איוב 6

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And Job made answer and said,

2 לוּ שָׁקוֹל יִשָּׁקֵל כַּעְשִׂי והיתי וְהַוָּתִי בְּֽמֹאזְנַיִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃

If only my passion might be measured, and put into the scales against my trouble!

3 כִּֽי־עַתָּה מֵחוֹל יַמִּים יִכְבָּד עַל־כֵּן דְּבָרַי לָֽעוּ׃

For then its weight would be more than the sand of the seas: because of this my words have been uncontrolled.

4 כִּי חִצֵּי שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי אֲשֶׁר חֲמָתָם שֹׁתָה רוּחִי בִּעוּתֵי אֱלוֹהַּ יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי׃

For the arrows of the Ruler of all are present with me, and their poison goes deep into my spirit: his army of fears is put in order against me.

5 הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּרֶא עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא אִם יִגְעֶה־שּׁוֹר עַל־בְּלִילֽוֹ׃

Does the ass of the fields give out his voice when he has grass? or does the ox make sounds over his food?

6 הֲיֵאָכֵל תָּפֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶלַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַעַם בְּרִיר חַלָּמֽוּת׃

Will a man take food which has no taste without salt? or is there any taste in the soft substance of purslain?

7 מֵאֲנָה לִנְגּוֹעַ נַפְשִׁי הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחְמִֽי׃

My soul has no desire for such things, they are as disease in my food.

8 מִֽי־יִתֵּן תָּבוֹא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִי וְתִקְוָתִי יִתֵּן אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃

If only I might have an answer to my prayer, and God would give me my desire!

9 וְיֹאֵל אֱלוֹהַּ וִֽידַכְּאֵנִי יַתֵּר יָדוֹ וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃

If only he would be pleased to put an end to me; and would let loose his hand, so that I might be cut off!

10 וּתְהִי עוֹד ׀ נֶחָמָתִי וַאֲסַלְּדָה בְחִילָה לֹא יַחְמוֹל כִּי־לֹא כִחַדְתִּי אִמְרֵי קָדֽוֹשׁ׃

So I would still have comfort, and I would have joy in the pains of death, for I have not been false to the words of the Holy One.

11 מַה־כֹּחִי כִֽי־אֲיַחֵל וּמַה־קִּצִּי כִּֽי־אַאֲרִיךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃

Have I strength to go on waiting, or have I any end to be looking forward to?

12 אִם־כֹּחַ אֲבָנִים כֹּחִי אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִי נָחֽוּשׁ׃

Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh brass?

13 הַאִם אֵין עֶזְרָתִי בִי וְתֻשִׁיָּה נִדְּחָה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

I have no help in myself, and wisdom is completely gone from me.

14 לַמָּס מֵרֵעֵהוּ חָסֶד וְיִרְאַת שַׁדַּי יַעֲזֽוֹב׃

He whose heart is shut against his friend has given up the fear of the Ruler of all.

15 אַחַי בָּגְדוּ כְמוֹ־נָחַל כַּאֲפִיק נְחָלִים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

My friends have been false like a stream, like streams in the valleys which come to an end:

16 הַקֹּדְרִים מִנִּי־קָרַח עָלֵימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃

Which are dark because of the ice, and the snow falling into them;

17 בְּעֵת יְזֹרְבוּ נִצְמָתוּ בְּחֻמּוֹ נִדְעֲכוּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃

Under the burning sun they are cut off, and come to nothing because of the heat.

18 יִלָּפְתוּ אָרְחוֹת דַּרְכָּם יַעֲלוּ בַתֹּהוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

The camel-trains go out of their way; they go up into the waste and come to destruction.

19 הִבִּיטוּ אָרְחוֹת תֵּמָא הֲלִיכֹת שְׁבָא קִוּוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃

The camel-trains of Tema were searching with care, the bands of Sheba were waiting for them:

20 בֹּשׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָח בָּאוּ עָדֶיהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

They were put to shame because of their hope; they came and their hope was gone.

21 כִּֽי־עַתָּה הֱיִיתֶם לא לוֹ תִּֽרְאוּ חֲתַת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃

So have you now become to me; you see my sad condition and are in fear.

22 הֲ‍ֽכִי־אָמַרְתִּי הָבוּ לִי וּמִכֹּחֲכֶם שִׁחֲדוּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

Did I say, Give me something? or, Make a payment for me out of your wealth?

23 וּמַלְּטוּנִי מִיַּד־צָר וּמִיַּד עָרִיצִים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

Or, Get me out of the power of my hater? or, Give money so that I may be free from the power of the cruel ones?

24 הוֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִי אַחֲרִישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁגִיתִי הָבִינוּ לִֽי׃

Give me teaching and I will be quiet; and make me see my error.

25 מַה־נִּמְרְצוּ אִמְרֵי־יֹשֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִיחַ הוֹכֵחַ מִכֶּֽם׃

How pleasing are upright words! but what force is there in your arguments?

26 הַלְהוֹכַח מִלִּים תַּחְשֹׁבוּ וּלְרוּחַ אִמְרֵי נֹאָֽשׁ׃

My words may seem wrong to you, but the words of him who has no hope are for the wind.

27 אַף־עַל־יָתוֹם תַּפִּילוּ וְתִכְרוּ עַל־רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃

Truly, you are such as would give up the child of a dead man to his creditors, and would make a profit out of your friend.

28 וְעַתָּה הוֹאִילוּ פְנוּ־בִי וְעַל־פְּנֵיכֶם אִם־אֲכַזֵּֽב׃

Now then, let your eyes be turned to me, for truly I will not say what is false to your face.

29 שֻֽׁבוּ־נָא אַל־תְּהִי עַוְלָה ושבי וְשׁוּבוּ עוֹד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃

Let your minds be changed, and do not have an evil opinion of me; yes, be changed, for my righteousness is still in me.

30 הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִי עַוְלָה אִם־חִכִּי לֹא־יָבִין הַוּֽוֹת׃

Is there evil in my tongue? is not the cause of my trouble clear to me?