Job 9
1 Then answered Job, and said,
| ויען איוב ויאמר׃ |
2 Truly I know that it is so: and how could a mortal be righteous before God?
| אמנם ידעתי כי כן ומה יצדק אנוש עם אל׃ |
3 If he were desirous to enter into a contest with him, he could not give him one answer out of a thousand.
| אם יחפץ לריב עמו לא יעננו אחת מני אלף׃ |
4 He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and escaped unscathed?
| חכם לבב ואמיץ כח מי הקשה אליו וישלם׃ |
5 [He it is] who removeth mountains, and they know it not, yea, when he overturneth them in his anger;
| המעתיק הרים ולא ידעו אשר הפכם באפו׃ |
6 Who shaketh the earth loose out of her place, that her pillars tremble;
| המרגיז ארץ ממקומה ועמודיה יתפלצון׃ |
7 Who speaketh to the sun, and he shineth not, and around the stars he placeth a seal;
| האמר לחרס ולא יזרח ובעד כוכבים יחתם׃ |
8 Who spread out the heavens by himself alone, and treadeth upon the hillocks of the sea;
| נטה שמים לבדו ודורך על במתי ים׃ |
9 Who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers the south;
| עשה עש כסיל וכימה וחדרי תמן׃ |
10 Who doth great things which are quite unsearchable, and wonders which are quite without number.
| עשה גדלות עד אין חקר ונפלאות עד אין מספר׃ |
11 Lo, were he to go past by me, I should not see him; and were he to pass along, I should not perceive him.
| הן יעבר עלי ולא אראה ויחלף ולא אבין לו׃ |
12 Behold, were he to snatch aught away, who could hold him back? who would say unto him, What dost thou?
| הן יחתף מי ישיבנו מי יאמר אליו מה תעשה׃ |
13 God will not withdraw his anger: beneath him sink down the helpers of the proud.
| אלוה לא ישיב אפו תחתו שחחו עזרי רהב׃ |
14 How much less then could I answer him, and select my words [to contend] with him?
| אף כי אנכי אעננו אבחרה דברי עמו׃ |
15 Whom, were I even righteous, I could not answer? to him that condemneth me I could [only] make supplication.
| אשר אם צדקתי לא אענה למשפטי אתחנן׃ |
16 Or were I to call, and he would answer me, I could yet not believe that he would give ear unto my voice—
| אם קראתי ויענני לא אאמין כי יאזין קולי׃ |
17 He that bruiseth me with [his] tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without a cause.
| אשר בשערה ישופני והרבה פצעי חנם׃ |
18 He suffereth me not to recover my breath; but feedeth me overmuch with bitter things.
| לא יתנני השב רוחי כי ישבעני ממררים׃ |
19 If it regard strength, lo, he is the powerful; and if justice, who will cite him for me to appear?
| אם לכח אמיץ הנה ואם למשפט מי יועידני׃ |
20 If I were righteous even, my own mouth would condemn me: were I innocent, it would still prove me perverse.
| אם אצדק פי ירשיעני תם אני ויעקשני׃ |
21 I am innocent; I will not have regard for myself: I will despise my life.
| תם אני לא אדע נפשי אמאס חיי׃ |
22 One thing is [certain], therefore have I said it, The innocent and the wicked he bringeth to their end.
| אחת היא על כן אמרתי תם ורשע הוא מכלה׃ |
23 If a scourge should slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the guiltless.
| אם שוט ימית פתאם למסת נקים ילעג׃ |
24 Is a land given up into the hand of the wicked? he covereth the faces of its judges: if this be not the truth, who is it then?
| ארץ נתנה ביד רשע פני שפטיה יכסה אם לא אפוא מי הוא׃ |
25 And my days pass swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no happiness,
| וימי קלו מני רץ ברחו לא ראו טובה׃ |
26 They hasten along like pirate ships: like the eagle that stoopeth down upon his food.
| חלפו עם אניות אבה כנשר יטוש עלי אכל׃ |
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sorrowful countenance, and recover my cheerfulness:
| אם אמרי אשכחה שיחי אעזבה פני ואבליגה׃ |
28 O then would I be in dread of all my pains; I know that thou wilt not declare me innocent.
| יגרתי כל עצבתי ידעתי כי לא תנקני׃ |
29 I must ever be guilty: why then should I fatigue myself for nought?
| אנכי ארשע למה זה הבל איגע׃ |
30 If I were to wash myself in snow-water, to cleanse myself in the purity of my hands:
| אם התרחצתי במו שלג והזכותי בבר כפי׃ |
31 Even then wouldst thou plunge me in the ditch, that my own clothes would render me abhorred.
| אז בשחת תטבלני ותעבוני שלמותי׃ |
32 For he is not a man, like me, that I could answer him, that we should enter together into a contest.
| כי לא איש כמני אעננו נבוא יחדו במשפט׃ |
33 There is no one who can decide between us, who could lay his hand upon us both.
| לא יש בינינו מוכיח ישת ידו על שנינו׃ |
34 Let him but remove from me his rod, and let not his dread terrify me:
| יסר מעלי שבטו ואמתו אל תבעתני׃ |
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; for the like I feel not within me.
| אדברה ולא איראנו כי לא כן אנכי עמדי׃ |
