< Job 16 >

1 Then Job answered and said,
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters [are] ye all.
שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי כְאֵ֣לֶּה רַבֹּ֑ות מְנַחֲמֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
הֲקֵ֥ץ לְדִבְרֵי־ר֑וּחַ אֹ֥ו מַה־יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֶֽה׃
4 I also could speak as ye [do]: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.
גַּ֤ם ׀ אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֪ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ־יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמֹ֣ו רֹאשִֽׁי׃
5 [But] I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should assuage [your grief].
אֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם בְּמֹו־פִ֑י וְנִ֖יד שְׂפָתַ֣י יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃
6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and [though] I forbear, what am I eased?
אִֽם־אֲ֭דַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ כְּאֵבִ֑י וְ֝אַחְדְּלָ֗ה מַה־מִנִּ֥י יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃
7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
אַךְ־עַתָּ֥ה הֶלְאָ֑נִי הֲ֝שִׁמֹּ֗ותָ כָּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃
8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, [which] is a witness [against me]: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.
וַֽ֭תִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵ֣ד הָיָ֑ה וַיָּ֥קָם בִּ֥י כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗י בְּפָנַ֥י יַעֲנֶֽה׃
9 He teareth [me] in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; my enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
אַפֹּ֤ו טָרַ֨ף ׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵ֗נִי חָרַ֣ק עָלַ֣י בְּשִׁנָּ֑יו צָרִ֓י ׀ יִלְטֹ֖ושׁ עֵינָ֣יו לִֽי׃
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves against me.
פָּעֲר֬וּ עָלַ֨י ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֗ם בְּ֭חֶרְפָּה הִכּ֣וּ לְחָיָ֑י יַ֝֗חַד עָלַ֥י יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן׃
11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
יַסְגִּירֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל אֶ֣ל עֲוִ֑יל וְעַל־יְדֵ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃
12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken [me] by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי ׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי לֹ֝֗ו לְמַטָּרָֽה׃
13 His archers encompass me; he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
יָ֘סֹ֤בּוּ עָלַ֨י ׀ רַבָּ֗יו יְפַלַּ֣ח כִּ֭לְיֹותַי וְלֹ֣א יַחְמֹ֑ול יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מְרֵרָֽתִי׃
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
יִפְרְצֵ֣נִי פֶ֭רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ יָרֻ֖ץ עָלַ֣י כְּגִבֹּֽור׃
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
שַׂ֣ק תָּ֭פַרְתִּי עֲלֵ֣י גִלְדִּ֑י וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי בֶעָפָ֣ר קַרְנִֽי׃
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids [are] the shades of death;
פָּנַ֣י חֳמַרְמְרָה (חֳ֭מַרְמְרוּ) מִנִּי־בֶ֑כִי וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י צַלְמָֽוֶת׃
17 Not for [any] injustice in my hands: also my prayer [is] pure.
עַ֭ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס בְּכַפָּ֑י וּֽתְפִלָּתִ֥י זַכָּֽה׃
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
אֶ֭רֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּ֣י דָמִ֑י וְֽאַל־יְהִ֥י מָ֝קֹ֗ום לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃
19 Also now, behold, my witness [is] in heaven, and my record [is] on high.
גַּם־עַ֭תָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם עֵדִ֑י וְ֝שָׂהֲדִ֗י בַּמְּרֹומִֽים׃
20 My friends scorn me: [but] my eye poureth out [tears] to God.
מְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־אֱ֝לֹ֗והַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man [pleadeth] for his neighbor!
וְיֹוכַ֣ח לְגֶ֣בֶר עִם־אֱלֹ֑והַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָ֥ם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.
כִּֽי־שְׁנֹ֣ות מִסְפָּ֣ר יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ וְאֹ֖רַח לֹא־אָשׁ֣וּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃

< Job 16 >