קְרָא־נָא היֵשׁ עוֹנֶךָּ וְאֶל־מִי מִקְּדֹשִׁים תִּפְנֶה

If you wish to cry out, then call now; but is there anyone answering you? To which of the holy ones, the angels, will you turn? You can turn only to God in prayer.

כִּי־לֶאֱוִיל יַהֲרָג־כָּעַשׂ וּפֹתֶה תָּמִית קִנְאָה

For anger kills the fool, and envy will put the naïf to death. It is characteristic of the unwise to be swayed by strong emotions, and a dire fate awaits such individuals. The fool Elifaz is describing is one who fails to turn to God. It is possible that this includes even Job himself.

אֲנִי־רָאִיתִי אֱוִיל מַשְׁרִישׁ וָאֶקּוֹב נָוֵהוּ פִתְאֹם

I have seen the fool taking root, growing and developing, and I cursed his house with suddenness. I cursed his home that a calamity should suddenly fall upon it and halt his development.

יִרְחֲקוּ בָנָיו מִיֶּשַׁע וְיִדַּכְּאוּ בַשַּׁעַר וְאֵין מַצִּיל

His, the foolish man’s, children are distanced from salvation and will not be rescued, and they are made despondent, or oppressed, at the gate, the location of the city court, without a deliverer.

אֲשֶׁר קְצִירוֹ רָעֵב יֹאכֵל וְאֶל־מִצִּנִּים יִקָּחֵהוּ וְשָׁאַף צַמִּים חֵילָם

His, the fool’s, harvest, the hungry eat and starving individuals put into baskets, or, alternatively, his harvest is taken from him even if it is surrounded by a fence of thorns, and the thirsty imbibe their wealth. They seek to swallow the portion belonging to the fool’s children.

כִּי לֹא־יֵצֵא מֵעָפָר אָוֶן וּמֵאֲדָמָה לֹא־יִצְמַח עָמָל

Elifaz elaborates on the downfall of the foolish: For iniquity does not emerge from the dust, and travail does not grow from the ground. Nature does not sin,

כִּי־אָדָם לְעָמָל יוּלָּד וּבְנֵי־רֶשֶׁף יַגְבִּיהוּ עוּף

for man is born to travail and sin, just as sparks fly upward. Just as sparks naturally fly upward, so too, it is natural for people to sin.

אוּלָם אֲנִי אֶדְרֹשׁ אֶל־אֵל וְאֶל־אֱלֹהִים אָשִׂים דִּבְרָתִי

However, unlike the foolish or simple person, I would seek for God, and to God I will direct my words.

עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת וְאֵין חֵקֶר נִפְלָאוֹת עַד אֵין מִסְפָּר

One can certainly rely upon God, as it is He who performs great things, and there is no fathoming them, wonders without number.

הַנֹּתֵן מָטָר עַל־פְּנֵי־אָרֶץ וְשֹׁלֵחַ מַיִם עַל־פְּנֵי חוּצוֹת

He is the One who gives rain over the face of the earth, and sends down water over the surface of fields,

לָשׂוּם שְׁפָלִים לְמָרוֹם וְקֹדְרִים שָׂגְבוּ יֶשַׁע

setting the lowly on high, raising them to heaven, and He directs matters so that the dejected, the broken and downcast, are exalted with salvation.

מֵפֵר מַחְשְׁבוֹת עֲרוּמִים וְלֹא־תַעֲשֶׂינָה יְדֵיהֶם תֻּשִׁיָּה

At the same time, He thwarts the thoughts of the crafty, those who rely on their cunning, and their hands do not act with resourcefulness. They are unable to execute the plots they devise.

לֹכֵד חֲכָמִים בְּעָרְמָם וַעֲצַת נִפְתָּלִים נִמְהָרָה

He, God, traps the wise with their craftiness, He traps them in their own guile, and the counsel of the wily is hasty, impulsive and foolish.

יוֹמָם יְפַגְּשׁוּ חֹשֶׁךְ וְכ לַּיְלָה יְמַשְׁשׁוּ בַצָּהֳרָיִם

Their punishment will be that during the day they encounter darkness, and at noon they grope to find their way like at night.

וַיֹּשַׁע מֵחֶרֶב מִפִּיהֶם וּמִיַּד חָזָק אֶבְיוֹן

But He saves the indigent from the sword of the wicked, He saves them from their devouring mouth, and He rescues them from the hand of the mighty.

וַתְּהִי לַדַּל תִּקְוָה וְעֹלָתָה קָפְצָה פִּיהָ

There is hope for the impoverished, and iniquity will clench its mouth. People’s fortunes change; therefore, do not despair.

הִנֵּה אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ יוֹכִחֶנּוּ אֱלוֹהַּ ומוּסַר שַׁדַּי אַל־תִּמְאָס

Do not reject suffering, as it is part of God’s communication with man. Behold, happy is the man whom God rebukes; do not despise the chastisement of, the suffering brought upon you by the Almighty.

כִּי הוּא יַכְאִיב וְיֶחְבָּשׁ יִמְחַץ וְיָדָו תִּרְפֶּינָה

For He causes pain and He bandages the injury that He brought upon you; He crushes and subsequently His hands heal. He strikes, and then He cures.

בְּשֵׁשׁ צָרוֹת יַצִּילֶךָּ וּבְשֶׁבַע לֹא־יִגַּע בְּךָ רָע

In six troubles He will deliver you, and in seven, no harm will touch you. God will save you from every distress. Six and seven are generic numbers that signify large quantities.

בְּרָעָב פָּדְךָ מִמָּוֶת וּבְמִלְחָמָה מִידֵי חָרֶב

In famine, He redeems you from death, and in war He saves you from the sword.

בְּשׁוֹט לָשׁוֹן תֵּחָבֵא וְלֹא־תִירָא מִשֹּׁד כִּי יָבוֹא

From the scourge of the tongue you will be hidden. God will protect you when people utter hurtful or damaging comments about you, and you will not fear pillage when it comes.

לְשֹׁד וּלְכָפָן תִּשְׂחָק וּמֵחַיַּת הָאָרֶץ אַל־תִּירָא

At pillage and hunger you will laugh, as they will not threaten you, and from the beasts of the earth, do not fear, as God will protect you from them.

כִּי עִם־אַבְנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה בְרִיתֶךָ וְחַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה הָשְׁלְמָה־לָּךְ

For your covenant will be with the rocks of the field [avnei hasadeh]. The rocks themselves will ensure that you do not stumble while you walk, as all of nature will join forces with you. Alternatively, avnei hasadeh should be interpreted as adnei hasadeh, a mysterious creature that is half-human, half-beast. And the beasts of the field will make peace with you and will do you no harm.

וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי־שָׁלוֹם אָהֳלֶךָ וּפָקַדְתָּ נָוְךָ וְלֹא תֶחֱטָא

You will know that your tent is at peace, as tranquility will reign there; and visiting your abode, when you arrive home from a journey, you will not be lacking, for everything will have remained intact.

וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי־רַב זַרְעֶךָ וְצֶאֱצָאֶיךָ כְּעֵשֶׂב הָאָרֶץ

You shall know also that your descendants will be many, you will have many children, and your offspring will increase like the grass of the earth.

תָּבוֹא בְכֶלַח אֱלֵי־קָבֶר כַּעֲלוֹת גָּדִישׁ בְּעִתּוֹ

You will come to the grave at the right time [kelah·], after a good and long life, or alternatively, refreshed, with vigor, like a grain pile harvested at its time, after it dries in the field and is ready to move to the next stage in the production process.

הִנֵּה־זֹאת חֲקַרְנוּהָ כֶּן־הִיא שְׁמָעֶנָּה וְאַתָּה דַע־לָךְ

Elifaz concludes his speech: Behold, we have investigated this; it is so, this is the way of the world. Ultimately, the pure and upright person will not be lost, unlike fools. Hear it, Job, and know for yourself. Consider my comments in a personal context as well. Elifaz is implicitly saying to Job: If you accept that God has intentionally inflicted this suffering upon you, and you submit to it, you will experience salvation in your lifetime. God will restore to you all that you have lost, and you will enjoy a good end.