Comentário sobre Jó 20:31

The Naamite debater now abandons the philosophical approach he had propounded in his previous response, namely, that the knowledge of things as they are in themselves is different from the knowledge humans acquire through sense perception, the latter discerning only the externals of things and cannot judge the truth of things. Using this approach, he could have resolved the second question, that concerning the prosperity of the wicked, by arguing that we have no real knowledge of what is inherently good or bad, or of what is good or bad in terms of the spiritual soul, and so on. However, since Job had poured so much scorn on this approach, and since it appeals only to those who concern themselves with thought and deep contemplation, he now abandons it. Expressing his apologies, he adds that he will no longer be employing this approach because he knows that Job will only insult him and make fun of his words.

Accordingly, his new solution to the question of why righteous persons suffer is not a philosophical one. Instead, he argues that although prosperous villains can be found in the present generation, in previous times they were despised, humiliated and hounded. And even now, chastisement awaits them (Proverbs 19:29); for they will die strange and curious deaths, and their wealth and property will be pillaged by those they cheated. Furthermore, because of their affluence, their collapse will be harsher still, like one who falls from a high place and whose neck is broken. And, finally, he will perish for ever. Even during their lives, they gain no pleasure from their wealth, for God prevents them enjoying it. And those they have swindled will always be lying in wait for them. Thus, no good comes to the wrongdoer, nor is he long-lived.

Zophar’s answer
my thoughts will cause me to answer My thoughts will answer me with an answer in my mouth, and because I keep my peace and remain silent, and I put my silence within me, my thoughts will give me an answer to reply. The chastisement of my disgrace I hear from you the chastisement of my disgrace, that you disgrace me. Therefore, a word of spirit shall answer me out of my understanding, to reply to you.

Zophar first announces that he will no longer be basing his arguments on the quasi-Kantian epistemology he had put forward in the first round, having had it so rudely dismissed by Job. Instead, he will argue purely on the basis of observation and experience.

my silence Heb. חושי, my silence, like (Ecc. 3:7), “a time to be silent (לחשות).”

Do...this Heb. הזאת. This is a wonder. Do you know the manner in which this has been conducted throughout all generations since time immemorial?

that the triumph of the wicked throughout all its duration, has come but recently, and will not last for any length of time.

Zophar opens his argument by asserting that the well-being of the wicked is a recent phenomenon, one that was unknown in the past and that it will soon pass.

and the joy of the flatterers is but a moment in a short time, it will end.

It is just a precursor to the evil person’s fall; the higher he is the harder the fall. Soon, he and all he has will be utterly destroyed.

his dung Heb. כְּגֶלְלוֹ, dung of excrement.

and they will not find him i.e., his friends.

that glimpsed him That saw him.

His sons will placate the poor This reply was stated in reference to the people of Sodom, who were robbers and were cruel to the poor.

Zophar now goes on to enumerate the evils that the wicked person and those around him have carried out, and the punishments that awaits him on each count.

and his hands will return He will return the plunder of his hands.

his plunder The power of his force.

His bones are full of his youth The strength of his youth.

and it will lie on the dust with him Because he will die suddenly with his strength.

be sweet So is the custom of a wicked man: if evil is sweet in his mouth and he does not see now the moment for it to take effect. though he hide it under his tongue until the time comes when it will prosper.

His food...within him on the day of his misfortune will turn into the venom of cobras.

wealth Heb. חיל, money.

carpet viper Heb. אֶפְעֶה, a fiery serpent.

the rivulets, the flowing rivers of the Garden of Eden, which are as sweet as honey and cream.

He will return that which he labored for The loot that he stole.

when his gain becomes vast wealth When his gain becomes vast wealth, then he will lose it.

he will not rejoice Heb. יעלס, with it. Similarly, יַעֲלֹז, and so יַעַלֹץ ; the three of them are interchangeable.

When he oppressed, he abandoned the poor After he oppressed the poor, he abandoned the poor and was banished from the world and went his way, and they return and collect their stolen items from him.

[The expression] כִּי רָצַץ [means] when he oppressed, like (Exod. 18:16), “Whenever (כי) they have a concern, they come to me,” which means when they have.

For he did not know [He] never [knew] his stomach to be at rest. His stomach always says to him, “Rob and bring [food] to fill me up.” Therefore... with his beauty With the flesh of his coveted beauty.

he will not save anything because it will continuously diminish. Similar to this is (Ps. 39: 11): “You make his beauty melt away like a moth.”

Nothing remains of his food He left nothing over from his food to share with the poor.

therefore his goods shall not prosper Heb. יחיל, shall not prosper, as in (Ps. 10:5), “His ways prosper (יחילו) .” He speaks of the people of Sodom, who were stingy with travelers, for so did Ezekiel testify (16:49) concerning Sodom: “proud with plenty of food etc. and yet, she did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” And our Sages explained (Sanh. 92a) אין שריד לאכלוֹ to mean that he did not allow Torah scholars to sit at his table, like (Joel 3:5): “and among the survivors whom the Lord calls.”

When his desire has been filled sufficiently when the desire of his heart has been filled sufficiently, then... he will be in straits Trouble will come upon him.

סִפְקוֹ is an expression of sufficiency, as is translated into Aramaic (Gen. 24:22): “When the camels finished (ספיקו) drinking”; (Num. 11:22): “so that it may be enough for them (היספקון).”

the hand of every laborer will come upon him The hand of the poor shall overwhelm him and come upon him.

It shall come to pass that to fill his belly, He shall send upon him His burning wrath The sending of His burning wrath will be [enough] to fill his belly. This is not an expression of a curse but an expression of prophecy and of the future.

and rain upon them The Holy One, blessed be He.

with His battle With the fury of His battle, coals, fire, and brimstone, as the matter is stated (Gen. 19: 24): “And the Lord rained upon Sodom etc.”

shall pierce him Heb. תַּחְלְפֵהוּ The arrows that the bow will shoot will pierce his body, going through from one side to the other. Another version: תַּחְלְפֵהוּ is like תַּחְליִפֵהוּ (sic), a copper bow shall confront him.

drew The one who drew the weapon upon him.

and it emerged [i.e.,] the weapon.

and its glittering blade Splendeur, or splendor (?) in French, like (Ezek. 21: 15), “in order that it glitter (ברק) .” Fourbir in Old French, to polish.

from its bitterness [From the bitterness] of the weapon it shall come forth, and from there shall be terrors and fear upon the wicked.

for what awaits him For the hidden things that lie in store for him.

fire that was not blown The fire of Gehinnom.

harm shall befall the survivor in his tent Harm will come upon the survivor who will remain in his tent. The entire portion deals with the people of Sodom. “Harm shall befall the survivor in his tent” means that even Lot who escaped from them—harm befell his tent, i.e., his wife, who became a pillar of salt. I found this in the midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma (Buber, Vayera 8).

shall rise up [This is] an expression of an enemy who rises up against him.

shall go into exile Heb. יגל, an expression of exile.

shall flow Heb. נגרות. His treasures shall be given to plunder and despoiling, like (Micah 1:4), “like water that flows (המגרים) to the earth” [sic].

appointed him by God Heb. אִמְרוֹ. What was said about him from before the Omnipresent. The word אִמְרוֹ is in the masculine gender, from the form of (Ps. 5:2), “Give ear to my words (אַמָרַי).” אִמְרָתוֹ appears (ibid. 147:15) in the feminine gender, from the form of (ibid. 12:7) “pure words (אַמָרוֹת).”