1 וַיַּעַן אִיֹּוב וַיֹּאמַר | 1 Then Job answered and said: |
2 לוּ שָׁקֹול יִשָּׁקֵל כַּעְשִׂי [וְהַיָּתִי כ] (וְהַוָּתִי ק) בְּמֹאזְנַיִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָחַד | 2 Ah, could my anguish but be measured and my calamity laid with it in the scales, |
3 כִּי־עַתָּה מֵחֹול יַמִּים יִכְבָּד עַל־כֵּן דְּבָרַי לָעוּ | 3 They would now outweigh the sands of the sea! Because of this I speak without restraint. |
4 כִּי חִצֵּי שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי אֲשֶׁר חֲמָתָם שֹׁתָה רוּחִי בִּעוּתֵי אֱלֹוהַּ יַעַרְכוּנִי | 4 For the arrows of the Almighty pierce me, and my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. |
5 הֲיִנְהַק־פֶּרֶא עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא אִם יִגְעֶהשֹּׁ־ור עַל־בְּלִילֹו | 5 Does the wild ass bray when he has grass? Does the ox low over his fodder? |
6 הֲיֵאָכֵל תָּפֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶלַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַעַם בְּרִיר חַלָּמוּת | 6 Can a thing insipid be eaten without salt? Is there flavor in the white of an egg? |
7 מֵאֲנָה לִנְגֹּועַ נַפְשִׁי הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחְמִי | 7 I refuse to touch them; they are loathsome food to me. |
8 מִי־יִתֵּן תָּבֹוא שֶׁאֱלָתִי וְתִקְוָתִי יִתֵּן אֱלֹוהַּ | 8 Oh, that I might have my request, and that God would grant what I long for: |
9 וְיֹאֵל אֱלֹוהַּ וִידַכְּאֵנִי יַתֵּר יָדֹו וִיבַצְּעֵנִי | 9 Even that God would decide to crush me, that he would put forth his hand and cut me off! |
10 וּתְהִי עֹוד ׀ נֶחָמָתִי וַאֲסַלְּדָה בְחִילָה לֹא יַחְמֹול כִּי־לֹא כִחַדְתִּי אִמְרֵי קָדֹושׁ | 10 Then I should still have consolation and could exult through unremitting pain, because I have not transgressed the commands of the Holy One. |
11 מַה־כֹּחִי כִי־אֲיַחֵל וּמַה־קִּצִּי כִּי־אַאֲרִיךְ נַפְשִׁי | 11 What strength have I that I should endure, and what is my limit that I should be patient? |
12 אִם־כֹּחַ אֲבָנִים כֹּחִי אִם־בְּשָׂרִי נָחוּשׁ | 12 Have I the strength of stones, or is my flesh of bronze? |
13 הַאִם אֵין עֶזְרָתִי בִי וְתֻשִׁיָּה נִדְּחָה מִמֶּנִּי | 13 Have I no helper, and has advice deserted me? |
14 לַמָּס מֵרֵעֵהוּ חָסֶד וְיִרְאַת שַׁדַּי יַעֲזֹוב | 14 A friend owes kindness to one in despair, though he have forsaken the fear of the Almighty. |
15 אַחַי בָּגְדוּ כְמֹו־נָחַל כַּאֲפִיק נְחָלִים יַעֲבֹרוּ | 15 My brethren are undependable as a brook, as watercourses that run dry in the wadies; |
16 הַקֹּדְרִים מִנִּי־קָרַח עָלֵימֹו יִתְעַלֶּם־שָׁלֶג | 16 Though they may be black with ice, and with snow heaped upon them, |
17 בְּעֵת יְזֹרְבוּ נִצְמָתוּ בְּחֻמֹּו נִדְעֲכוּ מִמְּקֹומָם | 17 Yet once they flow, they cease to be; in the heat, they disappear from their place. |
18 יִלָּפְתוּ אָרְחֹות דַּרְכָּם יַעֲלוּ בַתֹּהוּ וְיֹאבֵדוּ | 18 Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go into the desert and perish. |
19 הִבִּיטוּ אָרְחֹות תֵּמָא הֲלִיכֹת בָא קִוּוּ־לָמֹו | 19 The caravans of Tema search, the companies of Sheba have hopes; |
20 בֹּשׁוּ כִּי־בָטָח בָּאוּ עָדֶיהָ וַיֶּחְפָּרוּ | 20 They are disappointed, though they were confident; they come there and are frustrated. |
21 כִּי־עַתָּה הֱיִיתֶם [לֹא כ] (לֹו ק) תִּרְאוּ חֲתַת וַתִּירָאוּ | 21 It is thus that you have now become for me; you see a terrifying thing and are afraid. |
22 הֲכִי־אָמַרְתִּי הָבוּ לִי וּמִכֹּחֲכֶם שִׁחֲדוּ בַעֲדִי | 22 Have I asked you to give me anything, to offer a gift for me from your possessions, |
23 וּמַלְּטוּנִי מִיַּד־צָר וּמִיַּד עָרִיצִים תִּפְדּוּנִי | 23 Or to deliver me from the enemy, or to redeem me from oppressors? |
24 הֹורוּנִי וַאֲנִי אַחֲרִישׁ וּמַהשָּׁ־גִיתִי הָבִינוּ לִי | 24 Teach me, and I will be silent; prove to me wherein I have erred. |
25 מַה־נִּמְרְצוּ אִמְרֵי־יֹשֶׁר וּמַה־יֹּוכִיחַ הֹוכֵחַ מִכֶּם | 25 How agreeable are honest words; yet how unconvincing is your argument! |
26 הַלְהֹוכַח מִלִּים תַּחְשֹׁבוּ וּלְרוּחַ אִמְרֵי נֹאָשׁ | 26 Do you consider your words as proof, but the sayings of a desperate man as wind? |
27 אַף־עַל־יָתֹום תַּפִּילוּ וְתִכְרוּ עַל־רֵיעֲכֶם | 27 You would even cast lots for the orphan, and would barter away your friend! |
28 וְעַתָּה הֹואִילוּ פְנוּ־בִי וְעַל־פְּנֵיכֶם אִם־אֲכַזֵּב | 28 Come, now, give me your attention; surely I will not lie to your face. |
29 שֻׁבוּ־נָא אַל־תְּהִי עַוְלָה [וְשֻׁבִי כ] (וְשׁוּבוּ ק) עֹוד צִדְקִי־בָהּ | 29 Think it over; let there be no injustice. Think it over; I still am right. |
30 הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשֹׁונִי עַוְלָה אִם־חִכִּי לֹא־יָבִין הַוֹּות | 30 Is there insincerity on my tongue, or cannot my taste discern falsehood? |