Thursday, July 9, 2009

Does יְהוָה answer Job?

If someone answers you, you might expect them to use the same words as you did in some respect. Here is a comparison of word usage in chapter 3, Job's first speech and the speeches of יְהוָה - containing those words that are used in each section. I have omitted words shorter than 3 characters and הנה 'behold'. I have not attempted to match roots - just whole words including their appendages. The only significant candidates for opening and closing brackets for the speeches are Leviathan and the poetic expression 'the eyelids of dawn'. They feel like unifying phrases to me.

As I go through, I am making small changes - text alignment, the odd word that is better one way than another, adjusting those pesky English generic definitive articles that so easily creep out of my digits. Every now and then I will update the pdf and will let you know of any significant changes.

This search also had a condition to match the word count when comparing in each group of chapters. In a later post I will expand the list. These are the words that occur equally in Job's first speech and also chapters 38-41.

ו הַלַּיְלָה הַהוּא יִקָּחֵהוּ-אֹפֶל
אַל-יִחַדְּ בִּימֵי שָׁנָה
בְּמִסְפַּר יְרָחִים אַל-יָבֹא
That night - let gloom take it
let it not rejoice the days of the year
into the number of months let it not come
3.06 ירחים 39.02 ב תִּסְפֹּר יְרָחִים תְּמַלֶּאנָה
וְיָדַעְתָּ עֵת לִדְתָּנָה

you number the months they fulfill
and you know the time of their birthing
ח יִקְּבֻהוּ אֹרְרֵי-יוֹם
הָעֲתִידִים עֹרֵר לִוְיָתָן
let them blaspheme it that curse the day
those ready to rouse Leviathan
3.08 לויתן 41.01 כה תִּמְשֹׁךְ לִוְיָתָן בְּחַכָּה
וּבְחֶבֶל תַּשְׁקִיעַ לְשֹׁנוֹ
You will drag Leviathan with a hook?
or with rope sink his tongue
ט יֶחְשְׁכוּ כּוֹכְבֵי נִשְׁפּוֹ
יְקַו-לְאוֹר וָאַיִן
וְאַל-יִרְאֶה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי-שָׁחַר
let the stars of its twilight be dark
let it expect light but have none
neither let it see the eyelids of the dawn
3.09 כוכבי 38.07 ז בְּרָן-יַחַד כּוֹכְבֵי בֹקֶר
וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל-בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים
when as one the stars of the morning sang
and all the children of God raised the alarm
ט יֶחְשְׁכוּ כּוֹכְבֵי נִשְׁפּוֹ
יְקַו-לְאוֹר וָאַיִן
וְאַל-יִרְאֶה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי-שָׁחַר
let the stars of its twilight be dark
let it expect light but have none
neither let it see the eyelids of dawn
3.09 שׁחר 41.18 י עֲטִישֹׁתָיו תָּהֶל אוֹר
וְעֵינָיו כְּעַפְעַפֵּי-שָׁחַר
his sneezing shines a light
and his eyes are like the eyelids of dawn
ט יֶחְשְׁכוּ כּוֹכְבֵי נִשְׁפּוֹ
יְקַו-לְאוֹר וָאַיִן
וְאַל-יִרְאֶה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי-שָׁחַר
let the stars of its twilight be dark
let it expect light but have none
neither let it see the eyelids of the dawn
3.09 יראה 41.34 כו אֵת-כָּל-גָּבֹהַּ יִרְאֶה
הוּא מֶלֶךְ עַל-כָּל-בְּנֵי-שָׁחַץ
all the exalted he sees
he is king over all the children of pride
י כִּי לֹא סָגַר דַּלְתֵי בִטְנִי
וַיַּסְתֵּר עָמָל מֵעֵינָי
because it did not shut the doors of my belly
or conceal misery from my eyes
3.10 דלתי 41.14 ו דַּלְתֵי פָנָיו מִי פִתֵּחַ
סְבִיבוֹת שִׁנָּיו אֵימָה
the doors of his face who will open?
his surrounding teeth horrible
יא לָמָּה לֹּא מֵרֶחֶם אָמוּת
מִבֶּטֶן יָצָאתִי וְאֶגְוָע
Why did I not from the womb die
from the belly exit and expire?
3.11 מרחם 38.08 ח וַיָּסֶךְ בִּדְלָתַיִם יָם
בְּגִיחוֹ מֵרֶחֶם יֵצֵא
or screened in the sea with doors
when he rushed breaking forth from the womb?
יא לָמָּה לֹּא מֵרֶחֶם אָמוּת
מִבֶּטֶן יָצָאתִי וְאֶגְוָע
Why did I not from the womb die
from the belly exit and expire?
3.11 מבטן 38.29 כט מִבֶּטֶן מִי יָצָא הַקָּרַח
וּכְפֹר שָׁמַיִם מִי יְלָדוֹ
from whose belly came forth the ice?
and the bowl of the heavens - who birthed it?
טו אוֹ עִם-שָׂרִים זָהָב לָהֶם
הַמְמַלְאִים בָּתֵּיהֶם כָּסֶף
or with chiefs with their gold
their houses filled with silver
3.15 שׂרים 39.25 כה בְּדֵי שֹׁפָר יֹאמַר הֶאָח
וּמֵרָחוֹק יָרִיחַ מִלְחָמָה
רַעַם שָׂרִים וּתְרוּעָה
among shopharim he says aha!
and from afar he smells battle
thunder of chiefs and a shout of joy
יח יַחַד אֲסִירִים שַׁאֲנָנוּ
לֹא שָׁמְעוּ קוֹל נֹגֵשׂ
together prisoners are at ease
they do not hear the voice of the oppressor
3.18 יחד 38.07 ז בְּרָן-יַחַד כּוֹכְבֵי בֹקֶר
וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל-בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים
when as one the stars of the morning sang
and all the children of God raised the alarm
יח יַחַד אֲסִירִים שַׁאֲנָנוּ
לֹא שָׁמְעוּ קוֹל נֹגֵשׂ
together prisoners are at ease
they do not hear the voice of the oppressor
3.18 נגשׂ 39.07 ז יִשְׂחַק לַהֲמוֹן קִרְיָה
תְּשֻׁאוֹת נֹגֵשׂ לֹא יִשְׁמָע
he laughs at the town crowd
the clamour of the oppressor does not hear
יח יַחַד אֲסִירִים שַׁאֲנָנוּ
לֹא שָׁמְעוּ קוֹל נֹגֵשׂ
together prisoners are at ease
they do not hear the voice of the oppressor
3.18 קול 39.24 כד בְּרַעַשׁ וְרֹגֶז יְגַמֶּא-אָרֶץ
וְלֹא-יַאֲמִין כִּי-קוֹל שׁוֹפָר
in quake and trouble he swallows earth
nor does he believe for the voice of the shophar
יח יַחַד אֲסִירִים שַׁאֲנָנוּ
לֹא שָׁמְעוּ קוֹל נֹגֵשׂ
together prisoners are at ease
they do not hear the voice of the oppressor
3.18 יחד 40.13 יג טָמְנֵם בֶּעָפָר יָחַד
פְּנֵיהֶם חֲבֹשׁ בַּטָּמוּן
conceal them in the dust as one
their faces bind in concealment
יט קָטֹן וְגָדוֹל שָׁם הוּא
וְעֶבֶד חָפְשִׁי מֵאֲדֹנָיו
small and great there he is
servant free from his lords
3.19 חפשׁי 39.05 ה מִי-שִׁלַּח פֶּרֶא חָפְשִׁי
וּמֹסְרוֹת עָרוֹד מִי פִתֵּחַ
who sends the wild ass free?
and the bonds of the onager who opens?
כג לְגֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר-דַּרְכּוֹ נִסְתָּרָה
וַיָּסֶךְ אֱלוֹהַּ בַּעֲדוֹ
to a warrior whose way is concealed
and from whom God has screened himself
3.23 ויסך 38.08 ח וַיָּסֶךְ בִּדְלָתַיִם יָם
בְּגִיחוֹ מֵרֶחֶם יֵצֵא
or screened in the sea with doors
when he rushed breaking forth from the womb?

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