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