איוב 13

1 הֶן־כֹּל רָאֲתָה עֵינִי שָֽׁמְעָה אָזְנִי וַתָּבֶן לָֽהּ׃

Behold, mine eye has seen these things, and mine ear has heard [them].

2 כְּֽדַעְתְּכֶם יָדַעְתִּי גַם־אָנִי לֹא־נֹפֵל אָנֹכִי מִכֶּֽם׃

And I know all that ye too know; and I have not less understanding than you.

3 אוּלָם אֲנִי אֶל־שַׁדַּי אֲדַבֵּר וְהוֹכֵחַ אֶל־אֵל אֶחְפָּֽץ׃

Nevertheless I will speak to the Lord, and I will reason before him, if he will.

4 וְֽאוּלָם אַתֶּם טֹֽפְלֵי־שָׁקֶר רֹפְאֵי אֱלִל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

But ye are all bad physicians, and healers of diseases.

5 מִֽי־יִתֵּן הַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישׁוּן וּתְהִי לָכֶם לְחָכְמָֽה׃

But would that ye were silent, and it would be wisdom to you in the end.

6 שִׁמְעוּ־נָא תוֹכַחְתִּי וְרִבוֹת שְׂפָתַי הַקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃

But hear ye the reasoning of my mouth, and attend to the judgment of my lips.

7 הַלְאֵל תְּדַבְּרוּ עַוְלָה וְלוֹ תְּֽדַבְּרוּ רְמִיָּֽה׃

Do ye not speak before the Lord, and utter deceit before him?

8 הֲפָנָיו תִּשָּׂאוּן אִם־לָאֵל תְּרִיבֽוּן׃

Or will ye draw back? nay do, ye yourselves be judges.

9 הֲטוֹב כִּֽי־יַחְקֹר אֶתְכֶם אִם־כְּהָתֵל בֶּאֱנוֹשׁ תְּהָתֵלּוּ בֽוֹ׃

For [it were] well if he would thoroughly search you: for though doing all things [in your power] ye should attach yourselves to him,

10 הוֹכֵחַ יוֹכִיחַ אֶתְכֶם אִם־בַּסֵּתֶר פָּנִים תִּשָּׂאֽוּן׃

he will not reprove you at all the less: but if moreover ye should secretly respect persons,

11 הֲלֹא שְׂאֵתוֹ תְּבַעֵת אֶתְכֶם וּפַחְדּוֹ יִפֹּל עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃

shall not his whirlpool sweep you round, and terror from him fall upon you?

12 זִֽכְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־אֵפֶר לְגַבֵּי־חֹמֶר גַּבֵּיכֶֽם׃

And your glorying shall prove in the end to you like ashes, and your body [like a body] of clay.

13 הַחֲרִישׁוּ מִמֶּנִּי וַאֲדַבְּרָה־אָנִי וְיַעֲבֹר עָלַי מָֽה׃

Be silent, that I may speak, and cease from [mine] anger,

14 עַל־מָה ׀ אֶשָּׂא בְשָׂרִי בְשִׁנָּי וְנַפְשִׁי אָשִׂים בְּכַפִּֽי׃

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

15 הֵן יִקְטְלֵנִי לא לוֹ אֲיַחֵל אַךְ־דְּרָכַי אֶל־פָּנָיו אוֹכִֽיחַ׃

Though the Mighty One should lay hand upon me, forasmuch as he has begun, verily I will speak, and plead before him.

16 גַּם־הוּא־לִי לִֽישׁוּעָה כִּי־לֹא לְפָנָיו חָנֵף יָבֽוֹא׃

And this shall turn to me for salvation; for fraud shall have no entrance before him.

17 שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ מִלָּתִי וְאֽ͏ַחֲוָתִי בְּאָזְנֵיכֶֽם׃

Hear, hear ye my words, for I will declare in your hearing.

18 הִנֵּה־נָא עָרַכְתִּי מִשְׁפָּט יָדַעְתִּי כִּֽי־אֲנִי אֶצְדָּֽק׃

Behold, I am near my judgment: I know that I shall appear evidently just.

19 מִי־הוּא יָרִיב עִמָּדִי כִּֽי־עַתָּה אַחֲרִישׁ וְאֶגְוָֽע׃

For who is he that shall plead with me, that I should now be silent, and expire?

20 אַךְ־שְׁתַּיִם אַל־תַּעַשׂ עִמָּדִי אָז מִפָּנֶיךָ לֹא אֶסָּתֵֽר׃

But grant me two things: then I will not hide myself from thy face.

21 כַּפְּךָ מֵעָלַי הַרְחַק וְאֵמָתְךָ אַֽל־תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

Withhold [thine] hand from me: and let not thy fear terrify me.

22 וּקְרָא וְאָנֹכִי אֶֽעֱנֶה אֽוֹ־אֲדַבֵּר וַהֲשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃

Then shalt thou call, and I will hearken to thee: or thou shalt speak, and I will give thee an answer.

23 כַּמָּה לִי עֲוֺנוֹת וְחַטָּאוֹת פִּֽשְׁעִי וְחַטָּאתִי הֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃

How many are my sins and my transgressions? teach me what they are.

24 לָֽמָּה־פָנֶיךָ תַסְתִּיר וְתַחְשְׁבֵנִי לְאוֹיֵב לָֽךְ׃

Wherefore hidest thou thyself from me, and deemest me thine enemy?

25 הֶעָלֶה נִדָּף תַּעֲרוֹץ וְאֶת־קַשׁ יָבֵשׁ תִּרְדֹּֽף׃

Wilt thou be startled [at me], as [at] a leaf shaken by the wind? or wilt thou set thyself against me as against grass borne upon the breeze?

26 כִּֽי־תִכְתֹּב עָלַי מְרֹרוֹת וְתוֹרִישֵׁנִי עֲוֺנוֹת נְעוּרָֽי׃

for thou hast written evil things against me, and thou hast compassed me with the sins of my youth.

27 וְתָשֵׂם בַּסַּד ׀ רַגְלַי וְתִשְׁמוֹר כָּל־אָרְחוֹתָי עַל־שָׁרְשֵׁי רַגְלַי תִּתְחַקֶּֽה׃

And thou hast placed my foot in the stocks; and thou hast watched all my works, and hast penetrated my heels.

28 וְהוּא כְּרָקָב יִבְלֶה כְּבֶגֶד אֲכָלוֹ עָֽשׁ׃

[I am as] that which waxes old like a bottle, or like a moth-eaten garment.