אִיּוֹב 6

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered and said,

2 ל֗וּ שָׁקֹ֣ול יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל כַּעְשִׂ֑י וְהַיָּתִי (וְ֝הַוָּתִ֗י) בְּֽמֹאזְנַ֥יִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃

O that my grief were but weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances!

3 כִּֽי־עַתָּ֗ה מֵחֹ֣ול יַמִּ֣ים יִכְבָּ֑ד עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן דְּבָרַ֥י לָֽעוּ׃

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas. Therefore my words have been rash.

4 כִּ֤י חִצֵּ֪י שַׁדַּ֡י עִמָּדִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲ֭מָתָם שֹׁתָ֣ה רוּחִ֑י בִּעוּתֵ֖י אֱלֹ֣והַּ יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי׃

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison of which my spirit drinks up. The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.

5 הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּ֥רֶא עֲלֵי־דֶ֑שֶׁא אִ֥ם יִגְעֶה־שֹּׁ֝֗ור עַל־בְּלִילֹֽו׃

Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or the ox moo over his fodder?

6 הֲיֵאָכֵ֣ל תָּ֭פֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶ֑לַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַ֝֗עַם בְּרִ֣יר חַלָּמֽוּת׃

Can that which has no savor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

7 מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגֹּ֣ועַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃

My soul refuses to touch them. They are as loathsome food to me.

8 מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן תָּבֹ֣וא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֹֽוהַּ׃

O that I might have my request, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

9 וְיֹאֵ֣ל אֱ֭לֹוהַּ וִֽידַכְּאֵ֑נִי יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝דֹ֗ו וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃

Even that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

10 וּ֥תְהִי עֹ֨וד ׀ נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה בְ֭חִילָה לֹ֣א יַחְמֹ֑ול כִּי־לֹ֥א כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי אִמְרֵ֥י קָדֹֽושׁ׃

And be it still my consolation, yea, let me exult (in pain that does not spare), that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

11 מַה־כֹּחִ֥י כִֽי־אֲיַחֵ֑ל וּמַה־קִּ֝צִּ֗י כִּֽי־אַאֲרִ֥יךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃

What is my strength that I should wait? And what is my end that I should be patient?

12 אִם־כֹּ֣חַ אֲבָנִ֣ים כֹּחִ֑י אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִ֥י נָחֽוּשׁ׃

Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass?

13 הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

Is it not that I have no help in me, and that wisdom is driven quite from me?

14 לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֹֽוב׃

To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be from his friend, even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

15 אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמֹו־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that pass away,

16 הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימֹו יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃

which are black because of the ice, in which the snow hides itself.

17 בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמֹּ֗ו נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקֹומָֽם׃

What time they grow warm, they vanish. When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

18 יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

The caravans that travel by the way of them turn aside. They go up into the waste, and perish.

19 הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת שְׁ֝בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמֹו׃

The caravans of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

20 בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

They were put to shame because they had hoped. They came there, and were confounded.

21 כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם לֹא (לֹ֑ו) תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃

For now ye are nothing. Ye see a terror, and are afraid.

22 הֲ‍ֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

Did I say, Give to me? Or, Offer a present for me from your substance?

23 וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

Or, Deliver me from the adversary's hand? Or, Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?

24 הֹ֭ורוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

Teach me, and I will be quiet. And cause me to understand how I have erred.

25 מַה־נִּמְרְצ֥וּ אִמְרֵי־יֹ֑שֶׁר וּמַה־יֹּוכִ֖יחַ הֹוכֵ֣חַ מִכֶּֽם׃

How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what does it reprove?

26 הַלְהֹוכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃

Do ye think to reprove words, seeing that the speeches of a man who is desperate are as wind?

27 אַף־עַל־יָתֹ֥ום תַּפִּ֑ילוּ וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ עַל־רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃

Yea, ye would cast lots upon the fatherless, and make merchandise of your friend.

28 וְ֭עַתָּה הֹואִ֣ילוּ פְנוּ־בִ֑י וְעַל־פְּ֝נֵיכֶ֗ם אִם־אֲכַזֵּֽב׃

Now therefore be pleased to look upon me, for truly I shall not lie to your face.

29 שֻֽׁבוּ־נָ֭א אַל־תְּהִ֣י עַוְלָ֑ה וְשֻׁבִי (וְשׁ֥וּבוּ) עֹ֝וד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃

Return, I pray you, let there be no injustice. Yea, return again, my cause is righteous.

30 הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשֹׁונִ֥י עַוְלָ֑ה אִם־חִ֝כִּ֗י לֹא־יָבִ֥ין הַוֹּֽות׃

Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern mischievous things?