Zopharצֹפַרthe Naamathiteהַנַּעֲמָתִיansweredוַיַּעַןand said:וַיֹּאמַר
“Shall a multitudeהֲרֹבof wordsדְּבָרִיםnotלֹאbe answered?יֵעָנֶהOrוְאִםshall a manאִישׁof lipsשְׂפָתַיִםbe righteous?יִצְדָּק
Shall your idle talkבַּדֶּיךָsilenceיַחֲרִישׁוmen?מְתִיםShall you mock,וַתִּלְעַגand there be noneוְאֵיןto put you to shame?מַכְלִם
You say,וַתֹּאמֶר‘My teachingלִקְחִיis pure,זַךְand I have beenהָיִיתִיspotlessוּבַרin your eyes.’בְעֵינֶיךָ
Butוְאוּלָםwho would grantמִי יִתֵּןthat Eloahאֱלוֹהַּwould speakדַּבֵּרand openוְיִפְתַּחhis lipsשְׂפָתָיוwith you,עִמָּךְ
and tellוְיַגֶּדyouלְךָthe secretsתַּעֲלֻמוֹתof wisdom,חָכְמָהforכִּיsound judgmentלְתוּשִׁיָּהis double;כִפְלַיִםand knowוְדַעthatכִּיEloahאֱלוֹהַmakes you forgetיַשֶּׁה לְךָpart of your iniquity.מֵעֲוֺנֶךָ
Can you findהַ תִּמְצָאthe depthsחֵקֶרof Eloah?אֱלוֹהַOrאִםcan you findתִּמְצָאthe very limitעַד תַּכְלִיתof Shaddai?שַׁדַּי
It is the heightsגָּבְהֵיof the heavens;שָׁמַיִםwhatמַהcan you do?תִּפְעָלDeeperעֲמֻקָּהthan Sheol;מִשְּׁאוֹלwhatמַהcan you know?תֵּדָע
Longerאֲרֻכָּהthan the earthמֵאֶרֶץis its measure,מִדָּהּand broaderוּרְחָבָהthan the sea.מִנִּי יָם
Ifאִםhe passes byיַחֲלֹףand shuts inוְיַסְגִּירand assembles,וְיַקְהִילwhoוּמִיcan turn him back?יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ
Forכִּיheהוּאknowsיָדַעemptyשָׁוְאmen,מְתֵיand he seesוַיַּרְאwickedness;אָוֶןwill he notוְלֹאconsider it?יִתְבּוֹנָן
And a hollowנָבוּבmanוְאִישׁwill gain understandingיִלָּבֵבwhenוְa wild donkey’sפֶּרֶאcoltעַיִרis bornיִוָּלֵדa human being.אָדָם
Ifאִםyouאַתָּהprepareהֲכִינוֹתָyour heartלִבֶּךָand spread outוּפָרַשְׂתָּyour palmsכַּפֶּךָtoward him,אֵלָיו
ifאִםwickednessאָוֶןis in your hand,בְּיָדְךָput it far away,הַרְחִיקֵהוּand do notוְאַלlet injusticeעַוְלָהdwellתַּשְׁכֵּןin your tents;בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ
thenכִּי אָזyou will lift upתִּשָּׂאyour faceפָנֶיךָwithout defect,מִמּוּםand you will beוְהָיִיתָfirmמֻצָקand will notוְלֹאfear;תִירָא
forכִּיyouאַתָּהwill forgetתִּשְׁכָּחsuffering;עָמָלlike watersכְּמַיִםthat have passed byעָבְרוּyou will remember it.תִזְכֹּר
And aboveוּמִnoondayצָּהֳרַיִםyour lifetimeחָלֶדwill rise;יָקוּםthe darknessתָּעֻפָהwill beתִּהְיֶהlike the morning.כַּבֹּקֶר
And you will trust,וּבָטַחְתָּbecauseכִּיthere isיֵשׁhope;תִּקְוָהyou will search aboutוְחָפַרְתָּand lie downתִּשְׁכָּבin safety.לָבֶטַח
You will stretch outוְרָבַצְתָּwith noneוְאֵיןto make you afraid,מַחֲרִידand manyרַבִּיםwill entreat your favor.וְחִלּוּ פָנֶיךָ
But the eyesוְעֵינֵיof the wickedרְשָׁעִיםwill be consumed,תִּכְלֶינָהand refugeוּמָנוֹסwill perishאָבַדfrom them,מִנְהֶםand their hopeוְתִקְוָתָםwill be the breathing outמַפַּחof the soul.”נָפֶשׁ