1 Then Job answered and said,

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.

2 שִׁמְע֣וּ מֹועַ מִלָּתִ֑י וּתְהִי־זֹ֝֗את תַּנְח֥וּמֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃

3 Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.

3 אוּנִי וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְאַחַ֖ר דַּבְּרִ֣י תַלְעִֽיג׃

4 As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?

4 הֶ֭אָנֹכִי לְאָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְאִם־מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ לֹא־תִקְצַ֥ר רוּחִֽי׃

5 Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.

5 פְּנוּ־אֵלַ֥י וְהָשַׁ֑מּוּ וְשִׂ֖ימוּ יָ֣ד עַל־פֶּֽה׃

6 Even when I remember I am troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh.

6 וְאִם־זָכַ֥רְתִּי וְנִבְהָ֑לְתִּי וְאָחַ֥ז בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י פַּלָּצֽוּת׃

7 Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?

7 מַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם־גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל׃

8 Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.

8 זַרְעָ֤ם נָכֹ֣ון לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם עִמָּ֑ם וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֗ם לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃

9 Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.

9 בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם שָׁלֹ֣ום מִפָּ֑חַד וְלֹ֤א שֵׁ֖בֶט אֱלֹ֣והַּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

10 שֹׁורֹ֣ו עִ֭בַּר וְלֹ֣א יַגְעִ֑ל תְּפַלֵּ֥ט פָּ֝רָתֹ֗ו וְלֹ֣א תְשַׁכֵּֽל׃

11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.

11 יְשַׁלְּח֣וּ כַ֭צֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝יַלְדֵיהֶ֗ם יְרַקֵּדֽוּן׃

12 They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.

12 יִ֭שְׂאוּ כְּתֹ֣ף וְכִנֹּ֑ור וְ֝יִשְׂמְח֗וּ לְקֹ֣ול עוּגָֽב׃

13 They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol.

13 יְבַלּוּ יְכַלּ֣וּ בַטֹּ֣וב יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝בְרֶ֗גַע שְׁאֹ֣ול יֵחָֽתּוּ׃

14 And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

14 וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָ֭אֵל ס֣וּר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְדַ֥עַת דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א חָפָֽצְנוּ׃

15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

15 מַה־שַׁדַּ֥י כִּֽי־נַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ וּמַה־נֹּ֝ועִ֗יל כִּ֣י נִפְגַּע־בֹּֽו׃

16 Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

16 הֵ֤ן לֹ֣א בְיָדָ֣ם טוּבָ֑ם עֲצַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים רָ֣חֲקָה מֶֽנִּי׃

17 How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That `God' distributeth sorrows in his anger?

17 כַּמָּ֤ה׀ נֵר־רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים יִדְעָ֗ךְ וְיָבֹ֣א עָלֵ֣ימֹו אֵידָ֑ם חֲ֝בָלִ֗ים יְחַלֵּ֥ק בְּאַפֹּֽו׃

18 That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?

18 יִהְי֗וּ כְּתֶ֥בֶן לִפְנֵי־ר֑וּחַ וּ֝כְמֹ֗ץ גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ סוּפָֽה׃

19 `Ye say', God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:

19 אֱלֹ֗והַּ יִצְפֹּן־לְבָנָ֥יו אֹונֹ֑ו יְשַׁלֵּ֖ם אֵלָ֣יו וְיֵדָֽע׃

20 Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

20 יִרְא֣וּ עֵינֹו עֵינָ֣יו כִּידֹ֑ו וּמֵחֲמַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יִשְׁתֶּֽה׃

21 For what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off?

21 כִּ֤י מַה־חֶפְצֹ֣ו בְּבֵיתֹ֣ו אַחֲרָ֑יו וּמִסְפַּ֖ר חֳדָשָׁ֣יו חֻצָּֽצוּ׃

22 Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high?

22 הַלְאֵ֥ל יְלַמֶּד־דָּ֑עַת וְ֝ה֗וּא רָמִ֥ים יִשְׁפֹּֽוט׃

23 One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet:

23 זֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּעֶ֣צֶם תֻּמֹּ֑ו כֻּ֝לֹּ֗ו שַׁלְאֲנַ֥ן וְשָׁלֵֽיו׃

24 His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.

24 עֲ֭טִינָיו מָלְא֣וּ חָלָ֑ב וּמֹ֖חַ עַצְמֹותָ֣יו יְשֻׁקֶּֽה׃

25 And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good.

25 וְזֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ מָרָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־אָ֝כַ֗ל בַּטֹּובָֽה׃

26 They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.

26 יַ֭חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ וְ֝רִמָּ֗ה תְּכַסֶּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

27 Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me.

27 הֵ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי מַחְשְׁבֹֽותֵיכֶ֑ם וּ֝מְזִמֹּ֗ות עָלַ֥י תַּחְמֹֽסוּ׃

28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?

28 כִּ֤י תֹֽאמְר֗וּ אַיֵּ֥ה בֵית־נָדִ֑יב וְ֝אַיֵּ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל׀ מִשְׁכְּנֹ֬ות רְשָׁעִֽים׃

29 Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences,

29 הֲלֹ֣א אֶלְתֶּם עֹ֣ובְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗ם לֹ֣א תְנַכֵּֽרוּ׃

30 That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath?

30 כִּ֤י לְיֹ֣ום אֵ֭יד יֵחָ֣שֶׂךְ רָ֑ע לְיֹ֖ום עֲבָרֹ֣ות יוּבָֽלוּ׃

31 Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?

31 מִֽי־יַגִּ֣יד עַל־פָּנָ֣יו דַּרְכֹּ֑ו וְהֽוּא־עָ֝שָׂ֗ה מִ֣י יְשַׁלֶּם־לֹֽו׃

32 Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb.

32 וְ֭הוּא לִקְבָרֹ֣ות יוּבָ֑ל וְֽעַל־גָּדִ֥ישׁ יִשְׁקֹֽוד׃

33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.

33 מָֽתְקוּ־לֹ֗ו רִגְבֵ֫י נָ֥חַל וְ֭אַחֲרָיו כָּל־אָדָ֣ם יִמְשֹׁ֑וךְ וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃

34 How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth `only' falsehood?

34 וְ֭אֵיךְ תְּנַחֲמ֣וּנִי הָ֑בֶל וּ֝תְשֽׁוּבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם נִשְׁאַר־מָֽעַל׃