1 Then Job answered and said,

1 וַיַּ֥עַן³ אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

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

3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

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

4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

4 חֲכַ֣ם לֵ֭בָב וְאַמִּ֣יץ כֹּ֑חַ מִֽי־הִקְשָׁ֥ה אֵ֝לָ֗יו וַיִּשְׁלָֽם׃

5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

5 הַמַּעְתִּ֣יק הָ֭רִים וְלֹ֣א יָדָ֑עוּ אֲשֶׁ֖ר הֲפָכָ֣ם בְּאַפֹּֽו׃

6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

6 הַמַּרְגִּ֣יז אֶ֭רֶץ מִמְּקֹומָ֑הּ וְ֝עַמּוּדֶ֗יהָ יִתְפַלָּצֽוּן¹׃

7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

7 הָאֹמֵ֣ר לַ֭חֶרֶס וְלֹ֣א יִזְרָ֑ח וּבְעַ֖ד כֹּוכָבִ֣ים יַחְתֹּֽם׃

8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

8 נֹטֶ֣ה שָׁמַ֣יִם לְבַדֹּ֑ו וְ֝דֹורֵ֗ךְ עַל־בָּ֥מֳתֵי יָֽם׃

9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

9 עֹֽשֶׂה־עָ֭שׁ כְּסִ֥יל וְכִימָ֗ה וְחַדְרֵ֥י תֵמָֽן׃

10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

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

11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

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

12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

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

13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

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

14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

14 אַ֭ף כִּֽי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֶֽעֱנֶ֑נּוּ אֶבְחֲרָ֖ה דְבָרַ֣י עִמֹּֽו׃

15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

15 אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִם־צָ֭דַקְתִּי לֹ֣א אֶעֱנֶ֑ה לִ֝מְשֹׁפְטִ֗י אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃

16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

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

17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

17 אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׂעָרָ֥ה יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי וְהִרְבָּ֖ה פְצָעַ֣י חִנָּֽם׃

18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

18 לֹֽא־יִ֭תְּנֵנִי הָשֵׁ֣ב רוּחִ֑י כִּ֥י יַ֝שְׂבִּעַ֗נִי מַמְּרֹרִֽים׃

19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

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

20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

20 אִם־אֶ֭צְדָּק פִּ֣י יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי תָּֽם־אָ֝֗נִי וַֽיַּעְקְשֵֽׁנִי׃

21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

21 תָּֽם־אָ֭נִי לֹֽא־אֵדַ֥ע נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶמְאַ֥ס חַיָּֽי׃

22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

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

23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

23 אִםשֹ֭־וט יָמִ֣ית פִּתְאֹ֑ם לְמַסַּ֖ת נְקִיִּ֣ם יִלְעָֽג׃

24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

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

25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

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

26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

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

27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

27 אִם־אָ֭מְרִי אֶשְׁכְּחָ֣ה שִׂיחִ֑י אֶעֶזְבָ֖ה פָנַ֣י וְאַבְלִֽיגָה׃

28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

28 יָגֹ֥רְתִּי כָל־עַצְּבֹתָ֑י יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּי־לֹ֥א תְנַקֵּֽנִי׃

29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

29 אָנֹכִ֥י אֶרְשָׁ֑ע לָמָּה־זֶּ֝֗ה הֶ֣בֶל אִיגָֽע׃

30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

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

31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

31 אָ֭ז בַּשַּׁ֣חַת תִּטְבְּלֵ֑נִי וְ֝תִֽעֲב֗וּנִי שַׂלְמֹותָֽי׃

32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

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

33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

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

34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

34 יָסֵ֣ר מֵעָלַ֣י שִׁבְטֹ֑ו וְ֝אֵמָתֹ֗ו אַֽל־תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

35 אַֽ֭דַבְּרָה וְלֹ֣א אִירָאֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כֵ֥ן אָ֝נֹכִ֗י עִמָּדִֽי׃