1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?
3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.
5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;
6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.
7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?
9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?
11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?
12 For vain men would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.
13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;
14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:
17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.
19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.
<html><b>Zophar’s Answer</b><br><b>Should not…be answered</b> by others because of the multitude of his words?</html>
<html><b>Your fabrications</b> that you invent from your heart. <b>may silence men</b> Heb. מתים, people.</html>
<html><b>You said</b> to the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘My doctrine is pure, and I was clean in Your eyes.’</html>
<html><b>mysteries of wisdom</b> and you would know that the wisdom is double, i.e., the Torah that you did not fulfill. <b>that [God] lends</b> Heb. ישה, like (Deut.24: 10), “If you lend (תשה) your friend.” He has yet a large debt over you in the matters of your iniquity.</html>
<html><b>Can you find out the mystery of God</b> that you think that you have fulfilled everything?</html>
<html><b>[In] the heights of heaven</b> [About] something that is as high as the heights of heaven, what can you do? And the wisdom is deeper than the grave.</html>
<html><b>its measure</b> Heb. מדה, its measure, but here he mentions measure with a masculine noun (since he did not say, מדתה).</html>
<html><b>If He passes and confines</b> with pains the one He wishes, and He assembles all His divine ministers to justify His act in having confined. <b>who</b> among them. <b>can hinder Him</b> with words to find injustice in His act? And if because the One being judged is tranquil and silent for many days, that is His way.</html>
<html><b>For He knows deceitful people; when He sees iniquity, He does not consider it</b> [He sees the iniquity] that they commit for days and years, and it seems as though He does not consider it because He is slow to anger.</html>
<html><b>But an empty man</b> a hollow man, without a heart [i.e., understanding], who did not understand His way. <b>will gain understanding</b> Heb. ילבב, he will gain for himself a heart [i.e., understanding] to return to his Creator and to search through his deeds—or [he will remain] a man who was like a wild donkey, accustomed to the desert, hasty, without sense. <b>a man will be born</b> He will teach himself to be a new man according to the order of people, and he will determine his way.</html>
<html><b>If you</b> would aim your heart after your pains. <b>and spread out your hands to Him</b> in supplication.</html>
<html><b>Distance iniquity</b> from your hand, and do not allow injustice to dwell in your tents.</html>
<html><b>For then</b> you would be sure that you could lift your face unblemished, for you would cause yourself to lift your face without any blemish. Because of this… <b>and you shall be strong</b> Heb. מצק, strong, like (I Sam. 2:8), “the pillars of (מצקי) the earth,”</html>
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and you shall forget all your trouble. <b>like water that has passed</b> and gone by, so shall be the entire memory of your trouble.</html>
<html><b>And your luck shall rise more than midday</b> Heb. חלד. More than the light of midday, חֶלֶד shall rise for you, i.e., luck and time, like (Ps. 39:6), “and my age (חלדי) is as nothing before You.” Another explanation: יקום חָלֶד: means, The light of your rust shall rise; i.e., your darkest place shall illuminate more than the light of midday. I heard this, but the first [explanation] does not please me (not found in some editions). <b>your darkness</b> Heb. תעפה. Your darkness shall be like the morning. Another explanation: תָּעֻפָה is an expression of (3:8) “the rays of (עפעפי) dawn.” Because, if it is an expression of darkness, he should have said, “תעוּפה” like תנוּפה, waving, תקוּמה rising, תרוּמה, raising, תנוּמה, slumber.</html>
<html><b>And the eyes of the wicked</b> your enemies, <b>will fail</b> when they turn to your troubles to see, but will not achieve their desire. Every expression of כליון עינים failure of the eyes, in the holy tongue means one who looks forward to see something but does not achieve [his wish], and as (Deut. 28:32) “and languish (כלות) for them etc.” <b>way to flee</b> Heb. מנוס. That is a refuge <b>and their hope</b> What they hope to see in you will be intense grief for them.</html>