< Job 6 >

1 But Job answered and said,
וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2 O that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
לוּ שָׁקוֹל יִשָּׁקֵל כַּעְשִׂי (והיתי) [וְהַוָּתִי] בְּֽמֹאזְנַיִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
כִּֽי־עַתָּה מֵחוֹל יַמִּים יִכְבָּד עַל־כֵּן דְּבָרַי לָֽעוּ׃
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison of which drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
כִּי חִצֵּי שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי אֲשֶׁר חֲמָתָם שֹׁתָה רוּחִי בִּעוּתֵי אֱלוֹהַּ יַעַרְכֽוּנִי׃
5 Doth the wild donkey bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּרֶא עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא אִם יִגְעֶה־שּׁוֹר עַל־בְּלִילֽוֹ׃
6 Can that which is unsavoury 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 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my loathsome food.
מֵאֲנָה לִנְגּוֹעַ נַפְשִׁי הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחְמִֽי׃
8 O that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
מִֽי־יִתֵּן תָּבוֹא שֶׁאֱלָתִי וְתִקְוָתִי יִתֵּן אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃
9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
וְיֹאֵל אֱלוֹהַּ וִידַכְּאֵנִי יַתֵּר יָדוֹ וִיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃
10 Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed 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 hope? and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
מַה־כֹּחִי כִֽי־אֲיַחֵל וּמַה־קִּצִּי כִּֽי־אַאֲרִיךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
אִם־כֹּחַ אֲבָנִים כֹּחִי אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִי נָחֽוּשׁ׃
13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?
הַאִם אֵין עֶזְרָתִי בִי וְתֻשִׁיָּה נִדְּחָה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shown from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
לַמָּס מֵרֵעֵהוּ חָסֶד וְיִרְאַת שַׁדַּי יַעֲזֽוֹב׃
15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
אַחַי בָּגְדוּ כְמוֹ־נָחַל כַּאֲפִיק נְחָלִים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃
16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and in which the snow is hid:
הַקֹּדְרִים מִנִּי־קָרַח עָלֵימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃
17 In the time when they become warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
בְּעֵת יְזֹרְבוּ נִצְמָתוּ בְּחֻמּוֹ נִדְעֲכוּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃
18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.
יִלָּפְתוּ אׇרְחוֹת דַּרְכָּם יַעֲלוּ בַתֹּהוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃
19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
הִבִּיטוּ אׇרְחוֹת תֵּמָא הֲלִיכֹת שְׁבָא קִוּוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃
20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came there, and were ashamed.
בֹּשׁוּ כִֽי־בָטָח בָּאוּ עָדֶיהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃
21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.
כִּֽי־עַתָּה הֱיִיתֶם לֹא תִּֽרְאוּ חֲתַת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃
22 Did I say, Bring to me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
הֲֽכִי־אָמַרְתִּי הָבוּ לִי וּמִכֹּחֲכֶם שִׁחֲדוּ בַעֲדִֽי׃
23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
וּמַלְּטוּנִי מִיַּד־צָר וּמִיַּד עָרִיצִים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃
24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand how I have erred.
הוֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִי אַחֲרִישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁגִיתִי הָבִינוּ לִֽי׃
25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
מַה־נִּמְרְצוּ אִמְרֵי־יֹשֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִיחַ הוֹכֵחַ מִכֶּֽם׃
26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
הַלְהוֹכַח מִלִּים תַּחְשֹׁבוּ וּלְרוּחַ אִמְרֵי נֹאָֽשׁ׃
27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.
אַף־עַל־יָתוֹם תַּפִּילוּ וְתִכְרוּ עַֽל־רֵיעֲכֶֽם׃
28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident to you if I lie.
וְעַתָּה הוֹאִילוּ פְנוּ־בִי וְעַל־פְּנֵיכֶם אִם־אֲכַזֵּֽב׃
29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.
שֽׁוּבוּ־נָא אַל־תְּהִי עַוְלָה (ושבי) [וְשׁוּבוּ] עוֹד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃
30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִי עַוְלָה אִם־חִכִּי לֹא־יָבִין הַוּֽוֹת׃

< Job 6 >