Bildadבִּלְדַּדthe Shuhiteהַשּׁוּחִיansweredוַיַּעַןand said:וַיֹאמַר
“How longעַד אָןwill you sayתְּמַלֶּלthese things,אֵלֶּהand the sayingsאִמְרֵיof your mouthפִיךָbe a mightyכַּבִּירwind?וְרוּחַ
Does Elהַאֵלtwistיְעַוֵּתjustice?מִשְׁפָּטOrוְאִםdoes Shaddaiשַׁדַּיtwistיְעַוֵּתrighteousness?צֶדֶק
Ifאִםyour sonsבָּנֶיךָsinnedחָטְאוּagainst him,לוֹhe delivered themוַיְשַׁלְּחֵםinto the handבְּיַדof their transgression.פִּשְׁעָם
Ifאִםyouאַתָּהwill seekתְּשַׁחֵרElאֶל אֵלand pleadתִּתְחַנָּןwith Shaddai,וְאֶל שַׁדַּי
ifאִםyouאָתָּהare pureזַךְand upright,וְיָשָׁרsurelyכִּיnowעַתָּהhe will rouse himselfיָעִירfor youעָלֶיךָand restoreוְשִׁלַּםthe dwellingנְוַתof your righteousness.צִדְקֶךָ
And your beginningוְ רֵאשִׁיתְךָwill have beenהָיָהsmall,מִצְעָרbut your endוְאַחֲרִיתְךָwill growיִשְׂגֶּהvery great.מְאֹד
Forכִּיask,שְׁאַלplease,נָאthe firstרִישׁוֹןgeneration,לְדֹרand apply yourselfוְכוֹנֵןto the searchingלְחֵקֶרof their fathers.אֲבוֹתָם
Forכִּיweאֲנַחְנוּare of yesterdayתְמוֹלand do notוְלֹאknow,נֵדָעforכִּיour daysיָמֵינוּare a shadowצֵלonעֲלֵיearth.אָרֶץ
Will they notהֲלֹא הֵםteach you,יוֹרוּךָtell you,יֹאמְרוּ לָךְand from their heartוּמִלִּבָּםbring forthיוֹצִאוּwords?מִלִּים
Does papyrusהֲ גֹּמֶאrise upיִגְאֶהwithoutבְּלֹאmarsh?בִצָּהDo reedsאָחוּgrowיִשְׂגֶּהwithoutבְלִיwater?מָיִם
While it is stillעֹדֶנּוּin its greenness,בְאִבּוֹnotלֹאcut down,יִקָּטֵףit dries upיִיבָשׁbeforeוְלִפְנֵיanyכָלgrass.חָצִיר
Soכֵּןare the pathsאָרְחוֹתof allכָּלwho forgetשֹׁכְחֵיEl,אֵלand the hopeוְתִקְוַתof the godlessחָנֵףperishes,תֹּאבֵד
whoseאֲשֶׁרconfidenceכִּסְלוֹis cut off,יָקוֹטand whose securityוּ מִבְטַחוֹis a spider’sעַכָּבִישׁhouse.בֵית
He leansיִשָּׁעֵןonעַלhis house,בֵּיתוֹbut it does notוְלֹאstand;יַעֲמֹדhe holds fastיַחֲזִיקto it,בּוֹbut it does notוְלֹאendure.יָקוּם
Heהוּאis full of sapרָטֹבbeforeלִפְנֵיthe sun,שָׁמֶשׁand overוְעַלhis gardenגַּנָּתוֹhis shootsיֹנַקְתּוֹgo out.תֵצֵא
Overעַלa heap of stonesגַּלhis rootsשָׁרָשָׁיוare entwined;יְסֻבָּכוּhe seesיֶחֱזֶהa houseבֵּיתof stones.אֲבָנִים
Ifאִםone swallows him upיְבַלְּעֶנּוּfrom his place,מִמְּקוֹמוֹit deniesוְכִחֶשׁhim:בּוֹ‘I have notלֹאseenרְאִיתִיyou.’ךָ
Look,הֶןthisהוּאis the joyמְשׂוֹשׂof his way;דַּרְכּוֹand from the dustוּמֵעָפָרothersאַחֵרwill sprout.יִצְמָחוּ
Look,הֶןElאֵלdoes notלֹאdespiseיִמְאַסthe blameless,תָּםnorוְלֹאdoes he take hold ofיַחֲזִיקthe handבְּיַדof evildoers.מְרֵעִים
He will yetעַדfillיְמַלֵּהyour mouthפִּיךָwith laughter,שְׂחוֹקand your lipsוּשְׂפָתֶיךָwith acclamation.תְרוּעָה
Those who hate youשֹׂנְאֶיךָwill be clothedיִלְבְּשׁוּwith shame,בֹשֶׁתand the tentוְאֹהֶלof the wickedרְשָׁעִיםwill be no more.”אֵינֶנּוּ