1 But Job answered and said,

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

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

3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

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

4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison of which drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God 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 is unsavory 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 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful food.

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 destroy 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; yes, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed 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 my end, that I should prolong my life?

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 not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

13 הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shown from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

14 לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֹֽוב׃

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

15 אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמֹו־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and in which the snow is hid:

16 הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימֹו יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃

17 In the time when they become warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

17 בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמֹּ֗ו נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקֹומָֽם׃

18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

18 יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

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

19 הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמֹו׃

20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

20 בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ¹ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

21 For now ye are nothing: ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

21 כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם לֹא לֹ֑ו תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃

22 Did I say, Bring to me? or Give a reward for me of your substance?

22 הֲ‍ֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

23 וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand in what I have erred.

24 הֹ֭ורוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַהשָּ֝־גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

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

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

26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

26 הַלְהֹוכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃

27 Yes, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

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

28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident to you if I lie.

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

29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yes, return again, my righteousness is in it.

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

30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?

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