(7) Think now, what innocent man ever perished? Where have the upright been destroyed? (8) As I have seen, those who plow evil and sow mischief, reap them.
(6) Evil does not grow out of the soil, Nor does trouble spring from the ground; (7) Man was born to trouble, as sparks dart to the sky.
(יז) הִנֵּ֤ה אַשְׁרֵ֣י אֱ֭נוֹשׁ יוֹכִחֶ֣נּֽוּ אֱל֑וֹהַּ וּמוּסַ֥ר שַׁ֝דַּ֗י אַל־תִּמְאָֽס׃ (יח) כִּ֤י ה֣וּא יַכְאִ֣יב וְיֶחְבָּ֑שׁ יִ֝מְחַ֗ץ וידו [וְיָדָ֥יו] תִּרְפֶּֽינָה׃ (יט) בְּשֵׁ֣שׁ צָ֭רוֹת יַצִּילֶ֑ךָּ וּבְשֶׁ֓בַע ׀ לֹא־יִגַּ֖ע בְּךָ֣ רָֽע׃ (כ) בְּ֭רָעָב פָּֽדְךָ֣ מִמָּ֑וֶת וּ֝בְמִלְחָמָ֗ה מִ֣ידֵי חָֽרֶב׃ (כא) בְּשׁ֣וֹט לָ֭שׁוֹן תֵּחָבֵ֑א וְֽלֹא־תִירָ֥א מִ֝שֹּׁ֗ד כִּ֣י יָבֽוֹא׃ (כב) לְשֹׁ֣ד וּלְכָפָ֣ן תִּשְׂחָ֑ק וּֽמֵחַיַּ֥ת הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ ... (כה) וְֽ֭יָדַעְתָּ כִּי־רַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֶ֗יךָ כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כו) תָּב֣וֹא בְכֶ֣לַח אֱלֵי־קָ֑בֶר כַּעֲל֖וֹת גָּדִ֣ישׁ בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃ (כז) הִנֵּה־זֹ֭את חֲקַרְנ֥וּהָ כֶּֽן־הִ֑יא שְׁ֝מָעֶ֗נָּה וְאַתָּ֥ה דַֽע־לָֽךְ׃ (פ)
(17) See how happy is the man whom God reproves; Do not reject the discipline of the Almighty. (18) He may give pain, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands bring healing. (19) He will deliver you from six troubles; In seven no harm will reach you: (20) In famine He will redeem you from death, In war, from the sword. (21) You will be sheltered from the scourging tongue; You will have no fear when violence comes. (22) You will laugh at violence and starvation, And have no fear of wild beasts. ... (25) You will see that your offspring are many, your descendants like the grass of the earth. (26) You will come to the grave in ripe old age, As shocks of grain are taken away in their season. (27) See, we have inquired into this and it is so; Hear it and accept it.
(9) As a cloud fades away, So whoever goes down to Sheol does not come up; (10) He returns no more to his home; His place does not know him. (11) Why should I restrain my mouth? I speak from a dejected spirit. I complain out of sheer bitterness. (12) Am I the sea or the Dragon, That You have post a guard over me? (13) When I think, “My bed will comfort me, My couch will share my sorrow,” (14) You frighten me with dreams, And terrify me with visions, (15) I'd rather choke -- Death is better than this misery. (16) I have had enough. I shall not live forever; Let me be, for my days are a breath. (17) What is man, that You make much of him, That You fix Your attention upon him? (18) You inspect him every morning, Examine him every minute. (19) Will You not look away from me for a while, Leave me alone, at least long enough for me to swallow my own spit! (20) If I have sinned, what have I done to You, Watcher of men? Why make of me Your target, And a burden to myself? (21) Why do You not pardon my transgression And forgive my iniquity? For soon I shall lie down in the dust; When You seek me, I shall be gone.
(18) “Why did You bring me out of the womb? Better had I expired before any eye saw me, (19) Had I been as though I never was, Had I been carried from the womb to the grave. (20) But as it is, my days are few, so stop! Leave me alone, so I can catch my breath (21) Before I go my way—never to return— into a land of dark and deathgloom; (22) A land obscure as any darkness, A land of deathgloom, a land of chaos, where You blaze forth in rays of black!”
(11) My days have passed, my plans, my heartstrings snapped. (12) They say that night is day, That light is here—in the face of darkness. (13) If I must look forward to Sheol as my home, And make my bed in the dark place, (14) Say to the Pit, “You are my father,” To the maggots, “Mother,” “Sister”— (15) Where, would be my hope? Who could see any hope for me? (16) Will it descend to Sheol? Shall we go down together to the dust?
(ג) מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ אָ֝ב֗וֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃ (ד) אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה לְפָנָ֣יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝פִ֗י אֲמַלֵּ֥א תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃ (ה) אֵ֭דְעָה מִלִּ֣ים יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְ֝אָבִ֗ינָה מַה־יֹּ֥אמַר לִֽי׃ ... (ח) הֵ֤ן קֶ֣דֶם אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וְ֝אָח֗וֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֽוֹ׃ (ט) שְׂמֹ֣אול בַּעֲשֹׂת֣וֹ וְלֹא־אָ֑חַז יַעְטֹ֥ף יָ֝מִ֗ין וְלֹ֣א אֶרְאֶֽה׃
(3) Would that I knew how to reach Him, How to get to His dwelling-place. (4) I would set out my case before Him, And fill my mouth with arguments. (5) I would learn what answers He had for me, And know how He would reply to me. ... (8) But if I go East—He is not there; West—I still do not perceive Him; (9) North—since He is concealed, I do not behold Him; South—He is hidden, and I cannot see Him.
(א) וַיֹּ֣סֶף אִ֭יּוֹב שְׂאֵ֥ת מְשָׁל֗וֹ וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ב) מִֽי־יִתְּנֵ֥נִי כְיַרְחֵי־קֶ֑דֶם כִּ֝ימֵ֗י אֱל֣וֹהַּ יִשְׁמְרֵֽנִי׃ (ג) בְּהִלּ֣וֹ נֵ֭רוֹ עֲלֵ֣י רֹאשִׁ֑י לְ֝אוֹרוֹ אֵ֣לֶךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (ד) כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר הָ֭יִיתִי בִּימֵ֣י חָרְפִּ֑י בְּס֥וֹד אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ עֲלֵ֣י אָהֳלִֽי׃ (ה) בְּע֣וֹד שַׁ֭דַּי עִמָּדִ֑י סְבִ֖יבוֹתַ֣י נְעָרָֽי׃ ... (יא) כִּ֤י אֹ֣זֶן שָׁ֭מְעָה וַֽתְּאַשְּׁרֵ֑נִי וְעַ֥יִן רָ֝אֲתָ֗ה וַתְּעִידֵֽנִי׃ (יב) כִּֽי־אֲ֭מַלֵּט עָנִ֣י מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ וְ֝יָת֗וֹם וְֽלֹא־עֹזֵ֥ר לֽוֹ׃ (יג) בִּרְכַּ֣ת אֹ֭בֵד עָלַ֣י תָּבֹ֑א וְלֵ֖ב אַלְמָנָ֣ה אַרְנִֽן׃ (יד) צֶ֣דֶק לָ֭בַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁ֑נִי כִּֽמְעִ֥יל וְ֝צָנִ֗יף מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃ (טו) עֵינַ֣יִם הָ֭יִיתִי לַֽעִוֵּ֑ר וְרַגְלַ֖יִם לַפִּסֵּ֣חַ אָֽנִי׃ (טז) אָ֣ב אָ֭נֹכִֽי לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִ֑ים וְרִ֖ב לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵֽהוּ׃ (יז) וָֽ֭אֲשַׁבְּרָה מְתַלְּע֣וֹת עַוָּ֑ל וּ֝מִשִּׁנָּ֗יו אַשְׁלִ֥יךְ טָֽרֶף׃ (יח) וָ֭אֹמַר עִם־קִנִּ֣י אֶגְוָ֑ע וְ֝כַח֗וֹל אַרְבֶּ֥ה יָמִֽים׃ (יט) שָׁרְשִׁ֣י פָת֣וּחַ אֱלֵי־מָ֑יִם וְ֝טַ֗ל יָלִ֥ין בִּקְצִירִֽי׃ (כ) כְּ֭בוֹדִי חָדָ֣שׁ עִמָּדִ֑י וְ֝קַשְׁתִּ֗י בְּיָדִ֥י תַחֲלִֽיף׃
(1) Job again took up his theme and said: (2) O that I were as in months gone by, In the days when God watched over me, (3) When His lamp shone over my head, When I walked in the dark by its light, (4) When I was in my prime, When God’s company graced my tent, (5) When Shaddai was still with me, When my children surrounded me, ... (11) The ear that heard me acclaimed me; The eye that saw, commended me. (12) For I saved the poor man who cried out, The orphan who had none to help him. (13) I received the blessing of the lost; I gladdened the heart of the widow. (14) I clothed myself in righteousness and it robed me; Justice was my cloak and turban. (15) I was eyes to the blind, And feet to the lame. (16) I was a father to the needy, And I took up the cause of the stranger. (17) I broke the jaws of the wrongdoer, And I wrested prey from his teeth. (18) I thought I would end my days with my family, And be as long-lived as the phoenix, (19) My roots reaching water, And dew lying on my branches; (20) My vigor refreshed, My bow ever new in my hand.
(א) וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשֻּׁחִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ב) עַד־אָ֤נָה ׀ תְּשִׂימ֣וּן קִנְצֵ֣י לְמִלִּ֑ין תָּ֝בִ֗ינוּ וְאַחַ֥ר נְדַבֵּֽר׃ (ג) מַ֭דּוּעַ נֶחְשַׁ֣בְנוּ כַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נִ֝טְמִ֗ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ (ד) טֹֽרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֗וֹ בְּאַ֫פּ֥וֹ הַ֭לְמַעַנְךָ תֵּעָ֣זַב אָ֑רֶץ וְיֶעְתַּק־צ֝֗וּר מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ׃ (ה) גַּ֤ם א֣וֹר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־יִ֝גַּ֗הּ שְׁבִ֣יב אִשּֽׁוֹ׃ (ו) א֭וֹר חָשַׁ֣ךְ בְּאָהֳל֑וֹ וְ֝נֵר֗וֹ עָלָ֥יו יִדְעָֽךְ׃ ... (יא) סָ֭בִיב בִּֽעֲתֻ֣הוּ בַלָּה֑וֹת וֶהֱפִיצֻ֥הוּ לְרַגְלָֽיו׃ (יב) יְהִי־רָעֵ֥ב אֹנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֵ֗יד נָכ֥וֹן לְצַלְעֽוֹ׃ ... (יז) זִֽכְרוֹ־אָ֭בַד מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶץ וְלֹא־שֵׁ֥ם ל֝֗וֹ עַל־פְּנֵי־חֽוּץ׃ (יח) יֶ֭הְדְּפֻהוּ מֵא֣וֹר אֶל־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּֽמִתֵּבֵ֥ל יְנִדֻּֽהוּ׃ (יט) לֹ֘א נִ֤ין ל֣וֹ וְלֹא־נֶ֣כֶד בְּעַמּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ין שָׂ֝רִ֗יד בִּמְגוּרָֽיו׃ (כ) עַל־י֭וֹמוֹ נָשַׁ֣מּוּ אַחֲרֹנִ֑ים וְ֝קַדְמֹנִ֗ים אָ֣חֲזוּ שָֽׂעַר׃ (כא) אַךְ־אֵ֭לֶּה מִשְׁכְּנ֣וֹת עַוָּ֑ל וְ֝זֶ֗ה מְק֣וֹם לֹא־יָדַֽע־אֵֽל׃ (ס)
(1) Then Bildad the Shuhite said in reply: (2) How long? Put an end to talk! Consider, and then we shall speak. (3) Why are we thought of as brutes, Regarded by you as stupid? (4) You who tear yourself to pieces in anger— Will earth’s order be disrupted for your sake? Will rocks be dislodged from their place? (5) Indeed, the light of the wicked fails; The flame of his fire does not shine. (6) The light in his tent darkens; His lamp fails him. ... (11) Terrors assault him on all sides And send his feet flying. (12) His progeny hunger; Disaster awaits his wife. ... (17) All mention of him vanishes from the earth; He has no name abroad. (18) He is thrust from light to darkness, Driven from the world. (19) He has no seed or breed among his people, No survivor where he once lived. (20) Generations to come will be appalled at his fate, As the previous ones are seized with horror. (21) “These were the haunts of the wicked; Here was the place of him who knew not God.”
(א) וַיַּֽעַן־יְהוָ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב מנ הסערה [מִ֥ן ׀] [הַסְּעָרָ֗ה] וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ב) מִ֤י זֶ֨ה ׀ מַחְשִׁ֖יךְ עֵצָ֥ה בְמִלִּ֗ין בְּֽלִי־דָֽעַת׃ (ג) אֱזָר־נָ֣א כְגֶ֣בֶר חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ וְ֝אֶשְׁאָלְךָ֗ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ (ד) אֵיפֹ֣ה הָ֭יִיתָ בְּיָסְדִי־אָ֑רֶץ הַ֝גֵּ֗ד אִם־יָדַ֥עְתָּ בִינָֽה׃ (ה) מִי־שָׂ֣ם מְ֭מַדֶּיהָ כִּ֣י תֵדָ֑ע א֤וֹ מִֽי־נָטָ֖ה עָלֶ֣יהָ קָּֽו׃ (ו) עַל־מָ֭ה אֲדָנֶ֣יהָ הָטְבָּ֑עוּ א֥וֹ מִֽי־יָ֝רָ֗ה אֶ֣בֶן פִּנָּתָֽהּ׃ (ז) בְּרָן־יַ֭חַד כּ֣וֹכְבֵי בֹ֑קֶר וַ֝יָּרִ֗יעוּ כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (ח) וַיָּ֣סֶךְ בִּדְלָתַ֣יִם יָ֑ם בְּ֝גִיח֗וֹ מֵרֶ֥חֶם יֵצֵֽא׃ (ט) בְּשׂוּמִ֣י עָנָ֣ן לְבֻשׁ֑וֹ וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל חֲתֻלָּתֽוֹ׃ (י) וָאֶשְׁבֹּ֣ר עָלָ֣יו חֻקִּ֑י וָֽ֝אָשִׂ֗ים בְּרִ֣יחַ וּדְלָתָֽיִם׃ (יא) וָאֹמַ֗ר עַד־פֹּ֣ה תָ֭בוֹא וְלֹ֣א תֹסִ֑יף וּפֹ֥א־יָ֝שִׁ֗ית בִּגְא֥וֹן גַּלֶּֽיךָ׃
(1) Then the LORD replied to Job out of the tempest and said: (2) Who is this who darkens counsel, Speaking without knowledge? (3) Gird your loins like a man; I will ask and you will inform Me. (4) Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Speak if you have understanding. (5) Do you know who fixed its dimensions Or who measured it with a line? (6) Onto what were its bases sunk? Who set its cornerstone (7) When the morning stars sang together And all the divine beings shouted for joy? (8) Who closed the sea behind doors When it gushed forth out of the womb, (9) When I clothed it in clouds, Swaddled it in dense clouds, (10) When I made breakers My limit for it, And set up its bar and doors, (11) And said, “You may come so far and no farther; Here your surging waves will stop”?
(31) Can you tie cords to Pleiades, Or undo the reins of Orion? (32) Can you lead out Mazzaroth in its season, Conduct the Bear with her sons? (33) Do you know the laws of heaven, Or impose its authority on earth? (34) Can you send up an order to the clouds, For an abundance of water to cover you? (35) Can you dispatch the lightning on a mission, And have it answer you, “I am ready”?
(26) Is it by your wisdom that the hawk grows pinions, Spreads his wings to the south? (27) Does the eagle soar at your command, Building his nest high, (28) Dwelling in the rock, Lodging upon the fastness of a jutting rock? (29) From there he spies out his food; From afar his eyes see it. (30) His young gulp blood; Where the slain are, there is he.
(ג) וַיַּ֖עַן אִיּ֥וֹב אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ד) הֵ֣ן קַ֭לֹּתִי מָ֣ה אֲשִׁיבֶ֑ךָּ יָ֝דִ֗י שַׂ֣מְתִּי לְמוֹ־פִֽי׃ (ה) אַחַ֣ת דִּ֭בַּרְתִּי וְלֹ֣א אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה וּ֝שְׁתַּ֗יִם וְלֹ֣א אוֹסִֽיף׃
(ו) וַיַּֽעַן־יְהוָ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב מנ סערה [מִ֥ן ׀] [סְעָרָ֗ה] וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (ז) אֱזָר־נָ֣א כְגֶ֣בֶר חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ אֶ֝שְׁאָלְךָ֗ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ (ח) הַ֭אַף תָּפֵ֣ר מִשְׁפָּטִ֑י תַּ֝רְשִׁיעֵ֗נִי לְמַ֣עַן תִּצְדָּֽק׃ (ט) וְאִם־זְר֖וֹעַ כָּאֵ֥ל ׀ לָ֑ךְ וּ֝בְק֗וֹל כָּמֹ֥הוּ תַרְעֵֽם׃ (י) עֲדֵ֥ה נָ֣א גָֽא֣וֹן וָגֹ֑בַהּ וְה֖וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר תִּלְבָּֽשׁ׃ (יא) הָ֭פֵץ עֶבְר֣וֹת אַפֶּ֑ךָ וּרְאֵ֥ה כָל־גֵּ֝אֶ֗ה וְהַשְׁפִּילֵֽהוּ׃ (יב) רְאֵ֣ה כָל־גֵּ֭אֶה הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ וַהֲדֹ֖ךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃ (יג) טָמְנֵ֣ם בֶּעָפָ֣ר יָ֑חַד פְּ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם חֲבֹ֣שׁ בַּטָּמֽוּן׃ (יד) וְגַם־אֲנִ֥י אוֹדֶ֑ךָּ כִּֽי־תוֹשִׁ֖עַ לְךָ֣ יְמִינֶֽךָ׃
(3) Job said in reply to the LORD: (4) See, I am of small worth; what can I answer You? I clap my hand to my mouth. (5) I have spoken once, and will not reply; Twice, and will do so no more.
(6) Then the LORD replied to Job out of the tempest and said: (7) Gird your loins like a man; I will ask, and you will inform Me. (8) Would you impugn My justice? Would you condemn Me that you may be right? (9) Have you an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His? (10) Deck yourself now with grandeur and eminence; Clothe yourself in glory and majesty. (11) Scatter wide your raging anger; See every proud man and bring him low. (12) See every proud man and humble him, And bring them down where they stand. (13) Bury them all in the earth; Hide their faces in obscurity. (14) Then even I would praise you, For the triumph your right hand won you.
(15) Take now behemoth, whom I made as I did you; He eats grass, like the cattle. (16) His strength is in his loins, His might in the muscles of his belly. (17) He makes his tail stand up like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are knit together. (18) His bones are like tubes of bronze, His limbs like iron rods. (19) He is the first of God’s works; Only his Maker can draw the sword against him.
(25) Can you draw out Leviathan by a fishhook? Can you press down his tongue by a rope? (26) Can you put a ring through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a barb? (27) Will he plead with you at length? Will he speak soft words to you?
(1) Job said in reply to the LORD: (2) I know that You can do everything, That nothing you propose is impossible for You. (3) Who is this who obscures counsel without knowledge? Indeed, I spoke without understanding; Of things beyond me, which I did not know. (4) Hear now, and I will speak; I will ask, and You will inform me. (5) I had heard You with my ears, But now I see You with my eyes; (6) Therefore, I recant and relent, Being but dust and ashes.