אִיּוֹב 6

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

But Job answered and said,

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

Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

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

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

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

For the arrows of the Almighty [are] within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

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

Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

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

Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there [any] taste in the white of an egg?

7 מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגֹּ֣ועַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃

The things [that] my soul refused to touch [are] as my sorrowful meat.

8 מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן תָּבֹ֣וא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֹֽוהַּ׃

Oh 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 destroy 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׃

Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

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

What [is] my strength, that I should hope? and what [is] mine end, that I should prolong my life?

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] not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

14 לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֹֽוב׃

To him that is afflicted pity [should be shewed] from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

15 אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמֹו־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, [and] as the stream of brooks they pass away;

16 הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימֹו יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃

Which are blackish by reason of the ice, [and] wherein the snow is hid:

17 בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמֹּ֗ו נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקֹומָֽם׃

What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

18 יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

19 הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת שְׁ֝בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמֹו׃

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

20 בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

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

For now ye are nothing; ye see [my] casting down, and are afraid.

22 הֲ‍ֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

23 וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

24 הֹ֭ורוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

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

How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

26 הַלְהֹוכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃

Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, [which are] as wind?

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

Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig [a pit] for your friend.

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

Now therefore be content, look upon me; for [it is] evident unto you if I lie.

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

Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness [is] in it.

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

Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?