< Job 6 >

1 Then Job answered,
וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2 "Oh that my anguish were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances.
לוּ שָׁקוֹל יִשָּׁקֵל כַּעְשִׂי והיתי וְהַוָּתִי בְּֽמֹאזְנַיִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas, therefore have my words been rash.
כִּֽי־עַתָּה מֵחוֹל יַמִּים יִכְבָּד עַל־כֵּן דְּבָרַי לָֽעוּ׃
4 For the arrows of Shaddai are within me. My spirit drinks up their poison. The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
כִּי חִצֵּי שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי אֲשֶׁר חֲמָתָם שֹׁתָה רוּחִי בִּעוּתֵי אֱלוֹהַּ יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי׃
5 Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder?
הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּרֶא עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא אִם יִגְעֶה־שּׁוֹר עַל־בְּלִילֽוֹ׃
6 Can that which has no flavor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
הֲיֵאָכֵל תָּפֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶלַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַעַם בְּרִיר חַלָּמֽוּת׃
7 My soul refuses to touch them. They are as loathsome food to me.
מֵאֲנָה לִנְגּוֹעַ נַפְשִׁי הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחְמִֽי׃
8 "Oh that I might have my request, that God would grant the thing that I long for,
מִֽי־יִתֵּן תָּבוֹא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִי וְתִקְוָתִי יִתֵּן אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃
9 even that it would please God to crush me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off.
וְיֹאֵל אֱלוֹהַּ וִֽידַכְּאֵנִי יַתֵּר יָדוֹ וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃
10 Be it still my consolation, yes, let me exult in pain that doesn't spare, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
וּתְהִי עוֹד ׀ נֶחָמָתִי וַאֲסַלְּדָה בְחִילָה לֹא יַחְמוֹל כִּי־לֹא כִחַדְתִּי אִמְרֵי קָדֽוֹשׁ׃
11 What is my strength, that I should wait? What is my end, that I should be patient?
מַה־כֹּחִי כִֽי־אֲיַחֵל וּמַה־קִּצִּי כִּֽי־אַאֲרִיךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of bronze?
אִם־כֹּחַ אֲבָנִים כֹּחִי אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִי נָחֽוּשׁ׃
13 Isn't it that I have no help in me, That wisdom is driven quite from me?
הַאִם אֵין עֶזְרָתִי בִי וְתֻשִׁיָּה נִדְּחָה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
14 "To the despairing, kindness should be shown from his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of Shaddai.
לַמָּס מֵרֵעֵהוּ חָסֶד וְיִרְאַת שַׁדַּי יַעֲזֽוֹב׃
15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that pass away;
אַחַי בָּגְדוּ כְמוֹ־נָחַל כַּאֲפִיק נְחָלִים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃
16 Which are black by reason of the ice, in which the snow hides itself.
הַקֹּדְרִים מִנִּי־קָרַח עָלֵימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃
17 In the dry season, they vanish. When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
בְּעֵת יְזֹרְבוּ נִצְמָתוּ בְּחֻמּוֹ נִדְעֲכוּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃
18 The caravans that travel beside them turn aside. They go up into the waste, and perish.
יִלָּפְתוּ אָרְחוֹת דַּרְכָּם יַעֲלוּ בַתֹּהוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃
19 The caravans of Tema looked. The companies of Sheba waited for them.
הִבִּיטוּ אָרְחוֹת תֵּמָא הֲלִיכֹת שְׁבָא קִוּוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃
20 They were distressed because they were confident. They came there, and were confounded.
בֹּשׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָח בָּאוּ עָדֶיהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃
21 For now you are nothing. You see a terror, and are afraid.
כִּֽי־עַתָּה הֱיִיתֶם לא לוֹ תִּֽרְאוּ חֲתַת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃
22 Did I say, 'Give to me?' or, 'Offer a present for me from your substance?'
הֲ‍ֽכִי־אָמַרְתִּי הָבוּ לִי וּמִכֹּחֲכֶם שִׁחֲדוּ בַעֲדִֽי׃
23 or, 'Deliver me from the adversary's hand?' or, 'Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?'
וּמַלְּטוּנִי מִיַּד־צָר וּמִיַּד עָרִיצִים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃
24 "Teach me, and I will hold my peace. Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
הוֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִי אַחֲרִישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁגִיתִי הָבִינוּ לִֽי׃
25 How forcible are words of uprightness. But your reproof, what does it reprove?
מַה־נִּמְרְצוּ אִמְרֵי־יֹשֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִיחַ הוֹכֵחַ מִכֶּֽם׃
26 Do you intend to reprove words, seeing that the speeches of one who is desperate are as wind?
הַלְהוֹכַח מִלִּים תַּחְשֹׁבוּ וּלְרוּחַ אִמְרֵי נֹאָֽשׁ׃
27 Yes, you would even cast lots for the fatherless, and make merchandise of your friend.
אַף־עַל־יָתוֹם תַּפִּילוּ וְתִכְרוּ עַל־רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃
28 Now therefore be pleased to look at me, for surely I shall not lie to your face.
וְעַתָּה הוֹאִילוּ פְנוּ־בִי וְעַל־פְּנֵיכֶם אִם־אֲכַזֵּֽב׃
29 Please return. Let there be no injustice. Yes, return again. My cause is righteous.
שֻֽׁבוּ־נָא אַל־תְּהִי עַוְלָה ושבי וְשׁוּבוּ עוֹד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃
30 Is there injustice on my tongue? Can't my taste discern mischievous things?
הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִי עַוְלָה אִם־חִכִּי לֹא־יָבִין הַוּֽוֹת׃

< Job 6 >