1 Then Job answered and said,

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Oh that my vexation were but weighed, And all my calamity laid in the balances!

2 ל֗וּ שָׁקֹ֣ול יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל כַּעְשִׂ֑י וְהַיָּתִי וְ֝הַוָּתִ֗י בְּֽמֹאזְנַ֥יִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃

3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas: Therefore have my words been rash.

3 כִּֽי־עַתָּ֗ה מֵחֹ֣ול יַמִּ֣ים יִכְבָּ֑ד עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן דְּבָרַ֥י לָֽעוּ׃

4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

4 כִּ֤י חִצֵּ֪י שַׁדַּ֡י עִמָּדִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲ֭מָתָם שֹׁתָ֣ה רוּחִ֑י בִּעוּתֵ֖י אֱלֹ֣והַּ יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי׃

5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? Or loweth the ox over his fodder?

5 הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּ֥רֶא עֲלֵי־דֶ֑שֶׁא אִ֥ם יִגְעֶהשֹּ֝֗־ור עַל־בְּלִילֹֽו׃

6 Can that which hath no savor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

6 הֲיֵאָכֵ֣ל תָּ֭פֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶ֑לַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַ֝֗עַם בְּרִ֣יר חַלָּמֽוּת׃

7 My soul refuseth to touch `them'; They are as loathsome food to me.

7 מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגֹּ֣ועַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃

8 Oh that I might have my request; And that God would grant `me' the thing that I long for!

8 מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן תָּבֹ֣וא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֹֽוהַּ׃

9 Even that it would please God to crush me; That he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

9 וְיֹאֵ֣ל אֱ֭לֹוהַּ וִֽידַכְּאֵ֑נִי יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝דֹ֗ו וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃

10 And be it still my consolation, Yea, let me exult in pain that spareth not, That I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

10 וּ֥תְהִי³ עֹ֨וד׀ נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה בְ֭חִילָה לֹ֣א יַחְמֹ֑ול כִּי־לֹ֥א כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי אִמְרֵ֥י קָדֹֽושׁ׃

11 What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is mine end, that I should be patient?

11 מַה־כֹּחִ֥י כִֽי־אֲיַחֵ֑ל וּמַה־קִּ֝צִּ֗י כִּֽי־אַאֲרִ֥יךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃

12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass?

12 אִם־כֹּ֣חַ אֲבָנִ֣ים כֹּחִ֑י אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִ֥י נָחֽוּשׁ׃

13 Is it not that I have no help in me, And that wisdom is driven quite from me?

13 הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

14 To him that is ready to faint kindness `should be showed' from his friend; Even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

14 לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֹֽוב׃

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, As the channel of brooks that pass away;

15 אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמֹו־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

16 Which are black by reason of the ice, `And' wherein the snow hideth itself:

16 הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימֹו יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃

17 What time they wax warm, they vanish; When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

17 בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמֹּ֗ו נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקֹומָֽם׃

18 The caravans `that travel' by the way of them turn aside; They go up into the waste, and perish.

18 יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

19 The caravans of Tema looked, The companies of Sheba waited for them.

19 הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמֹו׃

20 They were put to shame because they had hoped; They came thither, and were confounded.

20 בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ¹ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

21 For now ye are nothing; Ye see a terror, and are afraid.

21 כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם לֹא לֹ֑ו תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃

22 Did I say, Give unto me? Or, Offer a present for me of your substance?

22 הֲ‍ֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

23 Or, Deliver me from the adversary's hand? Or, Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?

23 וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

24 Teach me, and I will hold my peace; And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

24 הֹ֭ורוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַהשָּ֝־גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

25 How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what doth it reprove?

25 מַה־נִּמְרְצ֥וּ אִמְרֵי־יֹ֑שֶׁר וּמַה־יֹּוכִ֖יחַ הֹוכֵ֣חַ מִכֶּֽם׃

26 Do ye think to reprove words, Seeing that the speeches of one that is desperate are as wind?

26 הַלְהֹוכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃

27 Yea, ye would cast `lots' upon the fatherless, And make merchandise of your friend.

27 אַף־עַל־יָתֹ֥ום תַּפִּ֑ילוּ וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ עַל־רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃

28 Now therefore be pleased to look upon me; For surely I shall not lie to your face.

28 וְ֭עַתָּה הֹואִ֣ילוּ פְנוּ־בִ֑י וְעַל־פְּ֝נֵיכֶ֗ם אִם־אֲכַזֵּֽב׃

29 Return, I pray you, let there be no injustice; Yea, return again, my cause is righteous.

29 שֻֽׁבוּ־נָ֭א אַל־תְּהִ֣י עַוְלָ֑ה וְשֻׁבִי וְשׁ֥וּבוּ³ עֹ֝וד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃

30 Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern mischievous things?

30 הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשֹׁונִ֥י עַוְלָ֑ה אִם־חִ֝כִּ֗י לֹא־יָבִ֥ין הַוֹּֽות׃