איוב 13

1 הן כל ראתה עיני שמעה אזני ותבן לה׃

“Hey, I [SYN] have seen everything [that you have seen], and I have heard and understood all [that you have said].

2 כדעתכם ידעתי גם אני לא נפל אנכי מכם׃

What you know, I also know; I do (not know less than/know as much as) you.

3 אולם אני אל שדי אדבר והוכח אל אל אחפץ׃

But I would like to speak to Almighty God, [not to you]; I would like to argue with him [and prove that I (am innocent/have not done things that are wrong]).

4 ואולם אתם טפלי שקר רפאי אלל כלכם׃

As for you, you do not allow people to know the truth about me, like someone covers [up a bad surface of a wall] with whitewash [MET]. You are all like doctors [MET] [that give people] useless [medicines].

5 מי יתן החרש תחרישון ותהי לכם לחכמה׃

I wish/desire that you would be silent; that would be the wisest thing that you [could do].

6 שמעו נא תוכחתי ורבות שפתי הקשיבו׃

Listen to what I will say to you now; listen while I am saying [what is true about myself].

7 הלאל תדברו עולה ולו תדברו רמיה׃

Are you telling lies about me to prove God [is just in causing me to suffer]? Are you saying what is deceitful in order to benefit him?

8 הפניו תשאון אם לאל תריבון׃

Are you trying to defend him? Are you trying to prove [as you would] in a court that he is innocent?

9 הטוב כי יחקר אתכם אם כהתל באנוש תהתלו בו׃

If he looks closely, will he find that everything that you have done is good? Or can you deceive him, like you deceive other people?

10 הוכח יוכיח אתכם אם בסתר פנים תשאון׃

If you secretly say/do things to cause God to act favorably toward you, he will surely rebuke you.

11 הלא שאתו תבעת אתכם ופחדו יפל עליכם׃

He will certainly [RHQ] cause you to be terrified by his power/greatness; you will become extremely afraid.

12 זכרניכם משלי אפר לגבי חמר גביכם׃

The things that you say [that you think are] wise are [as useless as] [MET] as ashes; what you say to defend your opinions is no better than [MET] clay [that quickly crumbles].

13 החרישו ממני ואדברה אני ויעבר עלי מה׃

“So, be quiet and allow me to speak, and then it will not matter what happens to me.

14 על מה אשא בשרי בשני ונפשי אשים בכפי׃

I am ready to endure anything; I am [even] willing to risk being executed [IDM, DOU] [for what I will say].

15 הן יקטלני לא איחל אך דרכי אל פניו אוכיח׃

If God kills me, then I will not have anyone else whom I can confidently expect to help me, but I am going to defend my behavior in his presence [anyway].

16 גם הוא לי לישועה כי לא לפניו חנף יבוא׃

No wicked/godless person would dare to stand in the presence of God, [but because I say that I have not done things that are wrong], perhaps, if I can prove that to God, he will save me.”

17 שמעו שמוע מלתי ואחותי באזניכם׃

“God, listen very carefully to what I say [DOU].

18 הנה נא ערכתי משפט ידעתי כי אני אצדק׃

I am ready to prove that I am innocent, and I know that you also will declare that I am not guilty.

19 מי הוא יריב עמדי כי עתה אחריש ואגוע׃

I certainly do not think [RHQ] that [you or anyone else] will say that what I say is not true; if anyone did that, I would (be silent/stop talking) and die.

20 אך שתים אל תעש עמדי אז מפניך לא אסתר׃

“I am requesting you to do two things for me; if you do them, I will (not hide from you/come and stand in front of you) [LIT].

21 כפך מעלי הרחק ואמתך אל תבעתני׃

[The first thing that I request is that you] stop punishing [IDM] me; and [the second thing that I request is that you] stop causing me to be very terrified.

22 וקרא ואנכי אענה או אדבר והשיבני׃

You speak [first], and then I will reply; or allow me to speak first, and [then] you reply.

23 כמה לי עונות וחטאות פשעי וחטאתי הדיעני׃

What have I done that is wrong? What sins have I committed? Show me how I have disobeyed you.

24 למה פניך תסתיר ותחשבני לאויב לך׃

Why (do you refuse to be friendly with/have you abandoned) me [IDM]? Why do you (act toward me as though I am/consider me to be) your enemy?

25 העלה נדף תערוץ ואת קש יבש תרדף׃

I am [as insignificant as] [MET] a leaf that is blown by the wind; why are you trying to cause me to be afraid [RHQ]? Why are you pursuing me? Am I [useless, nothing more than a bit of] dry chaff [RHQ]?

26 כי תכתב עלי מררות ותורישני עונות נעורי׃

[It seems that] you are writing things to accuse me [of doing things that are wrong], even recalling bad things that I did when I was young.

27 ותשם בסד רגלי ותשמור כל ארחותי על שרשי רגלי תתחקה׃

[It is as though] you have fastened my feet with chains [to prevent me from walking], and you watch me wherever I walk; [It is as though] you even look closely at my footprints [to see where I have gone].

28 והוא כרקב יבלה כבגד אכלו עש׃

[As a result], my body is decaying like [SIM] rotten wood, like a piece of cloth that is eaten by [larvae of] moths.”