אָבַד מִנְּהֶם וְתִקְוָתָם מַפַּח־נָפֶשׁ

Unlike those who are innocent of sin, the eyes of the wicked will fail in their expectation of being saved from their misfortune, and escape will be lost for them; their hope will become nothing but despair.