1 And Job answered and said,

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Oh that my grief were thoroughly 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 my words are vehement.

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

4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, their poison drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of +God are arrayed against me.

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

5 Doth the wild ass bray by the grass? loweth an ox over his fodder?

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

6 Shall that which is insipid be eaten without salt? Is there any taste in the white of an egg?

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

7 What my soul refuseth to touch, that is as my loathsome food.

7 מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגֹּ֣ועַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃

8 Oh that I might have my request, and that +God would grant my desire!

8 מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן תָּבֹ֣וא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֹֽוהַּ׃

9 And 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 Then should I yet have comfort; and in the pain which spareth not I would rejoice 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 hope? and what is mine end, that I should have patience?

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

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

12 אִם־כֹּ֣חַ אֲבָנִ֣ים כֹּחִ֑י אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִ֥י נָחֽוּשׁ׃

13 Is it not that there is no help in me, and soundness is driven away from me?

13 הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

14 For him that is fainting kindness [is meet] from his friend; or he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

14 לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֹֽוב׃

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a stream, as the channel of streams which pass away,

15 אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמֹו־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

16 Which are turbid by reason of the ice, in which the snow hideth itself:

16 הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימֹו יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃

17 At the time they diminish, they are dried up; when heat affecteth them, they vanish from their place:

17 בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמֹּ֗ו נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקֹומָֽם׃

18 They wind about in the paths of their course, they go off into the waste and perish.

18 יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

19 The caravans of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba counted on them:

19 הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמֹו׃

20 They are ashamed at their hope; they come thither, and are confounded.

20 בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ¹ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

21 So now ye are nothing; ye see a terrible object and are afraid.

21 כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם לֹא לֹ֑ו תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃

22 Did I say, Bring unto me, and make me a present from your substance?

22 הֲ‍ֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

23 Or, rescue me from the hand of the oppressor, and redeem me from the hand of the violent?

23 וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

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

24 הֹ֭ורוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַהשָּ֝־גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your upbraiding reprove?

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

26 Do ye imagine to reprove words? The speeches of one that is desperate are indeed for the wind.

26 הַלְהֹוכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃

27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and dig [a pit] for your friend.

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

28 Now therefore if ye will, look upon me; and it shall be to your face if I lie.

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

29 Return, I pray you, let there be no wrong; yea, return again, my righteousness shall be in it.

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

30 Is there wrong in my tongue? cannot my taste discern mischievous things?

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