איוב 16

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered, and said:

2 שָׁמַעְתִּי כְאֵלֶּה רַבּוֹת מְנַחֲמֵי עָמָל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.

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

Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?

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

I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul. I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.

5 אֲאַמִּצְכֶם בְּמוֹ־פִי וְנִיד שְׂפָתַי יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.

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

But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.

7 אַךְ־עַתָּה הֶלְאָנִי הֲשִׁמּוֹתָ כׇּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.

8 וַֽתִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵד הָיָה וַיָּקׇם בִּי כַחֲשִׁי בְּפָנַי יַעֲנֶֽה׃

My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.

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

He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes.

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

They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.

11 יַסְגִּירֵנִי אֵל אֶל עֲוִיל וְעַל־יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

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

I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark.

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

He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth.

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

He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.

15 שַׂק תָּפַרְתִּי עֲלֵי גִלְדִּי וְעֹלַלְתִּי בֶעָפָר קַרְנִֽי׃

I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

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

My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.

17 עַל לֹא־חָמָס בְּכַפָּי וּֽתְפִלָּתִי זַכָּֽה׃

These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.

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

O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.

19 גַּם־עַתָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַיִם עֵדִי וְשָׂהֲדִי בַּמְּרֹמִֽים׃

For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

20 מְלִיצַי רֵעָי אֶל־אֱלוֹהַּ דָּלְפָה עֵינִֽי׃

My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.

21 וְיוֹכַח לְגֶבֶר עִם־אֱלוֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!

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

For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.