1 And Job made answer and said,

1 וַיַּ֥עַן³ אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?

2 אָ֭מְנָם יָדַ֣עְתִּי כִי־כֵ֑ן וּמַה־יִּצְדַּ֖ק אֱנֹ֣ושׁ עִם־אֵֽל׃

3 If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.

3 אִם־יַ֭חְפֹּץ לָרִ֣יב עִמֹּ֑ו לֹֽא־יַ֝עֲנֶ֗נּוּ אַחַ֥ת מִנִּי־אָֽלֶף׃

4 He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?

4 חֲכַ֣ם לֵ֭בָב וְאַמִּ֣יץ כֹּ֑חַ מִֽי־הִקְשָׁ֥ה אֵ֝לָ֗יו וַיִּשְׁלָֽם׃

5 It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:

5 הַמַּעְתִּ֣יק הָ֭רִים וְלֹ֣א יָדָ֑עוּ אֲשֶׁ֖ר הֲפָכָ֣ם בְּאַפֹּֽו׃

6 Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:

6 הַמַּרְגִּ֣יז אֶ֭רֶץ מִמְּקֹומָ֑הּ וְ֝עַמּוּדֶ֗יהָ יִתְפַלָּצֽוּן¹׃

7 Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.

7 הָאֹמֵ֣ר לַ֭חֶרֶס וְלֹ֣א יִזְרָ֑ח וּבְעַ֖ד כֹּוכָבִ֣ים יַחְתֹּֽם׃

8 By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:

8 נֹטֶ֣ה שָׁמַ֣יִם לְבַדֹּ֑ו וְ֝דֹורֵ֗ךְ עַל־בָּ֥מֳתֵי יָֽם׃

9 Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:

9 עֹֽשֶׂה־עָ֭שׁ כְּסִ֥יל וְכִימָ֗ה וְחַדְרֵ֥י תֵמָֽן׃

10 Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.

10 עֹשֶׂ֣ה גְ֭דֹלֹות עַד־אֵ֣ין חֵ֑קֶר וְנִפְלָאֹ֗ות עַד־אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר׃

11 See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.

11 הֵ֤ן יַעֲבֹ֣ר עָ֭לַי וְלֹ֣א אֶרְאֶ֑ה וְ֝יַחֲלֹ֗ף וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֹֽו׃

12 If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?

12 הֵ֣ן יַ֭חְתֹּף מִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ מִֽי־יֹאמַ֥ר אֵ֝לָ֗יו מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃

13 God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.

13 אֱ֭לֹוהַּ לֹא־יָשִׁ֣יב אַפֹּ֑ו תַּחַתֹו תַּחְתָּ֥יו חֲח֗וּ עֹ֣זְרֵי רָֽהַב׃

14 How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?

14 אַ֭ף כִּֽי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֶֽעֱנֶ֑נּוּ אֶבְחֲרָ֖ה דְבָרַ֣י עִמֹּֽו׃

15 Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.

15 אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִם־צָ֭דַקְתִּי לֹ֣א אֶעֱנֶ֑ה לִ֝מְשֹׁפְטִ֗י אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃

16 If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.

16 אִם־קָרָ֥אתִי וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑נִי לֹֽא־אַ֝אֲמִ֗ין כִּֽי־יַאֲזִ֥ין קֹולִֽי׃

17 For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.

17 אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׂעָרָ֥ה יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי וְהִרְבָּ֖ה פְצָעַ֣י חִנָּֽם׃

18 He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.

18 לֹֽא־יִ֭תְּנֵנִי הָשֵׁ֣ב רוּחִ֑י כִּ֥י יַ֝שְׂבִּעַ֗נִי מַמְּרֹרִֽים׃

19 If it is a question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?

19 אִם־לְכֹ֣חַ אַמִּ֣יץ הִנֵּ֑ה וְאִם־לְ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט מִ֣י יֹועִידֵֽנִי׃

20 Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.

20 אִם־אֶ֭צְדָּק פִּ֣י יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי תָּֽם־אָ֝֗נִי וַֽיַּעְקְשֵֽׁנִי׃

21 I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.

21 תָּֽם־אָ֭נִי לֹֽא־אֵדַ֥ע נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶמְאַ֥ס חַיָּֽי׃

22 It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.

22 אַחַ֗ת הִ֥יא עַל־כֵּ֥ן אָמַ֑רְתִּי תָּ֥ם וְ֝רָשָׁ֗ע ה֣וּא מְכַלֶּֽה׃

23 If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.

23 אִםשֹ֭־וט יָמִ֣ית פִּתְאֹ֑ם לְמַסַּ֖ת נְקִיִּ֣ם יִלְעָֽג׃

24 The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?

24 אֶ֤רֶץ׀ נִתְּנָ֬ה בְֽיַד־רָשָׁ֗ע פְּנֵֽי־שֹׁפְטֶ֥יהָ יְכַסֶּ֑ה אִם־לֹ֖א אֵפֹ֣וא מִי־הֽוּא׃

25 My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.

25 וְיָמַ֣י קַ֭לּוּ מִנִּי־רָ֑ץ בָּֽ֝רְח֗וּ לֹא־רָא֥וּ טֹובָֽה׃

26 They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.

26 חָ֭לְפוּ עִם־אֳנִיֹּ֣ות אֵבֶ֑ה כְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁר יָט֥וּשׂ עֲלֵי־אֹֽכֶל׃

27 If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;

27 אִם־אָ֭מְרִי אֶשְׁכְּחָ֣ה שִׂיחִ֑י אֶעֶזְבָ֖ה פָנַ֣י וְאַבְלִֽיגָה׃

28 I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.

28 יָגֹ֥רְתִּי כָל־עַצְּבֹתָ֑י יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּי־לֹ֥א תְנַקֵּֽנִי׃

29 You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?

29 אָנֹכִ֥י אֶרְשָׁ֑ע לָמָּה־זֶּ֝֗ה הֶ֣בֶל אִיגָֽע׃

30 If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;

30 אִם־הִתְרָחַ֥צְתִּי בְמֹו בְמֵי־שָׁ֑לֶג וַ֝הֲזִכֹּ֗ותִי בְּבֹ֣ר כַּפָּֽי׃

31 Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.

31 אָ֭ז בַּשַּׁ֣חַת תִּטְבְּלֵ֑נִי וְ֝תִֽעֲב֗וּנִי שַׂלְמֹותָֽי׃

32 For he is not a man as I am, that I might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.

32 כִּי־לֹא־אִ֣ישׁ כָּמֹ֣נִי אֶֽעֱנֶ֑נּוּ נָבֹ֥וא יַ֝חְדָּ֗ו בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

33 There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.

33 לֹ֣א יֵשׁ־בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ מֹוכִ֑יחַ יָשֵׁ֖ת יָדֹ֣ו עַל־שְׁנֵֽינוּ׃

34 Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:

34 יָסֵ֣ר מֵעָלַ֣י שִׁבְטֹ֑ו וְ֝אֵמָתֹ֗ו אַֽל־תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

35 Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.

35 אַֽ֭דַבְּרָה וְלֹ֣א אִירָאֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כֵ֥ן אָ֝נֹכִ֗י עִמָּדִֽי׃