Job 16

וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered:

Then Job answered and said,

שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי כְאֵ֣לֶּה רַבּ֑וֹת מְנַחֲמֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

“I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all.

I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

הֲקֵ֥ץ לְדִבְרֵי־ר֑וּחַ א֥וֹ מַה־יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֶֽה׃

Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying?

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

גַּ֤ם ׀ אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֪ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ־יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמ֣וֹ רֹאשִֽׁי׃

I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.

I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

אֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם בְּמוֹ־פִ֑י וְנִ֖יד שְׂפָתַ֣י יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

אִֽם־אֲ֭דַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ כְּאֵבִ֑י וְ֝אַחְדְּלָ֗ה מַה־מִנִּ֥י יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃

Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?

Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

אַךְ־עַתָּ֥ה הֶלְאָ֑נִי הֲ֝שִׁמּ֗וֹתָ כָּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family.

But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

וַֽ֭תִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵ֣ד הָיָ֑ה וַיָּ֥קָם בִּ֥י כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗י בְּפָנַ֥י יַעֲנֶֽה׃

You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.

And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

אַפּ֤וֹ טָרַ֨ף ׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵ֗נִי חָרַ֣ק עָלַ֣י בְּשִׁנָּ֑יו צָרִ֓י ׀ יִלְט֖וֹשׁ עֵינָ֣יו לִֽי׃

His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.

He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

פָּעֲר֬וּ עָלַ֨י ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֗ם בְּ֭חֶרְפָּה הִכּ֣וּ לְחָיָ֑י יַ֝֗חַד עָלַ֥י יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן׃

They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.

They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

יַסְגִּירֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל אֶ֣ל עֲוִ֑יל וְעַל־יְדֵ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.

God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי ׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי ל֝֗וֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה׃

I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;

I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

יָ֘סֹ֤בּוּ עָלַ֨י ׀ רַבָּ֗יו יְפַלַּ֣ח כִּ֭לְיוֹתַי וְלֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מְרֵרָֽתִי׃

His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.

His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

יִפְרְצֵ֣נִי פֶ֭רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ יָרֻ֖ץ עָלַ֣י כְּגִבּֽוֹר׃

He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.

He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

שַׂ֣ק תָּ֭פַרְתִּי עֲלֵ֣י גִלְדִּ֑י וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי בֶעָפָ֣ר קַרְנִֽי׃

I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.

I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

פָּנַ֣י (חמרמרה) [חֳ֭מַרְמְרוּ] מִנִּי־בֶ֑כִי וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes;

My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

עַ֭ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס בְּכַפָּ֑י וּֽתְפִלָּתִ֥י זַכָּֽה׃

yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.

Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

אֶ֭רֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּ֣י דָמִ֑י וְֽאַל־יְהִ֥י מָ֝ק֗וֹם לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃

O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest.

O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

גַּם־עַ֭תָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם עֵדִ֑י וְ֝שָׂהֲדִ֗י בַּמְּרוֹמִֽים׃

Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.

Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

מְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃

My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.

My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

וְיוֹכַ֣ח לְגֶ֣בֶר עִם־אֱל֑וֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָ֥ם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

כִּֽי־שְׁנ֣וֹת מִסְפָּ֣ר יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ וְאֹ֖רַח לֹא־אָשׁ֣וּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃

For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.

When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.