< Job 6 >

1 Then Job answered and said:
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2 Oh that my vexation were but weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances altogether!
ל֗וּ שָׁק֣וֹל יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל כַּעְשִׂ֑י וְ֝הַוָּתִ֗י בְּֽמֹאזְנַ֥יִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; therefore are my words broken.
כִּֽי־עַתָּ֗ה מֵח֣וֹל יַמִּ֣ים יִכְבָּ֑ד עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן דְּבָרַ֥י לָֽעוּ׃
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof my spirit drinketh up; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
כִּ֤י חִצֵּ֪י שַׁדַּ֡י עִמָּדִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲ֭מָתָם שֹׁתָ֣ה רוּחִ֑י בִּעוּתֵ֖י אֱל֣וֹהַּ יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי׃
5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּ֥רֶא עֲלֵי־דֶ֑שֶׁא אִ֥ם יִגְעֶה־שּׁ֝֗וֹר עַל־בְּלִילֽוֹ׃
6 Can that which hath no savour be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the juice of mallows?
הֲיֵאָכֵ֣ל תָּ֭פֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶ֑לַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַ֝֗עַם בְּרִ֣יר חַלָּמֽוּת׃
7 My soul refuseth to touch them; they are as the sickness of my flesh.
מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגּ֣וֹעַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃
8 Oh that I might have my request, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן תָּב֣וֹא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃
9 Even that it would please God to crush me; that He would let loose His hand, and cut me off!
וְיֹאֵ֣ל אֱ֭לוֹהַּ וִֽידַכְּאֵ֑נִי יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝ד֗וֹ וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃
10 Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would exult in pain, though He spare not; for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
וּ֥תְהִי ע֨וֹד ׀ נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה בְ֭חִילָה לֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל כִּי־לֹ֥א כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי אִמְרֵ֥י קָדֽוֹשׁ׃
11 What is my strength, that I should wait? and what is mine end, that I should be patient?
מַה־כֹּחִ֥י כִֽי־אֲיַחֵ֑ל וּמַה־קִּ֝צִּ֗י כִּֽי־אַאֲרִ֥יךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
אִם־כֹּ֣חַ אֲבָנִ֣ים כֹּחִ֑י אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִ֥י נָחֽוּשׁ׃
13 Is it that I have no help in me, and that sound wisdom is driven quite from me?
הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
14 To him that is ready to faint kindness is due from his friend, even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֽוֹב׃
15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that overflow,
אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמוֹ־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃
16 Which are black by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow hideth itself;
הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃
17 What time they wax warm, they vanish, when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמּ֗וֹ נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃
18 The paths of their way do wind, they go up into the waste, and are lost.
יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְח֣וֹת דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃
19 The caravans of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them —
הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְח֣וֹת תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת שְׁ֝בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃
20 They were ashamed because they had hoped; they came thither, and were confounded.
בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃
21 For now ye are become His; ye see a terror, and are afraid.
כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם ל֑וֹ תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃
22 Did I say: 'Give unto me'? or: 'Offer a present for me of your substance'?
הֲֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃
23 or: 'Deliver me from the adversary's hand'? or: 'Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors'?
וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃
24 Teach me, and I will hold my peace; and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
ה֭וֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃
25 How forcible are words of uprightness! But what doth your arguing argue?
מַה־נִּמְרְצ֥וּ אִמְרֵי־יֹ֑שֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִ֖יחַ הוֹכֵ֣חַ מִכֶּֽם׃
26 Do ye hold words to be an argument, but the speeches of one that is desperate to be wind?
הַלְהוֹכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃
27 Yea, ye would cast lots upon the fatherless, and dig a pit for your friend.
אַף־עַל־יָת֥וֹם תַּפִּ֑ילוּ וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ עַל־רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃
28 Now therefore be pleased to look upon me; for surely I shall not lie to your face.
וְ֭עַתָּה הוֹאִ֣ילוּ פְנוּ־בִ֑י וְעַל־פְּ֝נֵיכֶ֗ם אִם־אֲכַזֵּֽב׃
29 Return, I pray you, let there be no injustice; yea, return again, my cause is righteous.
שֻֽׁבוּ־נָ֭א אַל־תְּהִ֣י עַוְלָ֑ה וְשׁ֥וּבוּ ע֝וֹד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃
30 Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern crafty devices?
הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֥י עַוְלָ֑ה אִם־חִ֝כִּ֗י לֹא־יָבִ֥ין הַוּֽוֹת׃

< Job 6 >