E — Wisdom Literature

The Targum of Job (11Q10,4Q157)

1XXVIII (Job xxxvii, 24-30) (24) [Re]member that His works which they see are great. (25) Every man looks at Him, and the sons of men from afar search for Him. (26) Behold, God is great, and His days are numerous beyond knowledge and the sum of His years is infinite. (27) Behold, [He counts] the [rain] clouds and He establishes the downpours. (28) And His clouds let down dr[ops of water on] a multitude of people. (29) If He who spreads [the] cl[ouds] of His thunder and spreads [His] light [... and co]vers. For by them He judges peoples...

2XXIX (Job xxxvii) (11) With it (water) He wipes the cloud[s], and brings fire out of the cloud. (12) He speaks and they listen to Him and proceed with their works. He appoints them over all that He has created on earth: (13) either for striking or for (benefiting) the earth; either for famine or shortage; or for something good to be on it. (14) Listen to this, Job, and arise!

3Observe the might of God. (15) [Do you] know what God has put on them and how He has made light to shine from the cloud? (16) [Do you k]now how to robe the cloud with mi[ght]? (17) Because your robe ... For He possesses knowledge... (18) [Do you know how to] beat the cloud [to] compress [it into a mir]ror? (19) He knows...

4XXX (Job xxxviii) (3) Please gird [your] lo[ins] like a man, [and I will que]stion you and you will answer me. (4) Where were you when I made the earth? Explain it to me if you possess wisdom. (5) Do you know who fixed its measures? Who stretched a line over it? (6) Or to what were its foundations joined or who set its cut stone (7) when the morning stars were shining together and all the angels of God exclaimed together? (8) Can you shut in the sea with gates when it bursts forward from the womb of the abyss, (9) when the clouds were made into its robe and the haze its swaddling-clothes. (10) Can you set boundaries to it ... ? (11) Did you say, Up to here! And you must not go beyond... [your wa]ves. (12) In your days did you order [the morning] (13)... the win[gs] of the ear[th] ... XXXI (23)... for the day of battle and revolt. (24) ... from where will (the wind) go out and will it blow before Him on the earth? (25) Who fixed a time for the rain

5and a path for the quick clouds (26) to bring it (the rain) down to a land of wilderness with no man on it, (27) to satiate the low-lying and isolated (places) to produce sprouting grass. (28) Has the rain a father and who begets the mist of dew? (29) And from whose womb did ice come out ... (30) The waters contracted like a st[one] because of Him, and the face of the ab[yss?] ... (31)... Pleiades or the fence of Orion ... XXXII (Job xxxix) (1) the mountain goats, and the birth p[angs] ... (2) ... their months are completed, and do you know when they give birth, (3) delivering their young and ejecting them, and do you send away their birth pangs? (4) They raise their young and make them go; they depart and do not come back to them. (5) Who has set the wild ass free and who has loosed the onager's rope, (6) to whom I gave the desert for his home and made the salty land his dwelling. (7) He laughs at the great commotion of the city and his master's urging he does not hear. (8) He chooses for himself mountains for [pasture] and he goes after everything green. (9) Does the wild ox wish to serve you or will he lodge in your stable? (10) Will you tie [the wild ox] with a yoke and will he plough(?) in the valley [aft]er you? And will you... Will you depend on hi[m because] great is [his strength]?

6XXXIII (20) Will you frighten him (the horse) with a strong... his... is fear and dread. (21) He searches out the valley, he trembles and rejoices, and mightily advances towards the sword. (22) He laughs at fear and does not shudder, and does not turn back from the sword. (23) Upon him hangs a lance, a javelin and a sharp sword, (25) and at the sound of the trumpet, he says, Aha, and from afar he smells the battle, and he enjoys the rattle of the weapons and the war cries. (26) Does the hawk get excited because of your wisdom and spread his wings towards the winds? (27) Or does [the eagle] rise at your order and the bird of prey build [its] nest on high? (28) It dwells on the rock and nests... XXXIV (Job xl) ... (6) [From...] and from the cloud God answered Job and said to him: (7) Like a man, please gird your loins; I will question you, and you will answer me. (8) Would you indeed tear up the judgement and declare me guilty so that you may be innocent? (9) Or do you have an arm like God or thunder with a voice like his? (10) Throw away, please, pride and haughtiness and you will put on splendour, glory and honour. (11) Throw away, please, the heat of your wrath and observe every proud man and humble him. (12) And every proud spirit you will smash and you will extinguish the wicked [in] their [pl]aces.

7(13) And hide them all in the dust [and] cover [with a]shes ... XXXV (23) ... the Jordan its banks, he (the hippopotamus) trusts that he will get it. (24) When he lifts his eyes, who will restrain him, ... his nose with a hook. (25) Will you pull a crocodile with a hook or tie up its tongue with a rope? (26) Will you put a muzzle on his nose and will you pierce his cheek with your chisel? (27) Will he speak gently with you or will he speak with you pleadingly? (28) Will he make a covenant with you or will you handle him as a slave for ever? (29) Will you play with him like a b[ird, and] will you bind him with a string for your daughters? XXXVI (Job xli) (8) They cling to one another and no breath passes between them. (9) One holds to another, and they do not separate. (10) His sneezing lights fire between his eyes like the shine of dawn (?). (11) Torches come forth out of his mouth; they leap like tongues of fire. (12) From his nostrils smoke goes forth like burning thorn and incense. (13) His breath spews out coals and sparks come out of his mouth. (14) His strength dwells in his neck and vigour springs before him. (15) The folds of his flesh are clinging, mould[ed over him] like iron.

8(16) [His] heart... like stone XXXVII (Jobxli-xlii) (26) ... and he is king over all the reptiles. (1) Job answered and said before God: (2) I know that Thou canst do all things and dost not lack in strength and wisdom. (xl, 5) I have spoken once and will not revoke it, a second time, and I will not add to it. (xlii, 4) Listen, please, and I will speak; I will question you and you must answer me. (5) I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear and now my eyes see you. (6) Therefore I am melting and dissolve and become dust and ashes... XXXVIII (9) ... God. God heard the voice of Job and forgave them their sins because of him. (10) And God returned to Job with mercy and doubled all that he had owned. (11) All his friends, brothers and acquaintances came to Job and they ate bread with him in his house, and they comforted him for all the misery that God had brought on him and each gave him a ewe-lamb and a ring of gold.