Job 9
Job asks how a man can be just with God
אָמְנָם יָדַעְתִּי כִי-כֵן וּמַה-יִּצְדַּק אֱנוֹשׁ עִם-אֵֽל׃
I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
אִם-יַחְפֹּץ לָרִיב עִמּוֹ לֹֽא-יַעֲנֶנּוּ אַחַת מִנִּי-אָֽלֶף׃
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
חֲכַם לֵבָב וְאַמִּיץ כֹּחַ מִֽי-הִקְשָׁה אֵלָיו וַיִּשְׁלָֽם׃
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
הַמַּעְתִּיק הָרִים וְלֹא יָדָעוּ אֲשֶׁר הֲפָכָם בְּאַפּֽוֹ׃
Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
הַמַּרְגִּיז אֶרֶץ מִמְּקוֹמָהּ וְעַמּוּדֶיהָ יִתְפַלָּצֽוּן׃
Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
הָאֹמֵר לַחֶרֶס וְלֹא יִזְרָח וּבְעַד כּוֹכָבִים יַחְתֹּֽם׃
Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
נֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם לְבַדּוֹ וְדוֹרֵךְ עַל-בָּמֳתֵי יָֽם׃
Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
עֹֽשֶׂה-עָשׁ כְּסִיל וְכִימָה וְחַדְרֵי תֵמָֽן׃
Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת עַד-אֵין חֵקֶר וְנִפְלָאוֹת עַד-אֵין מִסְפָּֽר׃
Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
הֵן יַעֲבֹר עָלַי וְלֹא אֶרְאֶה וְיַחֲלֹף וְֽלֹא-אָבִין לֽוֹ׃
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
הֵן יַחְתֹּף מִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ מִֽי-יֹאמַר אֵלָיו מַֽה-תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃
Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
אֱלוֹהַּ לֹא-יָשִׁיב אַפּוֹ (תחתו) תַּחְתָּיו שָׁחֲחוּ עֹזְרֵי רָֽהַב׃
If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
Job says he cannot argue his case with God
אַף כִּֽי-אָנֹכִי אֶֽעֱנֶנּוּ אֶבְחֲרָה דְבָרַי עִמּֽוֹ׃
How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
אֲשֶׁר אִם-צָדַקְתִּי לֹא אֶעֱנֶה לִמְשֹׁפְטִי אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
אִם-קָרָאתִי וַֽיַּעֲנֵנִי לֹֽא-אַאֲמִין כִּֽי-יַאֲזִין קוֹלִֽי׃
If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
אֲשֶׁר-בִּשְׂעָרָה יְשׁוּפֵנִי וְהִרְבָּה פְצָעַי חִנָּֽם׃
For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
לֹֽא-יִתְּנֵנִי הָשֵׁב רוּחִי כִּי יַשְׂבִּעַנִי מַמְּרֹרִֽים׃
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
אִם-לְכֹחַ אַמִּיץ הִנֵּה וְאִם-לְמִשְׁפָּט מִי יוֹעִידֵֽנִי׃
If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
אִם-אֶצְדָּק פִּי יַרְשִׁיעֵנִי תָּֽם-אָנִי וַֽיַּעְקְשֵֽׁנִי׃
If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
תָּֽם-אָנִי לֹֽא-אֵדַע נַפְשִׁי אֶמְאַס חַיָּֽי׃
Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
אַחַת הִיא עַל-כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי תָּם וְרָשָׁע הוּא מְכַלֶּֽה׃
This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
אִם-שׁוֹט יָמִית פִּתְאֹם לְמַסַּת נְקִיִּם יִלְעָֽג׃
If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
אֶרֶץ׀ נִתְּנָה בְֽיַד-רָשָׁע פְּנֵֽי-שֹׁפְטֶיהָ יְכַסֶּה אִם-לֹא אֵפוֹא מִי-הֽוּא׃
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
Job laments his fleeting days and the lack of an umpire
וְיָמַי קַלּוּ מִנִּי-רָץ בָּֽרְחוּ לֹא-רָאוּ טוֹבָֽה׃
Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
חָלְפוּ עִם-אֳנִיּוֹת אֵבֶה כְּנֶשֶׁר יָטוּשׂ עֲלֵי-אֹֽכֶל׃
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
אִם-אָמְרִי אֶשְׁכְּחָה שִׂיחִי אֶעֶזְבָה פָנַי וְאַבְלִֽיגָה׃
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
יָגֹרְתִּי כָל-עַצְּבֹתָי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי-לֹא תְנַקֵּֽנִי׃
I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
אִם-הִתְרָחַצְתִּי (במו) בְמֵי-שָׁלֶג וַהֲזִכּוֹתִי בְּבֹר כַּפָּֽי׃
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
אָז בַּשַּׁחַת תִּטְבְּלֵנִי וְתִֽעֲבוּנִי שַׂלְמוֹתָֽי׃
Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
כִּי-לֹא-אִישׁ כָּמוֹנִי אֶֽעֱנֶנּוּ נָבוֹא יַחְדָּו בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
לֹא יֵשׁ-בֵּינֵינוּ מוֹכִיחַ יָשֵׁת יָדוֹ עַל-שְׁנֵֽינוּ׃
Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
יָסֵר מֵעָלַי שִׁבְטוֹ וְאֵמָתוֹ אַֽל-תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
אֲֽדַבְּרָה וְלֹא אִירָאֶנּוּ כִּי לֹא-כֵן אָנֹכִי עִמָּדִֽי׃
Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.