איוב 16

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered and said,

2 שָׁמַעְתִּי כְאֵלֶּה רַבּוֹת מְנַחֲמֵי עָמָל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

“I have heard many such things; you are all miserable comforters.

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

Will useless words ever have an end? What is wrong with you that you answer like this?

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

I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could collect and join words together against you and shake my head at you in mockery.

5 אֲאַמִּצְכֶם בְּמוֹ־פִי וְנִיד שְׂפָתַי יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the quivering of my lips will bring you relief!

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

If I speak, my grief is not lessened; if I keep from speaking, how am I helped?

7 אַךְ־עַתָּה הֶלְאָנִי הֲשִׁמּוֹתָ כׇּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

But now, God, you have made me weary; you have made all my family desolate.

8 וַֽתִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵד הָיָה וַיָּקׇם בִּי כַחֲשִׁי בְּפָנַי יַעֲנֶֽה׃

You have made me dry up, which itself is a witness against me; the leanness of my body rises up against me, and it testifies against my face.

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

God has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me; He grinds his teeth in rage; my enemy fastens his eyes on me as he tears me apart.

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

People have gaped with open mouth at me; they have hit me reproachfully on the cheek; they have gathered together against me.

11 יַסְגִּירֵנִי אֵל אֶל עֲוִיל וְעַל־יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

God hands me over to ungodly people, and throws me into the hands of wicked people.

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

I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Indeed, he has taken me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he has also set me up as his target.

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

His archers surround me all around; God pierces my kidneys and does not spare me; he pours out my bile on the ground.

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

He smashes through my wall again and again; he runs upon me like a warrior.

15 שַׂק תָּפַרְתִּי עֲלֵי גִלְדִּי וְעֹלַלְתִּי בֶעָפָר קַרְנִֽי׃

I have sewn sackcloth on my skin; I have thrust my horn into the ground.

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

My face is red with weeping; 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׃

Earth, do not cover up my blood; let my cry have no resting place.

19 גַּם־עַתָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַיִם עֵדִי וְשָׂהֲדִי בַּמְּרֹמִֽים׃

Even now, see, my witness is in heaven; he who vouches for me is on high.

20 מְלִיצַי רֵעָי אֶל־אֱלוֹהַּ דָּלְפָה עֵינִֽי׃

My friends scoff at me, but my eye pours out tears to God.

21 וְיוֹכַח לְגֶבֶר עִם־אֱלוֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

I ask for that witness in heaven to argue for this man with God as a man does with his neighbor!

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

For when a few years have passed, I will go to a place from where I will not return.