אִיּוֹב 7

1 הֲלֹא־צָבָ֣א לֶאֱנ֣וֹשׁ עֲלֵי אָ֑רֶץ וְכִימֵ֖י שָׂכִ֣יר יָמָֽיו׃

“Is there not warfare to man on earth? And his days as the days of a hired worker?

2 כְּעֶ֥בֶד יִשְׁאַף־צֵ֑ל וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר יְקַוֶּ֥ה פָעֳלֽוֹ׃

As a servant desires the shadow, And as a hired worker expects his wage,

3 כֵּ֤ן הָנְחַ֣לְתִּי לִ֭י יַרְחֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וְלֵיל֥וֹת עָ֝מָ֗ל מִנּוּ־לִֽי׃

So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And they numbered nights of misery to me.

4 אִם־שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מָתַ֣י אָ֭קוּם וּמִדַּד־עָ֑רֶב וְשָׂבַ֖עְתִּי נְדֻדִ֣ים עֲדֵי־נָֽשֶׁף׃

If I lay down, then I have said, When do I rise, And evening has been measured? And I have been full of tossings until dawn.

5 לָ֘בַ֤שׁ בְּשָׂרִ֣י רִ֭מָּה וְג֣וּשׁ עָפָ֑ר עוֹרִ֥י רָ֝גַ֗ע וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃

My flesh has been clothed [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin has been shriveled and is loathsome,

6 יָמַ֣י קַ֭לּוּ מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶג וַ֝יִּכְל֗וּ בְּאֶ֣פֶס תִּקְוָֽה׃

My days swifter than a loom, And they are consumed without hope.

7 זְ֭כֹר כִּי־ר֣וּחַ חַיָּ֑י לֹא־תָשׁ֥וּב עֵ֝ינִ֗י לִרְא֥וֹת טֽוֹב׃

Remember that my life [is] a breath, My eye does not turn back to see good.

8 לֹֽא־תְ֭שׁוּרֵנִי עֵ֣ין רֹ֑אִי עֵינֶ֖יךָ בִּ֣י וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃

The eye of my beholder does not behold me. Your eyes [are] on me—and I am not.

9 כָּלָ֣ה עָ֭נָן וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ כֵּ֥ן יוֹרֵ֥ד שְׁ֝א֗וֹל לֹ֣א יַעֲלֶֽה׃ (Sheol h7585)

A cloud has been consumed, and it goes, So he who is going down to Sheol does not come up. (Sheol h7585)

10 לֹא־יָשׁ֣וּב ע֣וֹד לְבֵית֑וֹ וְלֹא־יַכִּירֶ֖נּוּ ע֣וֹד מְקֹמֽוֹ׃

He does not turn to his house again, Nor does his place discern him again.

11 גַּם־אֲנִי֮ לֹ֤א אֶחֱשָׂ֫ךְ פִּ֥י אֲֽ֭דַבְּרָה בְּצַ֣ר רוּחִ֑י אָ֝שִׂ֗יחָה בְּמַ֣ר נַפְשִֽׁי׃

Also I do not withhold my mouth—I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.

12 הֲֽיָם־אָ֭נִי אִם־תַּנִּ֑ין כִּֽי־תָשִׂ֖ים עָלַ֣י מִשְׁמָֽר׃

Am I a sea [monster], or a dragon, That You set a watch over me?

13 כִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי תְּנַחֲמֵ֣נִי עַרְשִׂ֑י יִשָּׂ֥א בְ֝שִׂיחִ֗י מִשְׁכָּבִֽי׃

When I said, My bed comforts me, In my talking He takes away my couch.

14 וְחִתַּתַּ֥נִי בַחֲלֹמ֑וֹת וּֽמֵחֶזְיֹנ֥וֹת תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

And You have frightened me with dreams, And You terrify me from visions,

15 וַתִּבְחַ֣ר מַחֲנָ֣ק נַפְשִׁ֑י מָ֝֗וֶת מֵֽעַצְמוֹתָֽי׃

And my soul chooses strangling, Death rather than my bones.

16 מָ֭אַסְתִּי לֹא־לְעֹלָ֣ם אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה חֲדַ֥ל מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי כִּי־הֶ֥בֶל יָמָֽי׃

I have wasted away—I do not live for all time. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.

17 מָֽה־אֱ֭נוֹשׁ כִּ֣י תְגַדְּלֶ֑נּוּ וְכִי־תָשִׁ֖ית אֵלָ֣יו לִבֶּֽךָ׃

What [is] man that You magnify him? And that You set Your heart to him?

18 וַתִּפְקְדֶ֥נּוּ לִבְקָרִ֑ים לִ֝רְגָעִ֗ים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃

And inspect him in the mornings, [And] in the evenings try him?

19 כַּ֭מָּה לֹא־תִשְׁעֶ֣ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי לֹֽא־תַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִי עַד־בִּלְעִ֥י רֻקִּֽי׃

How long do You not look from me? You do not desist until I swallow my spittle.

20 חָטָ֡אתִי מָ֤ה אֶפְעַ֨ל ׀ לָךְ֮ נֹצֵ֪ר הָאָ֫דָ֥ם לָ֤מָה שַׂמְתַּ֣נִי לְמִפְגָּ֣ע לָ֑ךְ וָאֶהְיֶ֖ה עָלַ֣י לְמַשָּֽׂא׃

I have sinned, what do I do to You, O watcher of man? Why have You set me for a mark to You, And I am for a burden to myself—and what?

21 וּמֶ֤ה ׀ לֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א פִשְׁעִי֮ וְתַעֲבִ֪יר אֶת־עֲוֹ֫נִ֥י כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה לֶעָפָ֣ר אֶשְׁכָּ֑ב וְשִׁ֖חֲרְתַּ֣נִי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃ פ

You do not take away my transgression, And [do not] cause my iniquity to pass away, Because now, I lie down in dust, And You have sought me—and I am not!”