Tanach · Writings

Job 16/איוב ט״ז

אוַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

1Job said in reply:

בשָׁמַ֣עְתִּי כְאֵ֣לֶּה רַבּ֑וֹת מְנַחֲמֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

2I have often heard such things;You are all mischievous comforters.

גהֲקֵ֥ץ לְדִבְרֵי־ר֑וּחַ א֥וֹ מַה־יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗ כִּ֣י תַֽעֲנֶֽה׃

3Have windy words no limit?What afflicts you that you speak on?

דגַּ֤ם׀ אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֢ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמ֣וֹ רֹאשִֽׁי׃

4I would also talk like youIf you were in my place;I would barrage you with words,I would wag my head over you.

האֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם בְּמוֹ־פִ֑י וְנִ֖יד שְׂפָתַ֣י יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

5I would encourage you with advice,^a My moving lips would bring relief.

ואִֽם־אֲ֭דַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ כְּאֵבִ֑י וְ֝אַחְדְּלָ֗ה מַה־מִּנִּ֥י יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃

6If I speak, my pain will not be relieved,And if I do not—what have I lost?

זאַךְ־עַתָּ֥ה הֶלְאָ֑נִי הֲ֝שִׁמּ֗וֹתָ כׇּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

7Now [God] has truly worn me out;You have destroyed my whole community.

חוַֽ֭תִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵ֣ד הָיָ֑ה וַיָּ֥קׇם בִּ֥י כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗י בְּפָנַ֥י יַעֲנֶֽה׃

8You have shriveled me;My gauntness serves as a witness,And testifies against me.

טאַפּ֤וֹ טָרַ֨ף׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵ֗נִי חָרַ֣ק עָלַ֣י בְּשִׁנָּ֑יו צָרִ֓י׀ יִלְטֹ֖שׁ עֵינָ֣יו לִֽי׃

9By God’s anger I am torn and persecuted;With teeth gnashing at me,My Foe stabs me with a stare.

יפָּעֲר֬וּ עָלַ֨י׀ בְּפִיהֶ֗ם בְּ֭חֶרְפָּה הִכּ֣וּ לְחָיָ֑י יַ֝֗חַד עָלַ֥י יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן׃

10They open wide their mouths at me;Reviling me, they strike my cheeks;They inflame themselves against me.

יאיַסְגִּירֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל אֶ֣ל עֲוִ֑יל וְעַל־יְדֵ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

11God hands me over to an evildoer,Thrusts me into the clutches of the wicked.

יבשָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עׇרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי ל֝֗וֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה׃

12I had been untroubled, and [God] broke me in pieces—Taking me by the scruff and shattering me,Setting me up as a target,

יגיָ֘סֹ֤בּוּ עָלַ֨י׀ רַבָּ֗יו יְפַלַּ֣ח כִּ֭לְיוֹתַי וְלֹ֣א יַחְמֹ֑ל יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מְרֵרָתִֽי׃

13As archers surrounded me;My kidneys were pierced; I was shown no mercy;My bile spilled onto the ground.

ידיִפְרְצֵ֣נִי פֶ֭רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ יָרֻ֖ץ עָלַ֣י כְּגִבּֽוֹר׃

14[God] breached me, breach after breach,Rushing at me like a warrior.

טושַׂ֣ק תָּ֭פַרְתִּי עֲלֵ֣י גִלְדִּ֑י וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי בֶעָפָ֣ר קַרְנִֽי׃

15I sewed sackcloth over my skin;I buried my glory in^b the dust.

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

16My face is red with weeping;Darkness covers my eyes

יזעַ֭ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס בְּכַפָּ֑י וּֽתְפִלָּתִ֥י זַכָּֽה׃

17For no injustice on my partAnd for the purity of my prayer!^c

יחאֶ֭רֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּ֣י דָמִ֑י וְֽאַל־יְהִ֥י מָ֝ק֗וֹם לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃

18Earth, do not cover my blood;Let there be no resting place for my outcry!

יטגַּם־עַ֭תָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם עֵדִ֑י וְ֝שָׂהֲדִ֗י בַּמְּרֹמִֽים׃

19Surely now my witness is in heaven;The One who can testify for me is on high.

כמְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃

20O my advocates, my fellows,Before God my eyes shed tears;

כאוְיוֹכַ֣ח לְגֶ֣בֶר עִם־אֱל֑וֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָ֥ם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

21Let arbitration be made between a person^d and GodAs between one mortal and another.

כבכִּֽי־שְׁנ֣וֹת מִסְפָּ֣ר יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ וְאֹ֖רַח לֹא־אָשׁ֣וּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃

22For a few more years will pass,And I shall go the way of no return.