איוב 16

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And Job answereth and saith: —

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׃

Is there an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest?

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

I also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.

5 אֲאַמִּצְכֶם בְּמוֹ־פִי וְנִיד שְׂפָתַי יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.

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

If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease — what goeth from me?

7 אַךְ־עַתָּה הֶלְאָנִי הֲשִׁמּוֹתָ כׇּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

Only, now, it hath wearied me; Thou hast desolated all my company,

8 וַֽתִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵד הָיָה וַיָּקׇם בִּי כַחֲשִׁי בְּפָנַי יַעֲנֶֽה׃

And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth.

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

His anger hath torn, and he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth his eyes for me.

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

They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.

11 יַסְגִּירֵנִי אֵל אֶל עֲוִיל וְעַל־יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

God shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over.

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

At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.

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

Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall.

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

He breaketh me — breach upon breach, He runneth upon me as a mighty one.

15 שַׂק תָּפַרְתִּי עֲלֵי גִלְדִּי וְעֹלַלְתִּי בֶעָפָר קַרְנִֽי׃

Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn.

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

My face is foul with weeping, And on mine eyelids [is] death-shade.

17 עַל לֹא־חָמָס בְּכַפָּי וּֽתְפִלָּתִי זַכָּֽה׃

Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.

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

O earth, do not thou cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.

19 גַּם־עַתָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַיִם עֵדִי וְשָׂהֲדִי בַּמְּרֹמִֽים׃

Also, now, lo, in the heavens [is] my witness, And my testifier in the high places.

20 מְלִיצַי רֵעָי אֶל־אֱלוֹהַּ דָּלְפָה עֵינִֽי׃

My interpreter [is] my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:

21 וְיוֹכַח לְגֶבֶר עִם־אֱלוֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.

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

When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.