איוב 13

1 הֶן־כֹּל רָאֲתָה עֵינִי שָֽׁמְעָה אׇזְנִי וַתָּבֶן לָֽהּ׃

“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.

2 כְּֽדַעְתְּכֶם יָדַעְתִּי גַם־אָנִי לֹֽא־נֹפֵל אָנֹכִי מִכֶּֽם׃

What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

3 אוּלָם אֲנִי אֶל־שַׁדַּי אֲדַבֵּר וְהוֹכֵחַ אֶל־אֵל אֶחְפָּֽץ׃

Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.

4 וְֽאוּלָם אַתֶּם טֹפְלֵי־שָׁקֶר רֹפְאֵי אֱלִל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.

5 מִי־יִתֵּן הַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישׁוּן וּתְהִי לָכֶם לְחׇכְמָֽה׃

If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!

6 שִׁמְעוּ־נָא תוֹכַחְתִּי וְרִבוֹת שְׂפָתַי הַקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃

Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.

7 הַלְאֵל תְּדַבְּרוּ עַוְלָה וְלוֹ תְּֽדַבְּרוּ רְמִיָּֽה׃

Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?

8 הֲפָנָיו תִּשָּׂאוּן אִם־לָאֵל תְּרִיבֽוּן׃

Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?

9 הֲטוֹב כִּֽי־יַחְקֹר אֶתְכֶם אִם־כְּהָתֵל בֶּאֱנוֹשׁ תְּהָתֵלּוּ בֽוֹ׃

Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man?

10 הוֹכֵחַ יוֹכִיחַ אֶתְכֶם אִם־בַּסֵּתֶר פָּנִים תִּשָּׂאֽוּן׃

Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.

11 הֲלֹא שְׂאֵתוֹ תְּבַעֵת אֶתְכֶם וּפַחְדּוֹ יִפֹּל עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃

Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?

12 זִֽכְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־אֵפֶר לְגַבֵּי־חֹמֶר גַּבֵּיכֶֽם׃

Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.

13 הַחֲרִישׁוּ מִמֶּנִּי וַאֲדַבְּרָה־אָנִי וְיַעֲבֹר עָלַי מָֽה׃

Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.

14 עַל־מָה ׀ אֶשָּׂא בְשָׂרִי בְשִׁנָּי וְנַפְשִׁי אָשִׂים בְּכַפִּֽי׃

Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands?

15 הֵן יִקְטְלֵנִי (לא) [לוֹ] אֲיַחֵל אַךְ־דְּרָכַי אֶל־פָּנָיו אוֹכִֽיחַ׃

Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.

16 גַּם־הוּא־לִי לִישׁוּעָה כִּי־לֹא לְפָנָיו חָנֵף יָבֽוֹא׃

Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.

17 שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ מִלָּתִי וְאַחֲוָתִי בְּאׇזְנֵיכֶֽם׃

Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.

18 הִנֵּה־נָא עָרַכְתִּי מִשְׁפָּט יָדַעְתִּי כִּי־אֲנִי אֶצְדָּֽק׃

Behold, now that I have prepared my case, I know that I will be vindicated.

19 מִי־הוּא יָרִיב עִמָּדִי כִּֽי־עַתָּה אַחֲרִישׁ וְאֶגְוָֽע׃

Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.

20 אַךְ־שְׁתַּיִם אַל־תַּעַשׂ עִמָּדִי אָז מִפָּנֶיךָ לֹא אֶסָּתֵֽר׃

Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:

21 כַּפְּךָ מֵעָלַי הַרְחַק וְאֵמָתְךָ אַֽל־תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.

22 וּקְרָא וְאָנֹכִי אֶעֱנֶה אֽוֹ־אֲדַבֵּר וַהֲשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃

Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.

23 כַּמָּה לִי עֲוֺנוֹת וְחַטָּאוֹת פִּֽשְׁעִי וְחַטָּאתִי הֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃

How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.

24 לָֽמָּה־פָנֶיךָ תַסְתִּיר וְתַחְשְׁבֵנִי לְאוֹיֵב לָֽךְ׃

Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?

25 הֶעָלֶה נִדָּף תַּעֲרוֹץ וְאֶת־קַשׁ יָבֵשׁ תִּרְדֹּֽף׃

Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?

26 כִּֽי־תִכְתֹּב עָלַי מְרֹרוֹת וְתוֹרִישֵׁנִי עֲוֺנוֹת נְעוּרָֽי׃

For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.

27 וְתָשֵׂם בַּסַּד ׀ רַגְלַי וְתִשְׁמוֹר כׇּל־אׇרְחוֹתָי עַל־שׇׁרְשֵׁי רַגְלַי תִּתְחַקֶּֽה׃

You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet.

28 וְהוּא כְּרָקָב יִבְלֶה כְּבֶגֶד אֲכָלוֹ עָֽשׁ׃

So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.