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| [1]ויען איוב ויאמר |
[1]Then Job answered and said: |
| [2]אמנם ידעתי כי־כן ומה־יצדק אנוש עם־אל |
[2]Of a truth I know that it is so; and how can man be just with God? |
| [3]אם־יחפץ לריב עמו לא־יעננו אחת מני־אלף |
[3]If one should desire to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one of a thousand. |
| [4]חכם לבב ואמיץ כח מי־הקשה אליו וישלם |
[4]He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardened himself against Him, and prospered? |
| [5]המעתיק הרים ולא ידעו אשר הפכם באפו |
[5]Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when He overturneth them in His anger. |
| [6]המרגיז ארץ ממקומה ועמודיה יתפלצון |
[6]Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. |
| [7]האמר לחרס ולא יזרח ובעד כוכבים יחתם |
[7]Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. |
| [8]נטה שמים לבדו ודורך על־במתי ים |
[8]Who alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. |
| [9]עשה־עש כסיל וכימה וחדרי תמן |
[9]Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. |
| [10]עשה גדלות עד־אין חקר ונפלאות עד־אין מספר |
[10]Who doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvellous things without number. |
| [11]הן יעבר עלי ולא אראה ויחלף ולא־אבין לו |
[11]Lo, He goeth by me, and I see Him not. He passeth on also, but I perceive Him not. |
| [12]הן יחתף מי ישיבנו מי־יאמר אליו מה־תעשה |
[12]Behold, He snatcheth away, who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him: 'What doest Thou?' |
| [13]אלוה לא־ישיב אפו תחתו שחחו עזרי רהב |
[13]God will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab did stoop under Him. |
| [14]אף כי־אנכי אעננו אבחרה דברי עמו |
[14]How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments with Him? |
| [15]אשר אם־צדקתי לא אענה למשפטי אתחנן |
[15]Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contendeth with me. |
| [16]אם־קראתי ויענני לא־אאמין כי־יאזין קולי |
[16]If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice— |
| [17]אשר־בשערה ישופני והרבה פצעי חנם |
[17]He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause; |
| [18]לא־יתנני השב רוחי כי ישבעני ממררים |
[18]That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill me with bitterness. |
| [19]אם־לכח אמיץ הנה ואם־למשפט מי יועידני |
[19]If it be a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! and if of justice, who will appoint me a time? |
| [20]אם־אצדק פי ירשיעני תם־אני ויעקשני |
[20]Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse. |
| [21]תם־אני לא־אדע נפשי אמאס חיי |
[21]I am innocent—I regard not myself, I despise my life. |
| [22]אחת היא על־כן אמרתי־תם ורשע הוא מכלה |
[22]It is all one—therefore I say: He destroyeth the innocent and the wicked. |
| [23]אם־שוט ימית פתאם למסת נקים ילעג |
[23]If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the calamity of the guiltless. |
| [24]ארץ נתנה ביד־רשע פני־שפטיה יכסה אם־לא אפוא מי־הוא |
[24]The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if it be not He, who then is it? |
| [25]וימי קלו מני־רץ ברחו לא־ראו טובה |
[25]Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good. |
| [26]חלפו עם־אניות אבה כנשר יטוש עלי־אכל |
[26]They are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoopeth on the prey. |
| [27]אם־אמרי אשכחה שיחי אעזבה פני ואבליגה |
[27]If I say: 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer', |
| [28]יגרתי כל־עצבתי ידעתי כי־לא תנקני |
[28]I am afraid of all my pains, I know that Thou wilt not hold me guiltless. |
| [29]אנכי ארשע למה־זה הבל איגע |
[29]I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain? |
| [30]אם־התרחצתי במו [Q: במי־] שלג והזכותי בבר כפי |
[30]If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; |
| [31]אז בשחת תטבלני ותעבוני שלמותי |
[31]Yet wilt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. |
| [32]כי־לא־איש כמוני אעננו נבוא יחדו במשפט |
[32]For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in judgment. |
| [33]לא יש־בינינו מוכיח ישת ידו על־שנינו |
[33]There is no arbiter betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. |
| [34]יסר מעלי שבטו ואמתו אל־תבעתני |
[34]Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not His terror make me afraid; |
| [35]אדברה ולא איראנו כי לא־כן אנכי עמדי |
[35]Then would I speak, and not fear Him; for I am not so with myself. |