< איוב 6 >

וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ 1
Then Job answered,
לוּ שָׁקוֹל יִשָּׁקֵל כַּעְשִׂי (והיתי) [וְהַוָּתִי] בְּֽמֹאזְנַיִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃ 2
“Oh that my anguish were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances!
כִּֽי־עַתָּה מֵחוֹל יַמִּים יִכְבָּד עַל־כֵּן דְּבָרַי לָֽעוּ׃ 3
For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas, therefore my words have been rash.
כִּי חִצֵּי שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי אֲשֶׁר חֲמָתָם שֹׁתָה רוּחִי בִּעוּתֵי אֱלוֹהַּ יַעַרְכֽוּנִי׃ 4
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me. My spirit drinks up their poison. The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּרֶא עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא אִם יִגְעֶה־שּׁוֹר עַל־בְּלִילֽוֹ׃ 5
Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder?
הֲיֵאָכֵל תָּפֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶלַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַעַם בְּרִיר חַלָּמֽוּת׃ 6
Can that which has no flavor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
מֵאֲנָה לִנְגּוֹעַ נַפְשִׁי הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחְמִֽי׃ 7
My soul refuses to touch them. They are as loathsome food to me.
מִֽי־יִתֵּן תָּבוֹא שֶׁאֱלָתִי וְתִקְוָתִי יִתֵּן אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃ 8
“Oh that I might have my request, that God would grant the thing that I long for,
וְיֹאֵל אֱלוֹהַּ וִידַכְּאֵנִי יַתֵּר יָדוֹ וִיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃ 9
even that it would please God to crush me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
וּתְהִי־עוֹד ׀ נֶחָמָתִי וַאֲסַלְּדָה בְחִילָה לֹא יַחְמוֹל כִּי־לֹא כִחַדְתִּי אִמְרֵי קָדֽוֹשׁ׃ 10
Let it still be my consolation, yes, let me exult in pain that doesn’t spare, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
מַה־כֹּחִי כִֽי־אֲיַחֵל וּמַה־קִּצִּי כִּֽי־אַאֲרִיךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃ 11
What is my strength, that I should wait? What is my end, that I should be patient?
אִם־כֹּחַ אֲבָנִים כֹּחִי אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִי נָחֽוּשׁ׃ 12
Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of bronze?
הַאִם אֵין עֶזְרָתִי בִי וְתֻשִׁיָּה נִדְּחָה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ 13
Isn’t it that I have no help in me, that wisdom is driven away from me?
לַמָּס מֵרֵעֵהוּ חָסֶד וְיִרְאַת שַׁדַּי יַעֲזֽוֹב׃ 14
“To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
אַחַי בָּגְדוּ כְמוֹ־נָחַל כַּאֲפִיק נְחָלִים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃ 15
My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that pass away;
הַקֹּדְרִים מִנִּי־קָרַח עָלֵימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃ 16
which are black by reason of the ice, in which the snow hides itself.
בְּעֵת יְזֹרְבוּ נִצְמָתוּ בְּחֻמּוֹ נִדְעֲכוּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃ 17
In the dry season, they vanish. When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
יִלָּפְתוּ אׇרְחוֹת דַּרְכָּם יַעֲלוּ בַתֹּהוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ 18
The caravans that travel beside them turn away. They go up into the waste, and perish.
הִבִּיטוּ אׇרְחוֹת תֵּמָא הֲלִיכֹת שְׁבָא קִוּוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃ 19
The caravans of Tema looked. The companies of Sheba waited for them.
בֹּשׁוּ כִֽי־בָטָח בָּאוּ עָדֶיהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃ 20
They were distressed because they were confident. They came there, and were confounded.
כִּֽי־עַתָּה הֱיִיתֶם לֹא תִּֽרְאוּ חֲתַת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃ 21
For now you are nothing. You see a terror, and are afraid.
הֲֽכִי־אָמַרְתִּי הָבוּ לִי וּמִכֹּחֲכֶם שִׁחֲדוּ בַעֲדִֽי׃ 22
Did I ever say, ‘Give to me’? or, ‘Offer a present for me from your substance’?
וּמַלְּטוּנִי מִיַּד־צָר וּמִיַּד עָרִיצִים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃ 23
or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary’s hand’? or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors’?
הוֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִי אַחֲרִישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁגִיתִי הָבִינוּ לִֽי׃ 24
“Teach me, and I will hold my peace. Cause me to understand my error.
מַה־נִּמְרְצוּ אִמְרֵי־יֹשֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִיחַ הוֹכֵחַ מִכֶּֽם׃ 25
How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what does it reprove?
הַלְהוֹכַח מִלִּים תַּחְשֹׁבוּ וּלְרוּחַ אִמְרֵי נֹאָֽשׁ׃ 26
Do you intend to reprove words, since the speeches of one who is desperate are as wind?
אַף־עַל־יָתוֹם תַּפִּילוּ וְתִכְרוּ עַֽל־רֵיעֲכֶֽם׃ 27
Yes, you would even cast lots for the fatherless, and make merchandise of your friend.
וְעַתָּה הוֹאִילוּ פְנוּ־בִי וְעַל־פְּנֵיכֶם אִם־אֲכַזֵּֽב׃ 28
Now therefore be pleased to look at me, for surely I will not lie to your face.
שֽׁוּבוּ־נָא אַל־תְּהִי עַוְלָה (ושבי) [וְשׁוּבוּ] עוֹד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃ 29
Please return. Let there be no injustice. Yes, return again. My cause is righteous.
הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִי עַוְלָה אִם־חִכִּי לֹא־יָבִין הַוּֽוֹת׃ 30
Is there injustice on my tongue? Can’t my taste discern mischievous things?

< איוב 6 >