אִיּוֹב 13

1 הֶן־כֹּ֭ל רָאֲתָ֣ה עֵינִ֑י שָֽׁמְעָ֥ה אָ֝זְנִ֗י וַתָּ֥בֶן לָֽהּ׃

Truly, my eye has seen all this, word of it has come to my ear, and I have knowledge of it.

2 כְּֽ֭דַעְתְּכֶם יָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־אָ֑נִי לֹא־נֹפֵ֖ל אָנֹכִ֣י מִכֶּֽם׃

The same things are in my mind as in yours; I am equal to you.

3 אוּלָ֗ם אֲ֭נִי אֶל־שַׁדַּ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְהוֹכֵ֖חַ אֶל־אֵ֣ל אֶחְפָּֽץ׃

But I would have talk with the Ruler of all, and my desire is to have an argument with God.

4 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם אַתֶּ֥ם טֹֽפְלֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר רֹפְאֵ֖י אֱלִ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

But you put a false face on things; all your attempts to put things right are of no value.

5 מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישׁ֑וּן וּתְהִ֖י לָכֶ֣ם לְחָכְמָֽה׃

If only you would keep quiet, it would be a sign of wisdom!

6 שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֥א תוֹכַחְתִּ֑י וְרִב֖וֹת שְׂפָתַ֣י הַקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃

Give ear to the argument of my mouth, and take note of the words of my lips.

7 הַ֭לְאֵל תְּדַבְּר֣וּ עַוְלָ֑ה וְ֝ל֗וֹ תְּֽדַבְּר֥וּ רְמִיָּֽה׃

Will you say in God's name what is not right, and put false words into his mouth?

8 הֲפָנָ֥יו תִּשָּׂא֑וּן אִם־לָאֵ֥ל תְּרִיבֽוּן׃

Will you have respect for God's person in this cause, and put yourselves forward as his supporters?

9 הֲ֭טוֹב כִּֽי־יַחְקֹ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם אִם־כְּהָתֵ֥ל בֶּ֝אֱנ֗וֹשׁ תְּהָתֵ֥לּוּ בֽוֹ׃

Will it be good for you to be searched out by him, or have you the thought that he may be guided into error like a man?

10 הוֹכֵ֣חַ יוֹכִ֣יחַ אֶתְכֶ֑ם אִם־בַּ֝סֵּ֗תֶר פָּנִ֥ים תִּשָּׂאֽוּן׃

He will certainly put you right, if you have respect for persons in secret.

11 הֲלֹ֣א שְׂ֭אֵתוֹ תְּבַעֵ֣ת אֶתְכֶ֑ם וּ֝פַחְדּ֗וֹ יִפֹּ֥ל עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃

Will not his glory put you in fear, so that your hearts will be overcome before him?

12 זִֽ֭כְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־אֵ֑פֶר לְגַבֵּי־חֹ֝֗מֶר גַּבֵּיכֶֽם׃

Your wise sayings are only dust, and your strong places are only earth.

13 הַחֲרִ֣ישׁוּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי וַאֲדַבְּרָה־אָ֑נִי וְיַעֲבֹ֖ר עָלַ֣י מָֽה׃

Keep quiet, and let me say what is in my mind, whatever may come to me.

14 עַל־מָ֤ה ׀ אֶשָּׂ֣א בְשָׂרִ֣י בְשִׁנָּ֑י וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י אָשִׂ֥ים בְּכַפִּֽי׃

I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.

15 הֵ֣ן יִ֭קְטְלֵנִי ל֣וֹ אֲיַחֵ֑ל אַךְ־דְּ֝רָכַ֗י אֶל־פָּנָ֥יו אוֹכִֽיחַ׃

Truly, he will put an end to me; I have no hope; but I will not give way in argument before him;

16 גַּם־הוּא־לִ֥י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה כִּי־לֹ֥א לְ֝פָנָ֗יו חָנֵ֥ף יָבֽוֹא׃

And that will be my salvation, for an evil-doer would not come before him,

17 שִׁמְע֣וּ שָׁ֭מוֹעַ מִלָּתִ֑י וְ֝אַֽחֲוָתִ֗י בְּאָזְנֵיכֶֽם׃

Give ear with care to my words, and keep what I say in your minds.

18 הִנֵּה־נָ֭א עָרַ֣כְתִּי מִשְׁפָּ֑ט יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י אֶצְדָּֽק׃

See now, I have put my cause in order, and I am certain that I will be seen to be right.

19 מִי־ה֭וּא יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י כִּֽי־עַתָּ֖ה אַחֲרִ֣ישׁ וְאֶגְוָֽע׃

Is any one able to take up the argument against me? If so, I would keep quiet and give up my breath.

20 אַךְ־שְׁ֭תַּיִם אַל־תַּ֣עַשׂ עִמָּדִ֑י אָ֥ז מִ֝פָּנֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א אֶסָּתֵֽר׃

Only two things do not do to me, then I will come before your face:

21 כַּ֭פְּךָ מֵעָלַ֣י הַרְחַ֑ק וְ֝אֵ֥מָתְךָ֗ אַֽל־תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

Take your hand far away from me; and let me not be overcome by fear of you.

22 וּ֭קְרָא וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה אֽוֹ־אֲ֝דַבֵּ֗ר וַהֲשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃

Then at the sound of your voice I will give answer; or let me put forward my cause for you to give me an answer.

23 כַּמָּ֣ה לִ֭י עֲוֹנ֣וֹת וְחַטָּא֑וֹת פִּֽשְׁעִ֥י וְ֝חַטָּאתִ֗י הֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃

What is the number of my evil-doings and my sins? give me knowledge of them.

24 לָֽמָּה־פָנֶ֥יךָ תַסְתִּ֑יר וְתַחְשְׁבֵ֖נִי לְאוֹיֵ֣ב לָֽךְ׃

Why is your face veiled from me, as if I was numbered among your haters?

25 הֶעָלֶ֣ה נִדָּ֣ף תַּעֲר֑וֹץ וְאֶת־קַ֖שׁ יָבֵ֣שׁ תִּרְדֹּֽף׃

Will you be hard on a leaf in flight before the wind? will you make a dry stem go more quickly on its way?

26 כִּֽי־תִכְתֹּ֣ב עָלַ֣י מְרֹר֑וֹת וְ֝תוֹרִישֵׁ֗נִי עֲוֹנ֥וֹת נְעוּרָֽי׃

For you put bitter things on record against me, and send punishment on me for the sins of my early years;

27 וְתָ֘שֵׂ֤ם בַּסַּ֨ד ׀ רַגְלַ֗י וְתִשְׁמ֥וֹר כָּל־אָרְחוֹתָ֑י עַל־שָׁרְשֵׁ֥י רַ֝גְלַ֗י תִּתְחַקֶּֽה׃

And you put chains on my feet, watching all my ways, and making a limit for my steps;

28 וְ֭הוּא כְּרָקָ֣ב יִבְלֶ֑ה כְּ֝בֶ֗גֶד אֲכָ֣לוֹ עָֽשׁ׃

Though a man comes to nothing like a bit of dead wood, or like a robe which has become food for the worm.