Job’s Plea to God
1 נָֽקְטָ֥ה (Is weary) נַפְשִׁ֗י (My soul) בְּחַ֫יָּ֥י (of my life);
אֶֽעֶזְבָ֣ה (I will leave) עָלַ֣י (upon myself) שִׂיחִ֑י (my complaint);
אֲ֝דַבְּרָה֗ (I will speak) בְּמַ֣ר (in the bitterness) נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (of my soul).
2 אֹמַ֣ר (I will say) אֶל־ (to) אֱ֭לוֹהַּ (God):
אַל־ (Not) תַּרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי (do condemn me)
הֽ֝וֹדִיעֵ֗נִי (let me know) עַ֣ל (over) מַה־ (what) תְּרִיבֵֽנִי׃ (You contend with me).
3 הֲט֤וֹב (Is it good) לְךָ֨׀ (to You) כִּֽי־ (that) תַעֲשֹׁ֗ק (You oppress),
כִּֽי־ (that) תִ֭מְאַס (You should despise) יְגִ֣יעַ (the work) כַּפֶּ֑יךָ (of Your hands),
וְעַל־ (and upon) עֲצַ֖ת (the counsel) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked) הוֹפָֽעְתָּ׃ (You shine)?
4 הַעֵינֵ֣י (Are eyes) בָשָׂ֣ר (of flesh) לָ֑ךְ (unto You)?
אִם־ (Or) כִּרְא֖וֹת (according to the seeing) אֱנ֣וֹשׁ (of a man) תִּרְאֶֽה׃ (do You see)?
5 הֲכִימֵ֣י (Are they like the days) אֱנ֣וֹשׁ (of a man) יָמֶ֑יךָ (Your days)?
אִם־ (Or) שְׁ֝נוֹתֶ֗יךָ (are Your years) כִּ֣ימֵי (like the days) גָֽבֶר׃ (of a man),
6 כִּֽי־ (that) תְבַקֵּ֥שׁ (You would seek) לַעֲוֺנִ֑י (for my iniquity),
וּ֭לְחַטָּאתִ֥י (and for my sin) תִדְרֽוֹשׁ׃ (You would search)—
7 עַֽל־ (it is upon) דַּ֭עְתְּךָ (Your knowledge) כִּי־ (that) לֹ֣א (not) אֶרְשָׁ֑ע (I am wicked),
וְאֵ֖ין (and there is no) מִיָּדְךָ֣ (from Your hand) מַצִּֽיל׃ (delivering).
8 יָדֶ֣יךָ (Your hands) עִ֭צְּבוּנִי (formed me) וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֑וּנִי (and made me); יַ֥חַד (entirely) סָ֝בִ֗יב (round about)
וַֽתְּבַלְּעֵֽנִי׃ (yet You swallowed me up)?
9 זְכָר־ (Remember), נָ֭א (please), כִּי־ (that) כַחֹ֣מֶר (as from the clay) עֲשִׂיתָ֑נִי (You made me),
וְֽאֶל־ (and into) עָפָ֥ר (the dust) תְּשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃ (will You return me)?
10 הֲלֹ֣א (Was it not) כֶ֭חָלָב (like milk) תַּתִּיכֵ֑נִי (that You poured me out),
וְ֝כַגְּבִנָּ֗ה (and like cheese) תַּקְפִּיאֵֽנִי׃ (You curdled me)?
11 ע֣וֹר (With skin) וּ֭בָשָׂר (and flesh) תַּלְבִּישֵׁ֑נִי (You clothed me),
וּֽבַעֲצָמ֥וֹת (and with bones) וְ֝גִידִ֗ים (and sinews) תְּסֹכְכֵֽנִי׃ (You knit me together).
12 חַיִּ֣ים (Life) וָ֭חֶסֶד (and loving devotion) עָשִׂ֣יתָ (You have done) עִמָּדִ֑י (with me),
וּ֝פְקֻדָּתְךָ֗ (and Your care) שָֽׁמְרָ֥ה (has guarded) רוּחִֽי׃ (my spirit).
13 וְ֭אֵלֶּה (And these things) צָפַ֣נְתָּ (You have hidden) בִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ (in Your heart);
יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי (I know) כִּי־ (that) זֹ֥את (this) עִמָּֽךְ׃ (was with You).
14 אִם־ (If) חָטָ֥אתִי (I sin) וּשְׁמַרְתָּ֑נִי (and You keep watch on me),
וּ֝מֵעֲוֺנִ֗י (and from my iniquity) לֹ֣א (not) תְנַקֵּֽנִי׃ (shall You clear me).
15 אִם־ (If) רָשַׁ֡עְתִּי (I am wicked), אַלְלַ֬י (woe) לִ֗י (to me)!
וְ֭צָדַקְתִּי (And if I am righteous), לֹא־ (not) אֶשָּׂ֣א (can I lift up) רֹאשִׁ֑י (my head).
שְׂבַ֥ע (I am full) קָ֝ל֗וֹן (of shame)—
וּרְאֵ֥ה (and seeing) עָנְיִֽי׃ (my affliction).
16 וְ֭יִגְאֶה (And should it arise),
כַּשַּׁ֣חַל (as a lion) תְּצוּדֵ֑נִי (that You hunt me),
וְ֝תָשֹׁ֗ב (and You turn back) תִּתְפַּלָּא־ (and work wonders) בִֽי׃ (against me).
17 תְּחַדֵּ֬שׁ (You renew) עֵדֶ֨יךָ׀ (Your witnesses) נֶגְדִּ֗י (against me)
וְתֶ֣רֶב (and increase) כַּֽ֭עַשְׂךָ (Your indignation) עִמָּדִ֑י (with me);
חֲלִיפ֖וֹת (changes) וְצָבָ֣א (and warfare)
עִמִּֽי׃ (are with me).
18 וְלָ֣מָּה (And why) מֵ֭רֶחֶם (from the womb) הֹצֵאתָ֑נִי (did You bring me forth)?
אֶ֝גְוַ֗ע (Would that I had expired), וְעַ֣יִן (and an eye) לֹא־ (not) תִרְאֵֽנִי׃ (had seen me).
19 כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (As though) לֹא־ (not) הָיִ֣יתִי (come to be)
אֶהְיֶ֑ה (that I came); מִ֝בֶּ֗טֶן (from the womb) לַקֶּ֥בֶר (to the grave) אוּבָֽל׃ (and was carried).
20 הֲלֹא־ (Are not) מְעַ֣ט (few) יָמַ֣י (my days)?
יֶחְדָּל (Then cease), יָשִׁית (and withdraw) מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי (from me), וְאַבְלִ֥יגָה (and let me smile) מְּעָֽט׃ (a little),
21 בְּטֶ֣רֶם (before) אֵ֭לֵךְ (I go), וְלֹ֣א (and not) אָשׁ֑וּב (shall I return),
אֶל־ (to) אֶ֖רֶץ (the land) חֹ֣שֶׁךְ (of darkness) וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃ (and the shadow of death),
22 אֶ֤רֶץ (a land) עֵיפָ֨תָה׀ (of obscurity) כְּמ֥וֹ (like) אֹ֗פֶל (thick darkness),
צַ֭לְמָוֶת (of the shadow of death) וְלֹ֥א (and no) סְדָרִ֗ים (order),
וַתֹּ֥פַע (and it shines) כְּמוֹ־ (like) אֹֽפֶל׃פ (deep darkness).
