Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just
1 וַיַּ֥עַן (And answered) אִיּ֗וֹב (Job) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (and said):
2 ל֗וּ (If only) שָׁק֣וֹל (with weighing) יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל (could be weighed) כַּעְשִׂ֑י (my grief), וְהַיָּתִי (and my calamity)
בְּֽמֹאזְנַ֥יִם (in the scales) יִשְׂאוּ־ (lifting it up) יָֽחַד׃ (together)!
3 כִּֽי־ (For) עַתָּ֗ה (now) מֵח֣וֹל (more than the sand) יַמִּ֣ים (of the sea) יִכְבָּ֑ד (is it heavy);
עַל־ (and upon) כֵּ֝֗ן (thus) דְּבָרַ֥י (my words) לָֽעוּ׃ (have been rash).
4 כִּ֤י (For) חִצֵּ֪י (the arrows) שַׁדַּ֡י (of Shaddai) עִמָּדִ֗י (are within me)
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (whose) חֲ֭מָתָם (poison) שֹׁתָ֣ה (is drinking in) רוּחִ֑י (my spirit);
בִּעוּתֵ֖י (the terrors) אֱל֣וֹהַּ (of God) יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי׃ (are arrayed against me).
5 הֲיִֽנְהַק־ (Does bray) פֶּ֥רֶא (the wild donkey) עֲלֵי־ (over) דֶ֑שֶׁא (its grass)?
אִ֥ם (Or) יִגְעֶה־ (does bellow) שּׁ֝֗וֹר (the ox) עַל־ (over) בְּלִילֽוֹ׃ (its fodder)?
6 הֲיֵאָכֵ֣ל (Is eaten) תָּ֭פֵל (the unsavory) מִבְּלִי־ (without) מֶ֑לַח (salt)?
אִם־ (Or) יֶשׁ־ (is there) טַ֝֗עַם (flavor) בְּרִ֣יר (in the white) חַלָּמֽוּת׃ (of an egg)?
7 מֵאֲנָ֣ה (Refuses) לִנְגּ֣וֹעַ (to touch them) נַפְשִׁ֑י (my soul)
הֵ֝֗מָּה (they are) כִּדְוֵ֥י (are like disease) לַחְמִֽי׃ (in my food).
8 מִֽי־ (Who) יִ֭תֵּן (shall grant) תָּב֣וֹא (would come) שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י (my request),
וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י (that my hope) יִתֵּ֥ן (may grant) אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃ (God).
9 וְיֹאֵ֣ל (And if were willing) אֱ֭לוֹהַּ (God) וִֽידַכְּאֵ֑נִי (and to crush me),
יַתֵּ֥ר (to let loose) יָ֝ד֗וֹ (His hand) וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃ (and cut me off)!
10 וּ֥תְהִי (And would be) ע֨וֹד׀ (yet) נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י (my comfort),
וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה (and I would leap for joy) בְ֭חִילָה (in my anguish), לֹ֣א (not) יַחְמ֑וֹל (does he spare),
כִּי־ (for) לֹ֥א (not) כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי (I have concealed)
אִמְרֵ֥י (the words) קָדֽוֹשׁ׃ (of the Holy One).
11 מַה־ (What) כֹּחִ֥י (is my power), כִֽי־ (that) אֲיַחֵ֑ל (I should hope)?
וּמַה־ (And what is) קִּ֝צִּ֗י (my end), כִּֽי־ (that) אַאֲרִ֥יךְ (I should prolong) נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (my life)?
12 אִם־ (Is) כֹּ֣חַ (the strength) אֲבָנִ֣ים (of stones) כֹּחִ֑י (my strength)?
אִֽם־ (Or is) בְּשָׂרִ֥י (my flesh) נָחֽוּשׁ׃ (bronze)?
13 הַאִ֬ם (Is) אֵ֣ין (there no) עֶזְרָתִ֣י (help for me) בִ֑י (in me)
וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה (and success) נִדְּחָ֥ה (has been taken away) מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ (from me)?
14 לַמָּ֣ס (To one despairing) מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ (from his friends) חָ֑סֶד (there should be kindness),
וְיִרְאַ֖ת (and the fear) שַׁדַּ֣י (of Shaddai) יַעֲזֽוֹב׃ (he forsakes).
15 אַ֭חַי (My brothers) בָּגְד֣וּ (are treacherous) כְמוֹ־ (like) נָ֑חַל (a wadi),
כַּאֲפִ֖יק (like a channel) נְחָלִ֣ים (of wadis) יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃ (they pass away),
16 הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים (those being darkened) מִנִּי־ (from) קָ֑רַח (the ice),
עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ (upon which) יִתְעַלֶּם־ (hides itself) שָֽׁלֶג׃ (the snow).
17 בְּ֭עֵת (In the time) יְזֹרְב֣וּ (of burning heat) נִצְמָ֑תוּ (they are cut off),
בְּ֝חֻמּ֗וֹ (in the heat) נִדְעֲכ֥וּ (they are extinguished) מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃ (from their place).
18 יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ (Turn aside) אָרְח֣וֹת (the caravans from) דַּרְכָּ֑ם (their paths);
יַעֲל֖וּ (they go up) בַתֹּ֣הוּ (into the wasteland) וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ (and perish).
19 הִ֭בִּיטוּ (Look on) אָרְח֣וֹת (the caravans) תֵּמָ֑א (of Tema);
הֲלִיכֹ֥ת (the travelers) שְׁ֝בָ֗א (of Sheba) קִוּוּ־ (hope) לָֽמוֹ׃ (for it).
20 בֹּ֥שׁוּ (They are ashamed) כִּֽי־ (that) בָטָ֑ח (they had trusted);
בָּ֥אוּ (they come) עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ (unto her) וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃ (and are confounded).
21 כִּֽי־ (For) עַ֭תָּה (now) הֱיִ֣יתֶם (you⁺ are) לֹא (nothing);
תִּֽרְא֥וּ (you⁺ see) חֲ֝תַ֗ת (terror), וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃ (and you⁺ are afraid).
22 הֲֽכִי־ (Is it that) אָ֭מַרְתִּי (I said), הָ֣בוּ (Give) לִ֑י (to me),
וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם (or from your⁺ power) שִׁחֲד֥וּ (offer a bribe) בַעֲדִֽי׃ (on my behalf),
23 וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי (and of did I say deliver me) מִיַּד־ (from the hand) צָ֑ר (of the enemy),
וּמִיַּ֖ד (or from the hand) עָרִיצִ֣ים (of dreadful ones) תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃ (ransom me)’
24 ה֭וֹרוּנִי (teach me), וַאֲנִ֣י (and I) אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ (will be silent).
וּמַה־ (And how) שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי (I have erred) הָבִ֥ינוּ (give understanding of it) לִֽי׃ (to me).
25 מַה־ (How) נִּמְרְצ֥וּ (painful are) אִמְרֵי־ (words that are) יֹ֑שֶׁר (upright)!
וּמַה־ (And what) יּוֹכִ֖יחַ (does argument) הוֹכֵ֣חַ (prove) מִכֶּֽם׃ (from you⁺)?
26 הַלְהוֹכַ֣ח (To correct) מִלִּ֣ים (my words) תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ (do you⁺ think),
וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ (and for wind) אִמְרֵ֥י (are the sayings) נֹאָֽשׁ׃ (of one despairing)?
27 אַף־ (Indeed), עַל־ (over) יָת֥וֹם (the fatherless) תַּפִּ֑ילוּ (you⁺ make it fall),
וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ (and you⁺ would trade) עַל־ (away) רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃ (your⁺ friend).
28 וְ֭עַתָּה (And now) הוֹאִ֣ילוּ (may you be willing) פְנוּ־ (to turn) בִ֑י (toward me),
וְעַל־ (and to) פְּ֝נֵיכֶ֗ם (your⁺ face) אִם־ (or) אֲכַזֵּֽב׃ (I would lie)?
29 שֻֽׁבוּ־ (Turn), נָ֭א (please), אַל־ (let not) תְּהִ֣י (there be) עַוְלָ֑ה (injustice);
וְשֻׁבִי (and turn) ע֝וֹד (even now)— צִדְקִי־ (my righteousness) בָֽהּ׃ (is in it).
30 הֲיֵשׁ־ (Is there) בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֥י (on my tongue) עַוְלָ֑ה (injustice)?
אִם־ (Can) חִ֝כִּ֗י (my palate) לֹא־ (not) יָבִ֥ין (discern) הַוּֽוֹת׃ (malice)?
