איוב 16

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered and said,

2 שָׁמַעְתִּי כְאֵלֶּה רַבּוֹת מְנַחֲמֵי עָמָל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

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

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

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth 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 do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

5 אֲאַמִּצְכֶם בְּמוֹ־פִי וְנִיד שְׂפָתַי יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

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

Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though 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 company.

8 וַֽתִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵד הָיָה וַיָּקׇם בִּי כַחֲשִׁי בְּפָנַי יַעֲנֶֽה׃

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.

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

He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

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

They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

11 יַסְגִּירֵנִי אֵל אֶל עֲוִיל וְעַל־יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

El hath delivered me to the perverse, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

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

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.

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

His archers compass 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 giant.

15 שַׂק תָּפַרְתִּי עֲלֵי גִלְדִּי וְעֹלַלְתִּי בֶעָפָר קַרְנִֽי׃

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

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

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

17 עַל לֹא־חָמָס בְּכַפָּי וּֽתְפִלָּתִי זַכָּֽה׃

Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

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

O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

19 גַּם־עַתָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַיִם עֵדִי וְשָׂהֲדִי בַּמְּרֹמִֽים׃

Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

20 מְלִיצַי רֵעָי אֶל־אֱלוֹהַּ דָּלְפָה עֵינִֽי׃

My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto Eloah.

21 וְיוֹכַח לְגֶבֶר עִם־אֱלוֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

O that one might plead for a man with Eloah, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

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

When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.