Job 20

Enjoying this so much! Zophar's next speech has been unfairly treated. 'Rain on his picnic'. Is that in the Bible or in Shakespeare? (Hint: this whole speech is by Bottom).

Don't forget the omission of 'God' in the traditional hell fire and brimstone passages (v 23, compare with the last verses of Psalm 7).

All the complex modifications suggested to me by Tur Sinai's book years ago. Not one seems needed. Scholars can be obtuse.

Job 20		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַנַּֽעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר	1	g	Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and said,	3e	3g	13
לָ֭כֵן שְׂעִפַּ֣י יְשִׁיב֑וּנִי וּ֝בַעֲב֗וּר ח֣וּשִׁי בִֽי	2	g	So my tempest of thought makes me turn, and with fury, my hurry within me.	3e	4B	9 7
מוּסַ֣ר כְּלִמָּתִ֣י אֶשְׁמָ֑ע וְ֝ר֗וּחַ מִֽבִּינָתִ֥י יַעֲנֵֽנִי	3		A chastening of my humiliation I hear, and spirit from my discernment makes me answer.	3e	4B	8 11
הֲזֹ֣את יָ֭דַעְתָּ מִנִּי־עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ	4		This have you known from for ever, from the setting of humanity on earth?	3e	4C	8 8
כִּ֤י רִנְנַ֣ת רְ֭שָׁעִים מִקָּר֑וֹב וְשִׂמְחַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף עֲדֵי־רָֽגַע	5	C	For the shout of joy of the wicked is near-term, and the gladness of a hypocrite but a moment.	3e	4C	9 8
אִם־יַעֲלֶ֣ה לַשָּׁמַ֣יִם שִׂיא֑וֹ וְ֝רֹאשׁ֗וֹ לָעָ֥ב יַגִּֽיעַ	6		If his gloating ascends to the heavens, and its top touch to the thick cloud,	3e	4B	9 8
כְּֽ֭גֶלֲלוֹ לָנֶ֣צַח יֹאבֵ֑ד רֹ֝אָ֗יו יֹאמְר֥וּ אַיּֽוֹ	7		Like his own dung, in perpetuity he perishes. They who saw him say, Where is he?	3e	4B	9 6
כַּחֲל֣וֹם יָ֭עוּף וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָא֑וּהוּ וְ֝יֻדַּ֗ד כְּחֶזְי֥וֹן לָֽיְלָה	8		As a dream he will fly away nor will they find him. And he flees as a night vision.	3e	4B	11 8
עַ֣יִן שְׁ֭זָפַתּוּ וְלֹ֣א תוֹסִ֑יף וְלֹא־ע֝֗וֹד תְּשׁוּרֶ֥נּוּ מְקוֹמֽוֹ	9	B	Eye glanced on him but not again, nor any longer will his place scrutinize him.	3e	4B	9 10
בָּ֭נָיו יְרַצּ֣וּ דַלִּ֑ים וְ֝יָדָ֗יו תָּשֵׁ֥בְנָה אוֹנֽוֹ	10	g	His children seek favour among the weak, so his own hands will restore his virility.	3e	4B	7 8
עַ֭צְמוֹתָיו מָלְא֣וּ עֲלוּמָ֑יו וְ֝עִמּ֗וֹ עַל־עָפָ֥ר תִּשְׁכָּֽב	11	g	His bones are full of his youthful vigour, and with him, to dust they will be laid out.	3e	4B	8 8
אִם־תַּמְתִּ֣יק בְּפִ֣יו רָעָ֑ה יַ֝כְחִידֶ֗נָּה תַּ֣חַת לְשׁוֹנֽוֹ	12		If evil is sweet in his mouth, he conceals it under his tongue.	3e	4B	7 9
יַחְמֹ֣ל עָ֭לֶיהָ וְלֹ֣א יַֽעַזְבֶ֑נָּה וְ֝יִמְנָעֶ֗נָּה בְּת֣וֹךְ חִכּֽוֹ	13		He shows pity on it and does not forsake it, but withholds it in his palate.	3e	4B	11 9
לַ֭חְמוֹ בְּמֵעָ֣יו נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ מְרוֹרַ֖ת פְּתָנִ֣ים בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ	14	g	His bread in his abdomen is overturned, the cursing of adders within him.	3e	4B	7 9
חַ֣יִל בָּ֭לַע וַיְקִאֶ֑נּוּ מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ יוֹרִשֶׁ֥נּוּ אֵֽל	15	B	Wealth he has swallowed up and he will disgorge it. From his belly the One will dispossess it.	3e	4B	8 8
רֹאשׁ־פְּתָנִ֥ים יִינָ֑ק תַּֽ֝הַרְגֵ֗הוּ לְשׁ֣וֹן אֶפְעֶֽה	16		The head of adders he will suckle. The tongue of the asp will slay him.	3e	4B	6 8
אַל־יֵ֥רֶא בִפְלַגּ֑וֹת נַהֲרֵ֥י נַ֝חֲלֵ֗י דְּבַ֣שׁ וְחֶמְאָֽה	17		He will not see streams, rivers, torrents of honey, or clotted cream.	3e	4B	6 11
מֵשִׁ֣יב יָ֭גָע וְלֹ֣א יִבְלָ֑ע כְּחֵ֥יל תְּ֝מוּרָת֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲלֹֽס	18		He will restore what he laboured for, and he will not swallow. As his wealth, so its restitution, and he will not take solace.	3e	4B	8 11
כִּֽי־רִ֭צַּץ עָזַ֣ב דַּלִּ֑ים בַּ֥יִת גָּ֝זַ֗ל וְלֹ֣א יִבֶנֵֽהוּ	19		For he has damaged, has forsaken the weak. A house he has robbed and he did not build it.	3e	4B	6 10
כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־יָדַ֣ע שָׁלֵ֣ו בְּבִטְנ֑וֹ בַּ֝חֲמוּד֗וֹ לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט	20	C	For he does not know ease in his belly. In his covetousness he will not escape.	3e	4C	8 8
אֵין־שָׂרִ֥יד לְאָכְל֑וֹ עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן לֹא־יָחִ֥יל טוּבֽוֹ	21		There is no survivor to eat it. So no dancing for his good.	3e	4A	6 6
בִּמְלֹ֣אות שִׂ֭פְקוֹ יֵ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ כָּל־יַ֖ד עָמֵ֣ל תְּבוֹאֶֽנּוּ	22		In the fullness of his sharp practice he is in trouble. Every hand of misery comes upon him.	3e	4B	8 8
יְהִ֤י ׀ לְמַלֵּ֬א בִטְנ֗וֹ יְֽשַׁלַּח־בּ֭וֹ‬ חֲר֣וֹן אַפּ֑וֹ וְיַמְטֵ֥ר עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ בִּלְחוּמֽוֹ	23		He is to fill his belly? He sends against him his fierce anger, and he rains on his picnic.	3e	4C	15 9
יִ֭בְרַח מִנֵּ֣שֶׁק בַּרְזֶ֑ל תַּ֝חְלְפֵ֗הוּ קֶ֣שֶׁת נְחוּשָֽׁה	24	g	He runs from the kiss of iron, but the brazen bow will renew him.	3e	4B	7 9
שָׁלַף֮ וַיֵּצֵ֪א מִגֵּ֫וָ֥ה וּ֭בָרָק מִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹ יַהֲלֹ֗ךְ עָלָ֥יו אֵמִֽים	25		It is drawn and comes forth from a body, and glittering from his bitterness walks away. Over him, horrors.	3d	3g	8 14
כָּל־חֹשֶׁךְ֮ טָמ֪וּן לִצְפּ֫וּנָ֥יו תְּ֭אָכְלֵהוּ אֵ֣שׁ לֹֽא־נֻפָּ֑ח יֵ֖רַע שָׂרִ֣יד בְּאָהֳלֽוֹ	26		All darkness is buried in his treasures. A fire not stoked devours him. It is curtains for a survivor in his tent.	3d	4B	8 7 8
יְגַלּ֣וּ שָׁמַ֣יִם עֲוֺנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֶ֗רֶץ מִתְקוֹמָ֘מָ֥ה לֽוֹ	27		The heavens discover his iniquity, and earth arises against him.	3e	4B	8 8
יִ֭גֶל יְב֣וּל בֵּית֑וֹ נִ֝גָּר֗וֹת בְּי֣וֹם אַפּֽוֹ	28	g	Uncovered is the produce of his house, wrung out on the day of his anger.	3e	4B	6 7
זֶ֤ה ׀ חֵֽלֶק־אָדָ֣ם רָ֭שָׁע מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְנַחֲלַ֖ת אִמְר֣וֹ מֵאֵֽל פ	29	C	This is the share of the wicked earthling from God, and the inheritance promised him from the One.	3e	4C	11 9