אִיּוֹב 6

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

But Job answered and said,

2 ל֗וּ שָׁק֣וֹל יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל כַּעְשִׂ֑י וְ֝הַוָּתִ֗י בְּֽמֹאזְנַ֥יִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃

Oh that one would indeed weigh the wrath that is upon me, and take up my griefs in a balance together!

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

And verily they would be heavier than the sand by the seashore: but, as it seems, my words are vain.

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

For the arrows of the Lord are in my body, whose violence drinks up my blood: whenever I am going to speak, they pierce me.

5 הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּ֥רֶא עֲלֵי־דֶ֑שֶׁא אִ֥ם יִגְעֶה־שּׁ֝֗וֹר עַל־בְּלִילֽוֹ׃

What then? will the wild ass bray for nothing, if he is not seeking food? or again, will the ox low at the manger, when he has a fodder?

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

Shall bread be eaten without salt? or again, is there taste in empty words?

7 מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגּ֣וֹעַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃

For my wrath can’t cease; for I perceive my food as the smell of a lion [to be] loathsome.

8 מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן תָּב֣וֹא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃

For oh that he would grant [my desire], and my petition might come, and the Lord would grant my hope!

9 וְיֹאֵ֣ל אֱ֭לוֹהַּ וִֽידַכְּאֵ֑נִי יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝ד֗וֹ וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃

Let the Lord begin and wound me, but let him not utterly destroy me.

10 וּ֥תְהִי ע֨וֹד ׀ נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה בְ֭חִילָה לֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל כִּי־לֹ֥א כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי אִמְרֵ֥י קָדֽוֹשׁ׃

Let the grave be my city, upon the walls of which I have leaped: I will not shrink from it; for I have not denied the holy words of my God.

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

For what is my strength, that I continue? what is my time, that my soul endures?

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׃

Or have I not trusted in him? but help is [far] from me.

14 לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֽוֹב׃

Mercy has rejected me; and the visitation of the Lord has disregarded me.

15 אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמוֹ־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

My nearest relations have not regarded me; they have passed me by like a failing brook, or like a wave.

16 הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃

They who used to reverence me, now have come against me like snow or congealed ice.

17 בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמּ֗וֹ נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃

When it has melted at the approach of heat, it is not known what it was.

18 יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְח֣וֹת דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

Thus I also have been deserted of all; and I am ruined, and become an outcast.

19 הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְח֣וֹת תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת שְׁ֝בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃

Behold the ways of the Thaemanites, you that mark the paths of the Sabaeans.

20 בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

They too that trust in cities and riches shall come to shame.

21 כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם ל֑וֹ תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃

But you also have come to me without pity; so that beholding my wound you are afraid.

22 הֲֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

What? have I made any demand of you? or do I ask for strength from you,

23 וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

to deliver me from enemies, or to rescue me from the hand of the mighty ones?

24 ה֭וֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

Teach you me, and I will be silent: if in anything I have erred, tell me.

25 מַה־נִּמְרְצ֥וּ אִמְרֵי־יֹ֑שֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִ֖יחַ הוֹכֵ֣חַ מִכֶּֽם׃

But as it seems, the words of a true man are vain, because I do not ask strength of you.

26 הַלְהוֹכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃

Neither will your reproof cause me to cease my words, for neither will I endure the sound of your speech.

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

Even because you attack the fatherless, and insult your friend.

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

But now, having looked upon your countenances, I will not lie.

29 שֻֽׁבוּ־נָ֭א אַל־תְּהִ֣י עַוְלָ֑ה וְשׁ֥וּבוּ ע֝וֹד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃

Sit down now, and let there not be unrighteousness; and unite again with the just.

30 הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֥י עַוְלָ֑ה אִם־חִ֝כִּ֗י לֹא־יָבִ֥ין הַוּֽוֹת׃

For there is no injustice in my tongue; and does not my throat meditate understanding?