Pages

Saturday, 2 April 2016

Job 15 - serious music

Returning to Job, I need a little wisdom literature to remove the taste of kings for a few minutes. Here Eliphaz structures his poem around filling the belly with wind. 
Word / Gloss
1
2
3
4
5
6
vs
stem
רוח windy
2
רוח
וימלא and fill
2
מלא
בטנו his belly
2
בטן
לא that not
3
לא
לא no
3
לא
לא not
30
לא
יסור he will turn aside
30
סור
ויסור and he will turn aside
30
סור
ברוח by the wind of
30
רוח
בשׁו in vanity
31
שׁוא
שׁוא vanity
31
שׁוא
תמלא will it be filled
32
מלא
לא not
32
לא
ובטנם and their belly
35
בטן

As usual the things I did 5 years ago must be completely reworked today. My concordance rules are much tighter than I had them then. But imagine wrestlers greasing themselves. It is folly but Eliphaz doesn't seem to realize it is a necessary folly (=hip, verse 27) to wrestle with God. Job 15:35 has a direct allusion to Psalm 7:15. So checking around these two passages shows what may be a poetic or literary dependency.
Word / Gloss
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Vs
Stem
שׁוב he will return
JOB 15:22
שׁוב
חרב a sword
JOB 15:22
חרב
נכון prepared
JOB 15:23
כון
הרה big with
JOB 15:35
הרה
עמל toil
JOB 15:35
עמל
וילד he gives birth to
JOB 15:35
ילד
און mischief
JOB 15:35
און
תכין prepares
JOB 15:35
כון
ישׁוב he will turn
PSA 7:13
שׁוב
חרבו his sword
PSA 7:13
חרב
ויכוננה and he will aim
PSA 7:13
כון
הכין he has prepared
PSA 7:14
כון
און mischief
PSA 7:15
און
והרה and he is big with
PSA 7:15
הרה
עמל toil
PSA 7:15
עמל
וילד he gives birth to
PSA 7:15
ילד

And here's the text. If we were going to be complete we would compare the music of Psalm 7:15 with Job 15:35 where falsehood is the outcome of birth. The shapes are different. But so is the mode in which I transcribed Psalm 7. Typical of battle scenes, the pronouns do not tell you who is who. Again there is a very close allusion to Psalm 7:13-14 where the pronouns describe a battle scene (one on one, God versus the dancer after the penitential Psalm 6). You can see how close this is from the table, but do check the music and the text.

Job 15 Fn Min Max Syll
וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּימָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר 1 g And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 3e 3g 13
הֶֽחָכָ֗ם יַעֲנֶ֥ה דַֽעַת־ר֑וּחַ
וִֽימַלֵּ֖א קָדִ֣ים בִּטְנֽוֹ
2 Should one who is wise answer windy knowledge,
and fill his belly with confrontation?
3e 4B 10
7
הוֹכֵ֣חַ בְּ֭דָבָר לֹ֣א יִסְכּ֑וֹן
וּ֝מִלִּ֗ים לֹא־יוֹעִ֥יל בָּֽם
3 To reprove with a word that does not cherish,
and from speeches where there is no use in them.
3e 4B 9
6
אַף־אַ֭תָּה תָּפֵ֣ר יִרְאָ֑ה
וְתִגְרַ֥ע שִׂ֝יחָ֗ה לִפְנֵי־אֵֽל
4 Indeed you! You thwart fear,
and lower prayer before the One,
3e 4B 7
8
כִּ֤י יְאַלֵּ֣ף עֲוֺנְךָ֣ פִ֑יךָ
וְ֝תִבְחַ֗ר לְשׁ֣וֹן עֲרוּמִֽים
5 C for your mouth captains your iniquity,
and you chose a tongue of the crafty.
3e 4C 9
8
יַרְשִֽׁיעֲךָ֣ פִ֣יךָ וְלֹא־אָ֑נִי
וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ יַעֲנוּ־בָֽךְ
6 Your mouth condemns you and not I,
and your lips answer you.
3e 4B 9
8
הֲרִאישׁ֣וֹן אָ֭דָם תִּוָּלֵ֑ד
וְלִפְנֵ֖י גְבָע֣וֹת חוֹלָֽלְתָּ
7 Are you the first human to be born,
or before the hillocks were you birthed?
3e 4B 9
9
הַבְס֣וֹד אֱל֣וֹהַ תִּשְׁמָ֑ע
וְתִגְרַ֖ע אֵלֶ֣יךָ חָכְמָֽה
8 The intimacy of God have you heard?
And do you lower to yourself wisdom?
3e 4B 7
8
מַה־יָּ֭דַעְתָּ וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע
תָּ֝בִ֗ין וְֽלֹא־עִמָּ֥נוּ הֽוּא
9 What do you know that we do not know,
... do you understand that it is not with us?
3e 4B 8
7
גַּם־שָׂ֣ב גַּם־יָשִׁ֣ישׁ בָּ֑נוּ
כַּבִּ֖יר מֵאָבִ֣יךָ יָמִֽים
10 Both gray-haired and hoary,
with us are many more days than your father!
3e 4B 7
8
הַמְעַ֣ט מִ֭מְּךָ תַּנְחֻמ֣וֹת אֵ֑ל
וְ֝דָבָ֗ר לָאַ֥ט עִמָּֽךְ
11 Are the comforts of the One insignificant in you,
or have you a sweet-tempered word?
3e 4B 8
7
מַה־יִּקָּחֲךָ֥ לִבֶּ֑ךָ
וּֽמַה־יִּרְזְמ֥וּן עֵינֶֽיךָ
12 Why does your heart take you away?
And why do your eyes scowl,
3e 4A 8
8
כִּֽי־תָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־אֵ֣ל רוּחֶ֑ךָ
וְהֹצֵ֖אתָ מִפִּ֣יךָ מִלִּֽין
13 that you turn to the One your wind,
and let forth speeches from your mouth?
3e 4B 7
9
מָֽה־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ כִּֽי־יִזְכֶּ֑ה
וְכִֽי־יִ֝צְדַּ֗ק יְל֣וּד אִשָּֽׁה
14 What is a mortal that it be clear,
or that it be just who is born of woman?
3e 4B 6
8
הֵ֣ן בִּ֭קְדֹשָׁיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין
וְ֝שָׁמַ֗יִם לֹא־זַכּ֥וּ בְעֵינָֽיו
15 B Lo, in his holiness he does not put faith,
and heaven is not clear in his eyes.
3e 4B 8
8
אַ֭ף כִּֽי־נִתְעָ֥ב וְֽנֶאֱלָ֑ח
אִישׁ־שֹׁתֶ֖ה כַמַּ֣יִם עַוְלָֽה
16 g Ha! for abhorrent and corrupt,
is a person imbibing injustice like water.
3e 4B 8
7
אֲחַוְךָ֥ שְֽׁמַֽע־לִ֑י
וְזֶֽה־חָ֝זִ֗יתִי וַאֲסַפֵּֽרָה
17 I will breathe to you, Hear me.
This I have gazed on and will recount:
3e 4A 6
10
אֲשֶׁר־חֲכָמִ֥ים יַגִּ֑ידוּ
וְלֹ֥א כִֽ֝חֲד֗וּ מֵאֲבוֹתָֽם
18 that which the shrewd have made evident,
and from their ancestors, did not conceal it,
3e 4A 8
9
לָהֶ֣ם לְ֭בַדָּם נִתְּנָ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ
וְלֹא־עָ֖בַר זָ֣ר בְּתוֹכָֽם
19 to them, them alone the earth is given,
and no stranger passed through among them.
3e 4B 10
7
כָּל־יְמֵ֣י רָ֭שָׁע ה֣וּא מִתְחוֹלֵ֑ל
וּמִסְפַּ֥ר שָׁ֝נִ֗ים נִצְפְּנ֥וּ לֶעָרִֽיץ
20 All the days of the wicked he himself is in turmoil,
and the count of years is treasured for the ruthless.
3e 4B 9
11
קוֹל־פְּחָדִ֥ים בְּאָזְנָ֑יו
בַּ֝שָּׁל֗וֹם שׁוֹדֵ֥ד יְבוֹאֶֽנּוּ
21 A rumbling of dreadful things is in his ears.
In peace a devastator comes upon him.
3e 4A 7
9
לֹא־יַאֲמִ֣ין שׁ֭וּב מִנִּי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ
וְצָפ֖וּי ה֣וּא אֱלֵי־חָֽרֶב
22 He does not believe that he will return from darkness,
and on lookout, he is for a sword.
3e 4B 7
7
נֹ֘דֵ֤ד ה֣וּא לַלֶּ֣חֶם אַיֵּ֑ה
יָדַ֓ע ׀ כִּֽי־נָכ֖וֹן בְּיָד֣וֹ יֽוֹם־חֹֽשֶׁךְ
23 ~ Fleeing, he is for bread, where?
He knows that prepared in his hand is the day of darkness.
3e 4C 8
10
יְֽ֭בַעֲתֻהוּ צַ֣ר וּמְצוּקָ֑ה
תִּ֝תְקְפֵ֗הוּ כְּמֶ֤לֶךְ ׀ עָתִ֬יד לַכִּידֽוֹר
24 Trouble and distress alarm him.
They will overcome him as royalty eager for onslaught.
3e 4C 9
12
כִּֽי־נָטָ֣ה אֶל־אֵ֣ל יָד֑וֹ
וְאֶל־שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְגַּבָּֽר
25 For he stretched out his hand against the One,
and against the Sufficient makes himself prevail.
3e 4B 6
7
יָר֣וּץ אֵלָ֣יו בְּצַוָּ֑אר
בַּ֝עֲבִ֗י גַּבֵּ֥י מָֽגִנָּֽיו
26 B He races on him in armored neck,
with the thick back of his shield.
3e 4B 8
8
כִּֽי־כִסָּ֣ה פָנָ֣יו בְּחֶלְבּ֑וֹ
וַיַּ֖עַשׂ פִּימָ֣ה עֲלֵי־כָֽסֶל
27 He covers his face with his milk,
and does grease over a hip.
3e 4B 7
8
וַיִּשְׁכּ֤וֹן ׀ עָ֘רִ֤ים נִכְחָד֗וֹת בָּ֭תִּים לֹא־יֵ֣שְׁבוּ לָ֑מוֹ
אֲשֶׁ֖ר הִתְעַתְּד֣וּ לְגַלִּֽים
28 And he dwells in concealed cities, their houses uninhabitable,
which are eager to be rubble.
3e 4C 15
8
לֹֽא־יֶ֭עְשַׁר וְלֹא־יָק֣וּם חֵיל֑וֹ
וְלֹֽא־יִטֶּ֖ה לָאָ֣רֶץ מִנְלָֽם
29 He will not be rich and his wealth will not arise,
nor will he stretch out on the earth a benefaction.
3e 4B 8
8
לֹֽא־יָס֨וּר ׀ מִנִּי־חֹ֗שֶׁךְ יֹֽ֭נַקְתּוֹ תְּיַבֵּ֣שׁ שַׁלְהָ֑בֶת
וְ֝יָס֗וּר בְּר֣וּחַ פִּֽיו
30 He will not turn aside from darkness. Flame will dry his branches,
and he will turn aside by the wind of his mouth.
3e 4B 14
7
אַל־יַאֲמֵ֣ן בַּשָּׁ֣יו נִתְעָ֑ה
כִּי־שָׁ֝֗וְא תִּהְיֶ֥ה תְמוּרָתֽוֹ
31 Let not one who wanders have faith in vanity,
for vanity will be its exchange.
3e 4B 8
8
בְּֽלֹא־י֭וֹמוֹ תִּמָּלֵ֑א
וְ֝כִפָּת֗וֹ לֹ֣א רַעֲנָֽנָה
32 Not in its day will it be filled,
and its palm will not be luxuriant.
3e 4B 6
9
יַחְמֹ֣ס כַּגֶּ֣פֶן בִּסְר֑וֹ
וְיַשְׁלֵ֥ךְ כַּ֝זַּ֗יִת נִצָּתֽוֹ
33 It will shake off like a vine its sour grape,
and it will cast off as the olive its sparkle.
3e 4B 7
9
כִּֽי־עֲדַ֣ת חָנֵ֣ף גַּלְמ֑וּד
וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ אָכְלָ֥ה אָֽהֳלֵי־שֹֽׁחַד
34 For the assembly of the hypocrite is bleak,
and fire devours the tents of bribery.
3e 4B 6
8
הָרֹ֣ה עָ֭מָל וְיָ֣לֹד‬ אָ֑וֶן
וּ֝בִטְנָ֗ם תָּכִ֥ין מִרְמָֽה ס
35 Big with toil, he gives birth to mischief,
and their belly prepares deceit. S
3e 4B 9
8

You can see the poetry in the syllable counts and also note the exceptions in verses 28 and 30 where another rest is needed for balance. (Verse 1 is in the prose notation and continues verse 1 of chapter 14.) 

Verse 28 has a revia as a brief pause at the 'right' place, and verse 30 similarly, but there is also a double sublinear accent giving a unique mid-verse initial syllable in verse 30.

No comments:

Post a Comment