וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ Then Job said in reply:
ל֗וּ שָׁק֣וֹל יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל כַּעְשִׂ֑י (והיתי) [וְ֝הַוָּתִ֗י] בְּֽמֹאזְנַ֥יִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃ If my anguish were weighed,
My full calamity laid on the scales,
כִּֽי־עַתָּ֗ה מֵח֣וֹל יַמִּ֣ים יִכְבָּ֑ד עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן דְּבָרַ֥י לָֽעוּ׃ It would be heavier than the sand of the sea;
That is why I spoke recklessly.aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.
כִּ֤י חִצֵּ֪י שַׁדַּ֡י עִמָּדִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲ֭מָתָם שֹׁתָ֣ה רוּחִ֑י בִּעוּתֵ֖י אֱל֣וֹהַּ יַעַרְכֽוּנִי׃ For the arrows of the Almighty are in me;
My spirit absorbs their poison;
God’s terrors are arrayed against me.
הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּ֥רֶא עֲלֵי־דֶ֑שֶׁא אִ֥ם יִגְעֶה־שּׁ֝֗וֹר עַל־בְּלִילֽוֹ׃ Does a wild ass bray when he has grass?
Does a bull bellow over his fodder?
הֲיֵאָכֵ֣ל תָּ֭פֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶ֑לַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַ֝֗עַם בְּרִ֣יר חַלָּמֽוּת׃ Can what is tasteless be eaten without salt?
Does aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.mallow juice-a have any flavor?
מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגּ֣וֹעַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃ I refuse to touch them;
They are like food when I am sick.
מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן תָּב֣וֹא שֶׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃ Would that my request were granted,
That God gave me what I wished for;
וְיֹאֵ֣ל אֱ֭לוֹהַּ וִידַכְּאֵ֑נִי יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝ד֗וֹ וִיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃ Would that God consented to crush me,
Loosed His hand and cut me off.
וּ֥תְהִי־ע֨וֹד ׀ נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה בְ֭חִילָה לֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל כִּי־לֹ֥א כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי אִמְרֵ֥י קָדֽוֹשׁ׃ Then this would be my consolation,
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.As I writhed in unsparing-a pains:
That I did not bMeaning of Heb. uncertain; others “deny the words of the Holy One.”suppress my words against the Holy One.-b
מַה־כֹּחִ֥י כִֽי־אֲיַחֵ֑ל וּמַה־קִּ֝צִּ֗י כִּֽי־אַאֲרִ֥יךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃ What strength have I, that I should endure?
How long have I to live, that I should be patient?
אִם־כֹּ֣חַ אֲבָנִ֣ים כֹּחִ֑י אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִ֥י נָחֽוּשׁ׃ Is my strength the strength of rock?
Is my flesh bronze?
הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ Truly, I cannot help myself;
I have been deprived of resourcefulness.
לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֽוֹב׃ aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.A friend owes loyalty to one who fails,
Though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty;-a
אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמוֹ־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃ My comrades are fickle, like a wadi,
Like a bed on which streams once ran.
הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃ aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.They are dark with ice;
Snow obscures them;-a
בְּעֵ֣ת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמּ֗וֹ נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃ But when they thaw, they vanish;
In the heat, they disappear where they are.
יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אׇרְח֣וֹת דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ Their course twists and turns;
They run into the desert and perish.
הִ֭בִּיטוּ אׇרְח֣וֹת תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת שְׁ֝בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃ Caravans from Tema look to them;
Processions from Sheba count on them.
בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃ They are disappointed in their hopes;
When they reach the place, they stand aghast.
כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם לֹ֑א תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃ So you are as nothing:cFollowing kethib, with Targum; meaning of Heb. uncertain.
At the sight of misfortune, you take fright.
הֲֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃ Did I say to you, “I need your gift;
Pay a bribe for me out of your wealth;
וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃ Deliver me from the clutches of my enemy;
Redeem me from violent men”?
ה֭וֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃ Teach me; I shall be silent;
Tell me where I am wrong.
מַה־נִּמְרְצ֥וּ אִמְרֵי־יֹ֑שֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִ֖יחַ הוֹכֵ֣חַ מִכֶּֽם׃ aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.How trenchant honest words are;-a
But what sort of reproof comes from you?
הַלְהוֹכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃ Do you devise words of reproof,
But count a hopeless man’s words as wind?
אַף־עַל־יָת֥וֹם תַּפִּ֑ילוּ וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ עַֽל־רֵיעֲכֶֽם׃ You would even cast lots over an orphan,
Or barter away your friend.
וְ֭עַתָּה הוֹאִ֣ילוּ פְנוּ־בִ֑י וְעַל־פְּ֝נֵיכֶ֗ם אִם־אֲכַזֵּֽב׃ Now be so good as to face me;
I will not lie to your face.
שֽׁוּבוּ־נָ֭א אַל־תְּהִ֣י עַוְלָ֑ה (ושבי) [וְשׁ֥וּבוּ] ע֝֗וֹד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃ Relent! Let there not be injustice;
Relent! I am still in the right.
הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֥י עַוְלָ֑ה אִם־חִ֝כִּ֗י לֹא־יָבִ֥ין הַוּֽוֹת׃ Is injustice on my tongue?
Can my palate not discern evil?