איוב 16

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And Job answered and said,

2 שָׁמַעְתִּי כְאֵלֶּה רַבּוֹת מְנַחֲמֵי עָמָל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

I have heard many such things: grievous comforters are ye all.

3 הֲקֵץ לְדִבְרֵי־רוּחַ אוֹ מַה־יַּמְרִֽיצְךָ כִּי תַֽעֲנֶֽה׃

Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

4 גַּם ׀ אָנֹכִי כָּכֶם אֲדַבֵּרָה לוּ יֵשׁ נַפְשְׁכֶם תַּחַת נַפְשִׁי אַחְבִּירָה עֲלֵיכֶם בְּמִלִּים וְאָנִיעָה עֲלֵיכֶם בְּמוֹ רֹאשִֽׁי׃

I also could speak as ye: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join together words against you, and shake my head at you;

5 אֲאַמִּצְכֶם בְּמוֹ־פִי וְנִיד שְׂפָתַי יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

[But] I would encourage you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage [your pain].

6 אִֽם־אֲדַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂךְ כְּאֵבִי וְאַחְדְּלָה מַה־מִּנִּי יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃

If I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and if I forbear, what am I eased?

7 אַךְ־עַתָּה הֶלְאָנִי הֲשִׁמּוֹתָ כׇּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

But now he hath made me weary; ...thou hast made desolate all my family;

8 וַֽתִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵד הָיָה וַיָּקׇם בִּי כַחֲשִׁי בְּפָנַי יַעֲנֶֽה׃

Thou hast shrivelled me up! it is become a witness; and my leanness riseth up against me, it beareth witness to my face.

9 אַפּוֹ טָרַף ׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵנִי חָרַק עָלַי בְּשִׁנָּיו צָרִי ׀ יִלְטֹשׁ עֵינָיו לִֽי׃

His anger teareth and pursueth me; he gnasheth with his teeth against me; [as] mine adversary he sharpeneth his eyes at me.

10 פָּעֲרוּ עָלַי ׀ בְּפִיהֶם בְּחֶרְפָּה הִכּוּ לְחָיָי יַחַד עָלַי יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן׃

They gape upon me with their mouth; they smite my cheeks reproachfully; they range themselves together against me.

11 יַסְגִּירֵנִי אֵל אֶל עֲוִיל וְעַל־יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

God hath delivered me over to the iniquitous man, and hurled me into the hands of the wicked.

12 שָׁלֵו הָיִיתִי ׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵנִי וְאָחַז בְּעׇרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵנִי וַיְקִימֵנִי לוֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה׃

I was at rest, but he hath shattered me; he hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

13 יָסֹבּוּ עָלַי ׀ רַבָּיו יְפַלַּח כִּלְיוֹתַי וְלֹא יַחְמֹל יִשְׁפֹּךְ לָאָרֶץ מְרֵרָתִֽי׃

His arrows encompass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

14 יִפְרְצֵנִי פֶרֶ ץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָרֶץ יָרֻץ עָלַי כְּגִבּֽוֹר׃

He breaketh me with breach upon breach; he runneth upon me like a mighty man.

15 שַׂק תָּפַרְתִּי עֲלֵי גִלְדִּי וְעֹלַלְתִּי בֶעָפָר קַרְנִֽי׃

I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and rolled my horn in the dust.

16 פָּנַי (חמרמרה) [חֳמַרְמְרוּ] מִנִּי־בֶכִי וְעַל עַפְעַפַּי צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

17 עַל לֹא־חָמָס בְּכַפָּי וּֽתְפִלָּתִי זַכָּֽה׃

Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.

18 אֶרֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּי דָמִי וְֽאַל־יְהִי מָקוֹם לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃

O earth, cover not my blood, and let there be no place for my cry!

19 גַּם־עַתָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַיִם עֵדִי וְשָׂהֲדִי בַּמְּרֹמִֽים׃

Even now, behold, my Witness is in the heavens, and he that voucheth for me is in the heights.

20 מְלִיצַי רֵעָי אֶל־אֱלוֹהַּ דָּלְפָה עֵינִֽי׃

My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

21 וְיוֹכַח לְגֶבֶר עִם־אֱלוֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

Oh that there were arbitration for a man with God, as a son of man for his friend!

22 כִּֽי־שְׁנוֹת מִסְפָּר יֶאֱתָיוּ וְאֹרַח לֹא־אָשׁוּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃

For years [few] in number shall pass, — and I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.