אִיּוֹב 31

1 בְּ֭רִית כָּרַ֣תִּי לְעֵינָ֑י וּמָ֥ה אֶ֝תְבֹּונֵ֗ן עַל־בְּתוּלָֽה׃

I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin.

2 וּמֶ֤ה ׀ חֵ֣לֶק אֱלֹ֣והַּ מִמָּ֑עַל וְֽנַחֲלַ֥ת שַׁ֝דַּ֗י מִמְּרֹמִֽים׃

For what part should God from above have in me, and what inheritance the Almighty from on high?

3 הֲלֹא־אֵ֥יד לְעַוָּ֑ל וְ֝נֵ֗כֶר לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃

Is not destruction to the wicked, and aversion to them that work iniquity?

4 הֲלֹא־ה֖וּא יִרְאֶ֣ה דְרָכָ֑י וְֽכָל־צְעָדַ֥י יִסְפֹּֽור׃

Doth not he consider my ways, and number all my steps?

5 אִם־הָלַ֥כְתִּי עִם־שָׁ֑וְא וַתַּ֖חַשׁ עַל־מִרְמָ֣ה רַגְלִֽי׃

If I have walked in vanity, and my foot hath made haste to deceit:

6 יִשְׁקְלֵ֥נִי בְמֹאזְנֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וְיֵדַ֥ע אֱ֝לֹ֗והַּ תֻּמָּתִֽי׃

Let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

7 אִ֥ם תִּטֶּ֣ה אַשֻּׁרִי֮ מִנִּ֪י הַ֫דָּ֥רֶךְ וְאַחַ֣ר עֵ֭ינַי הָלַ֣ךְ לִבִּ֑י וּ֝בְכַפַּ֗י דָּ֣בַק מֻאֽוּם׃ פ

If my step hath turned out of the way, and if my heart hath followed my eyes, and if a spot hath cleaved to my hands:

8 אֶ֭זְרְעָה וְאַחֵ֣ר יֹאכֵ֑ל וְֽצֶאֱצָאַ֥י יְשֹׁרָֽשׁוּ׃

Then let me sow and let another eat: and let my offspring be rooted out.

9 אִם־נִפְתָּ֣ה לִ֭בִּי עַל־אִשָּׁ֑ה וְעַל־פֶּ֖תַח רֵעִ֣י אָרָֽבְתִּי׃

If my heart hath been deceived upon a woman, and if I have laid wait at my friend’s door:

10 תִּטְחַ֣ן לְאַחֵ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֑י וְ֝עָלֶ֗יהָ יִכְרְע֥וּן אֲחֵרִֽין׃

Let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lie with her.

11 כִּי־הוּא (הִ֥יא) זִמָּ֑ה וְהִיא (וְ֝ה֗וּא) עָוֹ֥ן פְּלִילִֽים׃

For this is a heinous crime, and a most grievous iniquity.

12 כִּ֤י אֵ֣שׁ הִ֭יא עַד־אֲבַדֹּ֣ון תֹּאכֵ֑ל וּֽבְכָל־תְּב֖וּאָתִ֣י תְשָׁרֵֽשׁ׃

It is a fire that devoureth even to destruction, and rooteth up all things that spring.

13 אִם־אֶמְאַ֗ס מִשְׁפַּ֣ט עַ֭בְדִּי וַאֲמָתִ֑י בְּ֝רִבָ֗ם עִמָּדִֽי׃

If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me:

14 וּמָ֣ה אֶֽ֭עֱשֶׂה כִּֽי־יָק֣וּם אֵ֑ל וְכִֽי־יִ֝פְקֹ֗ד מָ֣ה אֲשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃

For what shall I do when God shall rise to judge? and when he shall examine, what shall I answer him?

15 הֲ‍ֽ֝לֹא־בַ֭בֶּטֶן עֹשֵׂ֣נִי עָשָׂ֑הוּ וַ֝יְכֻנֶ֗נּוּ בָּרֶ֥חֶם אֶחָֽד׃

Did not he that made me in the womb make him also: and did not one and the same form me in the womb?

16 אִם־אֶ֭מְנַע מֵחֵ֣פֶץ דַּלִּ֑ים וְעֵינֵ֖י אַלְמָנָ֣ה אֲכַלֶּֽה׃

If I have denied to the poor what they desired, and have made the eyes of the widow wait:

17 וְאֹכַ֣ל פִּתִּ֣י לְבַדִּ֑י וְלֹא־אָכַ֖ל יָתֹ֣ום מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof:

18 כִּ֣י מִ֭נְּעוּרַי גְּדֵלַ֣נִי כְאָ֑ב וּמִבֶּ֖טֶן אִמִּ֣י אַנְחֶֽנָּה׃

(For from my infancy mercy grew up with me: and it came out with me from my mother’s womb: )

19 אִם־אֶרְאֶ֣ה אֹ֖ובֵד מִבְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת לָאֶבְיֹֽון׃

If I have despised him that was perishing for want of clothing, and the poor man that had no covering:

20 אִם־לֹ֣א בֵרֲכ֣וּנִי חֲלָצֹו (חֲלָצָ֑יו) וּמִגֵּ֥ז כְּ֝בָשַׂי יִתְחַמָּֽם׃

If his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep:

21 אִם־הֲנִיפֹ֣ותִי עַל־יָתֹ֣ום יָדִ֑י כִּֽי־אֶרְאֶ֥ה בַ֝שַּׁ֗עַר עֶזְרָתִֽי׃

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, even when I saw myself superior in the gate:

22 כְּ֭תֵפִי מִשִּׁכְמָ֣ה תִפֹּ֑ול וְ֝אֶזְרֹעִ֗י מִקָּנָ֥ה תִשָּׁבֵֽר׃

Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken.

23 כִּ֤י פַ֣חַד אֵ֭לַי אֵ֣יד אֵ֑ל וּ֝מִשְּׂאֵתֹ֗ו לֹ֣א אוּכָֽל׃

For I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and his weight I was not able to bear.

24 אִם־שַׂ֣מְתִּי זָהָ֣ב כִּסְלִ֑י וְ֝לַכֶּ֗תֶם אָמַ֥רְתִּי מִבְטַחִֽי׃

If I have thought gold my strength, and have said to fine gold: My confidence:

25 אִם־אֶ֭שְׂמַח כִּי־רַ֣ב חֵילִ֑י וְכִֽי־כַ֝בִּ֗יר מָצְאָ֥ה יָדִֽי׃

If I have rejoiced over my great riches, and because my hand had gotten much.

26 אִם־אֶרְאֶ֣ה אֹ֖ור כִּ֣י יָהֵ֑ל וְ֝יָרֵ֗חַ יָקָ֥ר הֹלֵֽךְ׃

If I beheld the sun when it shined, and the moon going in brightness:

27 וַיִּ֣פְתְּ בַּסֵּ֣תֶר לִבִּ֑י וַתִּשַּׁ֖ק יָדִ֣י לְפִֽי׃

And my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my hand with my mouth:

28 גַּם־ה֖וּא עָוֹ֣ן פְּלִילִ֑י כִּֽי־כִחַ֖שְׁתִּי לָאֵ֣ל מִמָּֽעַל׃

Which is a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God.

29 אִם־אֶ֭שְׂמַח בְּפִ֣יד מְשַׂנְאִ֑י וְ֝הִתְעֹרַ֗רְתִּי כִּֽי־מְצָ֥אֹו רָֽע׃

If I have been glad at the downfall of him that hated me, and have rejoiced that evil had found him.

30 וְלֹא־נָתַ֣תִּי לַחֲטֹ֣א חִכִּ֑י לִשְׁאֹ֖ל בְּאָלָ֣ה נַפְשֹֽׁו׃

For I have not given my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul.

31 אִם־לֹ֣א אָ֭מְרוּ מְתֵ֣י אָהֳלִ֑י מִֽי־יִתֵּ֥ן מִ֝בְּשָׂרֹ֗ו לֹ֣א נִשְׂבָּֽע׃

If the men of my tabernacle have not said: Who will give us of his flesh that we may be filled?

32 בַּ֭חוּץ לֹא־יָלִ֣ין גֵּ֑ר דְּ֝לָתַ֗י לָאֹ֥רַח אֶפְתָּֽח׃

The stranger did not stay without, my door was open to the traveller.

33 אִם־כִּסִּ֣יתִי כְאָדָ֣ם פְּשָׁעָ֑י לִטְמֹ֖ון בְּחֻבִּ֣י עֲוֹֽנִי׃

If as a man I have hid my sin, and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom.

34 כִּ֤י אֶֽעֱרֹ֨וץ ׀ הָ֘מֹ֤ון רַבָּ֗ה וּבוּז־מִשְׁפָּחֹ֥ות יְחִתֵּ֑נִי וָ֝אֶדֹּ֗ם לֹא־אֵ֥צֵא פָֽתַח׃

If I have been afraid at a very great multitude, and the contempt of kinsmen hath terrified me: and I have not rather held my peace, and not gone out of the door.

35 מִ֤י יִתֶּן־לִ֨י ׀ שֹׁ֘מֵ֤עַֽ לִ֗י הֶן־תָּ֭וִי שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְסֵ֥פֶר כָּ֝תַ֗ב אִ֣ישׁ רִיבִֽי׃

Who would grant me a hearer, that the Almighty may hear my desire; and that he himself that judgeth would write a book,

36 אִם־לֹ֣א עַל־שִׁ֭כְמִי אֶשָּׂאֶ֑נּוּ אֶֽעֶנְדֶ֖נּוּ עֲטָרֹ֣ות לִֽי׃

That I may carry it on my shoulder, and put it about me as a crown?

37 מִסְפַּ֣ר צְ֭עָדַי אַגִּידֶ֑נּוּ כְּמֹו־נָ֝גִ֗יד אֲקָרֲבֶֽנּוּ׃

At every step of mine I would pronounce it, and offer it as to a prince.

38 אִם־עָ֭לַי אַדְמָתִ֣י תִזְעָ֑ק וְ֝יַ֗חַד תְּלָמֶ֥יהָ יִבְכָּיֽוּן׃

If my land cry against me, and with it the furrows thereof mourn:

39 אִם־כֹּ֖חָהּ אָכַ֣לְתִּי בְלִי־כָ֑סֶף וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ בְּעָלֶ֣יהָ הִפָּֽחְתִּי׃

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the soul of the tillers thereof:

40 תַּ֤חַת חִטָּ֨ה ׀ יֵ֥צֵא חֹ֗וחַ וְתַֽחַת־שְׂעֹרָ֥ה בָאְשָׁ֑ה תַּ֝֗מּוּ דִּבְרֵ֥י אִיֹּֽוב׃ פ

Let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley.