אִיּוֹב 16

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

But Job answered and said:

2 שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי כְאֵ֣לֶּה רַבּ֑וֹת מְנַחֲמֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

Of such things as these I have heard enough! Miserable comforters are ye all!

3 הֲקֵ֥ץ לְדִבְרֵי־ר֑וּחַ א֥וֹ מַה־יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֶֽה׃

Will there ever be an end to words of wind? What stirreth thee up, that thou answerest?

4 גַּ֤ם ׀ אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֪ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ־יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמ֣וֹ רֹאשִֽׁי׃

I also might speak like you, If ye were now in my place; I might string together words against you, And shake my head at you.

5 אֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם בְּמוֹ־פִ֑י וְנִ֖יד שְׂפָתַ֣י יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the consolation of my lips should sustain you.

6 אִֽם־אֲ֭דַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ כְּאֵבִ֑י וְ֝אַחְדְּלָ֗ה מַה־מִנִּ֥י יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃

If I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And if I forbear, it doth not leave me.

7 אַךְ־עַתָּ֥ה הֶלְאָ֑נִי הֲ֝שִׁמּ֗וֹתָ כָּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

For now He hath quite exhausted me; Thou hast desolated all my house!

8 וַֽ֭תִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵ֣ד הָיָ֑ה וַיָּ֥קָם בִּ֥י כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗י בְּפָנַ֥י יַעֲנֶֽה׃

Thou hast seized hold of me, and this is a witness against me; My leanness riseth up and testifieth against me to my face.

9 אַפּ֤וֹ טָרַ֨ף ׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵ֗נִי חָרַ֣ק עָלַ֣י בְּשִׁנָּ֑יו צָרִ֓י ׀ יִלְט֖וֹשׁ עֵינָ֣יו לִֽי׃

His anger teareth my flesh, and pursueth me; He gnasheth upon me with his teeth; My adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

10 פָּעֲר֬וּ עָלַ֨י ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֗ם בְּ֭חֶרְפָּה הִכּ֣וּ לְחָיָ֑י יַ֝֗חַד עָלַ֥י יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן׃

They gape for me with their mouths; In scorn they smite me on the cheek; With one consent they assemble against me.

11 יַסְגִּירֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל אֶ֣ל עֲוִ֑יל וְעַל־יְדֵ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

God hath given me a prey to the unrighteous, And delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

12 שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי ׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי ל֝֗וֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה׃

I was at ease, but he hath crushed me; He hath seized me by the neck, and dashed me in pieces; He hath set me up for his mark.

13 יָ֘סֹ֤בּוּ עָלַ֨י ׀ רַבָּ֗יו יְפַלַּ֣ח כִּ֭לְיוֹתַי וְלֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מְרֵרָֽתִי׃

His archers encompass me around; He pierceth my reins, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.

14 יִפְרְצֵ֣נִי פֶ֭רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ יָרֻ֖ץ עָלַ֣י כְּגִבּֽוֹר׃

He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He rusheth upon me like a warrior.

15 שַׂ֣ק תָּ֭פַרְתִּי עֲלֵ֣י גִלְדִּ֑י וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי בֶעָפָ֣ר קַרְנִֽי׃

I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And thrust my horn into the dust.

16 פָּנַ֣י חמרמרה מִנִּי־בֶ֑כִי וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

My face is red with weeping, And upon my eyelids is deathlike darkness.

17 עַ֭ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס בְּכַפָּ֑י וּֽתְפִלָּתִ֥י זַכָּֽה׃

Yet is there no injustice in my bands. And my prayer hath been pure.

18 אֶ֭רֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּ֣י דָמִ֑י וְֽאַל־יְהִ֥י מָ֝ק֗וֹם לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃

O earth! cover not thou my blood, And let there be no hiding-place for my cry!

19 גַּם־עַ֭תָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם עֵדִ֑י וְ֝שָׂהֲדִ֗י בַּמְּרוֹמִֽים׃

Yet even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he who knoweth me is on high.

20 מְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃

My friends have me in derision, But my eye poureth out tears unto God.

21 וְיוֹכַ֣ח לְגֶ֣בֶר עִם־אֱל֑וֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָ֥ם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

O that one might contend for a man with God, As a man contendeth with his neighbor!

22 כִּֽי־שְׁנ֣וֹת מִסְפָּ֣ר יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ וְאֹ֖רַח לֹא־אָשׁ֣וּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃

For when a few years shall have passed, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.