איוב 16

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Bvt Iob answered, and said,

2 שָׁמַעְתִּי כְאֵלֶּה רַבּוֹת מְנַחֲמֵי עָמָל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

I haue oft times heard such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

3 הֲקֵץ לְדִבְרֵי־רוּחַ אוֹ מַה־יַּמְרִֽיצְךָ כִּי תַעֲנֶֽה׃

Shall there be none ende of wordes of winde? or what maketh thee bold so to answere?

4 גַּם ׀ אָנֹכִי כָּכֶם אֲדַבֵּרָה לוּ־יֵשׁ נַפְשְׁכֶם תַּחַת נַפְשִׁי אַחְבִּירָה עֲלֵיכֶם בְּמִלִּים וְאָנִיעָה עֲלֵיכֶם בְּמוֹ רֹאשִֽׁי׃

I could also speake as yee doe: (but woulde God your soule were in my soules stead) I could keepe you company in speaking, and could shake mine head at you,

5 אֲאַמִּצְכֶם בְּמוֹ־פִי וְנִיד שְׂפָתַי יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

But I woulde strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips should asswage your sorowe.

6 אִֽם־אֲדַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂךְ כְּאֵבִי וְאַחְדְּלָה מַה־מִנִּי יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃

Though I speake, my sorow can not be asswaged: though I cease, what release haue I?

7 אַךְ־עַתָּה הֶלְאָנִי הֲשִׁמּוֹתָ כָּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

But now hee maketh mee wearie: O God, thou hast made all my congregation desolate,

8 וַֽתִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵד הָיָה וַיָּקָם בִּי כַחֲשִׁי בְּפָנַי יַעֲנֶֽה׃

And hast made me full of wrinkles which is a witnesse thereof, and my leannes ryseth vp in me, testifying the same in my face.

9 אַפּוֹ טָרַף ׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵנִי חָרַק עָלַי בְּשִׁנָּיו צָרִי ׀ יִלְטוֹשׁ עֵינָיו לִֽי׃

His wrath hath torne me, and hee hateth me, and gnasheth vpon mee with his teeth: mine enemie hath sharpened his eyes against me.

10 פָּעֲרוּ עָלַי ׀ בְּפִיהֶם בְּחֶרְפָּה הִכּוּ לְחָיָי יַחַד עָלַי יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן׃

They haue opened their mouthes vpon me, and smitten me on the cheeke in reproch; they gather themselues together against me.

11 יַסְגִּירֵנִי אֵל אֶל עֲוִיל וְעַל־יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

God hath deliuered me to the vniust, and hath made mee to turne out of the way by the hands of the wicked.

12 שָׁלֵו הָיִיתִי ׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵנִי וְאָחַז בְּעָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵנִי וַיְקִימֵנִי לוֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה׃

I was in welth, but he hath brought me to nought: he hath taken me by the necke, and beaten me, and set me as a marke for himselfe.

13 יָסֹבּוּ עָלַי ׀ רַבָּיו יְפַלַּח כִּלְיוֹתַי וְלֹא יַחְמוֹל יִשְׁפֹּךְ לָאָרֶץ מְרֵרָֽתִי׃

His archers compasse mee rounde about: he cutteth my reines, and doth not spare, and powreth my gall vpon the ground.

14 יִפְרְצֵנִי פֶרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָרֶץ יָרֻץ עָלַי כְּגִבּֽוֹר׃

He hath broken me with one breaking vpon another, and runneth vpon me like a gyant.

15 שַׂק תָּפַרְתִּי עֲלֵי גִלְדִּי וְעֹלַלְתִּי בֶעָפָר קַרְנִֽי׃

I haue sowed a sackcloth vpon my skinne, and haue abased mine horne vnto the dust.

16 פָּנַי חמרמרה חֳמַרְמְרוּ מִנִּי־בֶכִי וְעַל עַפְעַפַּי צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

My face is withered with weeping, and the shadow of death is vpon mine eyes,

17 עַל לֹא־חָמָס בְּכַפָּי וּֽתְפִלָּתִי זַכָּֽה׃

Though there be no wickednesse in mine hands, and my prayer be pure.

18 אֶרֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּי דָמִי וְֽאַל־יְהִי מָקוֹם לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃

O earth, couer not thou my blood, and let my crying finde no place.

19 גַּם־עַתָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַיִם עֵדִי וְשָׂהֲדִי בַּמְּרוֹמִֽים׃

For lo, now my witnesse is in the heauen, and my record is on hie.

20 מְלִיצַי רֵעָי אֶל־אֱלוֹהַ דָּלְפָה עֵינִֽי׃

My friends speake eloquently against me: but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God.

21 וְיוֹכַח לְגֶבֶר עִם־אֱלוֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

Oh that a man might pleade with God, as man with his neighbour!

22 כִּֽי־שְׁנוֹת מִסְפָּר יֶאֱתָיוּ וְאֹרַח לֹא־אָשׁוּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃

For the yeeres accounted come, and I shall go the way, whence I shall not returne.