1 And Job answereth and saith: --

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters `are' ye all.

2 שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי כְאֵ֣לֶּה רַבֹּ֑ות מְנַחֲמֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

3 Is there an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest?

3 הֲקֵ֥ץ לְדִבְרֵי־ר֑וּחַ אֹ֥ו מַה־יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֶֽה׃

4 I also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.

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

5 I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.

5 אֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם בְּמֹו־פִ֑י וְנִ֖יד שְׂפָתַ֣י יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃

6 If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease -- what goeth from me?

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

7 Only, now, it hath wearied me; Thou hast desolated all my company,

7 אַךְ־עַתָּ֥ה הֶלְאָ֑נִי הֲ֝שִׁמֹּ֗ותָ כָּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃

8 And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth.

8 וַֽ֭תִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵ֣ד הָיָ֑ה וַיָּ֥קָם בִּ֥י כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗י בְּפָנַ֥י יַעֲנֶֽה׃

9 His anger hath torn, and he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth his eyes for me.

9 אַפֹּ֤ו טָרַ֨ף׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵ֗נִי חָרַ֣ק עָלַ֣י בְּשִׁנָּ֑יו צָרִ֓י׀ יִלְטֹ֖ושׁ עֵינָ֣יו לִֽי׃

10 They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.

10 פָּעֲר֬וּ עָלַ֨י׀ בְּפִיהֶ֗ם בְּ֭חֶרְפָּה הִכּ֣וּ לְחָיָ֑י יַ֝֗חַד עָלַ֥י יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן׃

11 God shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over.

11 יַסְגִּירֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל אֶ֣ל עֲוִ֑יל וְעַל־יְדֵ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃

12 At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.

12 שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי לֹ֝֗ו לְמַטָּרָֽה׃

13 Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall.

13 יָ֘סֹ֤בּוּ עָלַ֨י׀ רַבָּ֗יו יְפַלַּ֣ח כִּ֭לְיֹותַי וְלֹ֣א יַחְמֹ֑ול יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מְרֵרָֽתִי׃

14 He breaketh me -- breach upon breach, He runneth upon me as a mighty one.

14 יִפְרְצֵ֣נִי פֶ֭רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ יָרֻ֖ץ עָלַ֣י כְּגִבֹּֽור׃

15 Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn.

15 שַׂ֣ק תָּ֭פַרְתִּי עֲלֵ֣י גִלְדִּ֑י וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי בֶעָפָ֣ר קַרְנִֽי׃

16 My face is foul with weeping, And on mine eyelids `is' death-shade.

16 פָּנַ֣י חֳמַרְמְרָה חֳ֭מַרְמְרוּ מִנִּי־בֶ֑כִי וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

17 Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer `is' pure.

17 עַ֭ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס בְּכַפָּ֑י וּֽתְפִלָּתִ֥י זַכָּֽה׃

18 O earth, do not thou cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.

18 אֶ֭רֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּ֣י דָמִ֑י וְֽאַל־יְהִ֥י מָ֝קֹ֗ום לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃

19 Also, now, lo, in the heavens `is' my witness, And my testifier in the high places.

19 גַּם־עַ֭תָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם עֵדִ֑י וְ֝שָׂהֲדִ֗י בַּמְּרֹומִֽים׃

20 My interpreter `is' my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:

20 מְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־אֱ֝לֹ֗והַ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃

21 And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.

21 וְיֹוכַ֣ח לְגֶ֣בֶר עִם־אֱלֹ֑והַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָ֥ם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃

22 When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.

22 כִּֽי־שְׁנֹ֣ות מִסְפָּ֣ר יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ וְאֹ֖רַח לֹא־אָשׁ֣וּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃