אִיּוֹב 16

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered and said,

2 שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי כְאֵ֣לֶּה רַבֹּ֑ות מְנַחֲמֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

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

3 הֲקֵ֥ץ לְדִבְרֵי־ר֑וּחַ אֹ֥ו מַה־יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֶֽה׃

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

4 גַּ֤ם ׀ אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֪ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ־יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמֹ֣ו 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 אֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם בְּמֹו־פִ֑י וְנִ֖יד שְׂפָתַ֣י יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

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

6 אִֽם־אֲ֭דַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ כְּאֵבִ֑י וְ֝אַחְדְּלָ֗ה מַה־מִנִּ֥י יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃

Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and [though] I forbear, what am I eased?

7 אַךְ־עַתָּ֥ה הֶלְאָ֑נִי הֲ֝שִׁמֹּ֗ותָ כָּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

8 וַֽ֭תִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵ֣ד הָיָ֑ה וַיָּ֥קָם בִּ֥י כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗י בְּפָנַ֥י 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 אַפֹּ֤ו טָרַ֨ף ׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵ֗נִי חָרַ֣ק עָלַ֣י בְּשִׁנָּ֑יו צָרִ֓י ׀ יִלְטֹ֖ושׁ עֵינָ֣יו 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 פָּעֲר֬וּ עָלַ֨י ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֗ם בְּ֭חֶרְפָּה הִכּ֣וּ לְחָיָ֑י יַ֝֗חַד עָלַ֥י 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 יַסְגִּירֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל אֶ֣ל עֲוִ֑יל וְעַל־יְדֵ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

12 שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי ׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי לֹ֝֗ו 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 יָ֘סֹ֤בּוּ עָלַ֨י ׀ רַבָּ֗יו יְפַלַּ֣ח כִּ֭לְיֹותַי וְלֹ֣א יַחְמֹ֑ול יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מְרֵרָֽתִי׃

His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

14 יִפְרְצֵ֣נִי פֶ֭רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ יָרֻ֖ץ עָלַ֣י כְּגִבֹּֽור׃

He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

15 שַׂ֣ק תָּ֭פַרְתִּי עֲלֵ֣י גִלְדִּ֑י וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי בֶעָפָ֣ר קַרְנִֽי׃

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

16 פָּנַ֣י חֳמַרְמְרָה (חֳ֭מַרְמְרוּ) מִנִּי־בֶ֑כִי וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

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

17 עַ֭ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס בְּכַפָּ֑י וּֽתְפִלָּתִ֥י זַכָּֽה׃

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

18 אֶ֭רֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּ֣י דָמִ֑י וְֽאַל־יְהִ֥י מָ֝קֹ֗ום לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃

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

19 גַּם־עַ֭תָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם עֵדִ֑י וְ֝שָׂהֲדִ֗י בַּמְּרֹומִֽים׃

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

20 מְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־אֱ֝לֹ֗והַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃

My friends scorn me: [but] mine eye poureth out [tears] unto God.

21 וְיֹוכַ֣ח לְגֶ֣בֶר עִם־אֱלֹ֑והַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָ֥ם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man [pleadeth] for his neighbour!

22 כִּֽי־שְׁנֹ֣ות מִסְפָּ֣ר יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ וְאֹ֖רַח לֹא־אָשׁ֣וּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃

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