1 And Job answereth and saith: --

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 O that my provocation were thoroughly weighed, And my calamity in balances They would lift up together!

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

3 For now, than the sands of the sea it is heavier, Therefore my words have been rash.

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

4 For arrows of the Mighty `are' with me, Whose poison is drinking up my spirit. Terrors of God array themselves `for' me!

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

5 Brayeth a wild ass over tender grass? Loweth an ox over his provender?

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

6 Eaten is an insipid thing without salt? Is there sense in the drivel of dreams?

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

7 My soul is refusing to touch! They `are' as my sickening food.

7 מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגֹּ֣ועַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃

8 O that my request may come, That God may grant my hope!

8 מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן תָּבֹ֣וא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֹֽוהַּ׃

9 That God would please -- and bruise me, Loose His hand and cut me off!

9 וְיֹאֵ֣ל אֱ֭לֹוהַּ וִֽידַכְּאֵ֑נִי יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝דֹ֗ו וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃

10 And yet it is my comfort, (And I exult in pain -- He doth not spare,) That I have not hidden The sayings of the Holy One.

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

11 What `is' my power that I should hope? And what mine 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? Is my flesh brazen?

12 אִם־כֹּ֣חַ אֲבָנִ֣ים כֹּחִ֑י אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִ֥י נָחֽוּשׁ׃

13 Is not my help with me, And substance driven from me?

13 הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

14 To a despiser of his friends `is' shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsaketh.

14 לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֹֽוב׃

15 My brethren have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.

15 אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמֹו־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

16 That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide itself.

16 הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימֹו יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃

17 By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place.

17 בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמֹּ֗ו נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקֹומָֽם׃

18 Turn aside do the paths of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost.

18 יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

19 Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travellers of Sheba hoped for them.

19 הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְחֹ֣ות תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמֹו׃

20 They were ashamed that one hath trusted, They have come unto it and are confounded.

20 בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ¹ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

21 Surely now ye have become the same! Ye see a downfall, and are afraid.

21 כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם לֹא לֹ֑ו תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃

22 Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me?

22 הֲ‍ֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

23 And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, From the hand of terrible ones ransom me?

23 וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

24 Shew me, and I -- I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand.

24 הֹ֭ורוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַהשָּ֝־גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

25 How powerful have been upright sayings, And what doth reproof from you reprove?

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

26 For reproof -- do you reckon words? And for wind -- sayings of the desperate.

26 הַלְהֹוכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃

27 Anger on the fatherless ye cause to fall, And are strange to your friend.

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

28 And, now, please, look upon me, Even to your face do I lie?

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

29 Turn back, I pray you, let it not be perverseness, Yea, turn back again -- my righteousness `is' in it.

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

30 Is there in my tongue perverseness? Discerneth not my palate desirable things?

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