6:1

וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַר׃

Then Job answered and said:

6:2

לוּ שָׁקוֹל יִשָּׁקֵל כַּעְשִׂי והיתי [וְהַוָּתִי] בְּמֹאזְנַיִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָחַד׃

Oh that my vexation were but weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances altogether!

¹

6:3

כִּי־עַתָּה מֵחוֹל יַמִּים יִכְבָּד עַל־כֵּן דְּבָרַי לָעוּ׃

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; therefore are my words broken.

¹

6:4

כִּי חִצֵּי שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי אֲשֶׁר חֲמָתָם שֹׁתָה רוּחִי בִּעוּתֵי אֱלוֹהַּ יַעַרְכוּנִי׃

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof my spirit drinketh up; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

¹

6:5

הֲיִנְהַק־פֶּרֶא עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא אִם יִגְעֶה־שּׁוֹר עַל־בְּלִילוֹ׃

Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? Or loweth the ox over his fodder?

¹

6:6

הֲיֵאָכֵל תָּפֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶלַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַעַם בְּרִיר חַלָּמוּת׃

Can that which hath no savour be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the juice of mallows?

¹

6:7

מֵאֲנָה לִנְגּוֹעַ נַפְשִׁי הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחְמִי׃

My soul refuseth to touch them; they are as the sickness of my flesh.

¹

6:8

מִי־יִתֵּן תָּבוֹא שֶׁאֱלָתִי וְתִקְוָתִי יִתֵּן אֱלוֹהַּ׃

Oh that I might have my request, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! .

6:9

וְיֹאֵל אֱלוֹהַּ וִידַכְּאֵנִי יַתֵּר יָדוֹ וִיבַצְּעֵנִי׃

Even that it would please God to crush me; that He would let loose His hand, and cut me off!

¹

6:10

וּתְהִי עוֹד נֶחָמָתִי וַאֲסַלְּדָה בְחִילָה לֹא יַחְמוֹל כִּי־לֹא כִחַדְתִּי אִמְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ׃

Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would exult in pain, though He spare not; For I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

¹

6:11

מַה־כֹּחִי כִי־אֲיַחֵל וּמַה־קִּצִּי כִּי־אַאֲרִיךְ נַפְשִׁי׃

What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is mine end, that I should be patient?

¹

6:12

אִם־כֹּחַ אֲבָנִים כֹּחִי אִם־בְּשָׂרִי נָחוּשׁ׃

Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass?

6:13

הַאִם אֵין עֶזְרָתִי בִי וְתֻשִׁיָּה נִדְּחָה מִמֶּנִּי׃

Is it that I have no help in me, and that sound wisdom is driven quite from me?

¹

6:14

לַמָּס מֵרֵעֵהוּ חָסֶד וְיִרְאַת שַׁדַּי יַעֲזוֹב׃

To him that is ready to faint kindness is due from his friend, Even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

²

6:15

אַחַי בָּגְדוּ כְמוֹ־נָחַל כַּאֲפִיק נְחָלִים יַעֲבֹרוּ׃

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, As the channel of brooks that overflow,

¹

6:16

הַקֹּדְרִים מִנִּי־קָרַח עָלֵימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָׁלֶג׃

Which are black by reason of the ice, And wherein the snow hideth itself;

¹

6:17

בְּעֵת יְזֹרְבוּ נִצְמָתוּ בְּחֻמּוֹ נִדְעֲכוּ מִמְּקוֹמָם׃

What time they wax warm, they vanish, When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

¹

6:18

יִלָּפְתוּ אָרְחוֹת דַּרְכָּם יַעֲלוּ בַתֹּהוּ וְיֹאבֵדוּ׃

The paths of their way do wind, They go up into the waste, and are lost.

¹

6:19

הִבִּיטוּ אָרְחוֹת תֵּמָא הֲלִיכֹת שְׁבָא קִוּוּ־לָמוֹ׃

The caravans of Tema looked, The companies of Sheba waited for them—

¹

6:20

בֹּשׁוּ כִּי־בָטָח בָּאוּ עָדֶיהָ וַיֶּחְפָּרוּ׃

They were ashamed because they had hoped; They came thither, and were confounded.

¹

6:21

כִּי־עַתָּה הֱיִיתֶם לא [לוֹ] תִּרְאוּ חֲתַת וַתִּירָאוּ׃

For now ye are become His; Ye see a terror, and are afraid.

¹

6:22

הֲ‍כִי־אָמַרְתִּי הָבוּ לִי וּמִכֹּחֲכֶם שִׁחֲדוּ בַעֲדִי׃

Did I say: ‘Give unto me’? Or: ‘Offer a present for me of your substance’?

¹

6:23

וּמַלְּטוּנִי מִיַּד־צָר וּמִיַּד עָרִיצִים תִּפְדּוּנִי׃

or: ‘Deliver me from the adversary’s hand’? Or: ‘Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors’?

6:24

הוֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִי אַחֲרִישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁגִיתִי הָבִינוּ לִי׃

Teach me, and I will hold my peace; And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

6:25

מַה־נִּמְרְצוּ אִמְרֵי־יֹשֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִיחַ הוֹכֵחַ מִכֶּם׃

How forcible are words of uprightness! But what doth your arguing argue?

¹

6:26

הַלְהוֹכַח מִלִּים תַּחְשֹׁבוּ וּלְרוּחַ אִמְרֵי נֹאָשׁ׃

Do ye hold words to be an argument, But the speeches of one that is desperate to be wind?

¹

6:27

אַף־עַל־יָתוֹם תַּפִּילוּ וְתִכְרוּ עַל־רֵיעֲכֶם׃

Yea, ye would cast lots upon the fatherless, And dig a pit for your friend.

¹

6:28

וְעַתָּה הוֹאִילוּ פְנוּ־בִי וְעַל־פְּנֵיכֶם אִם־אֲכַזֵּב׃

Now therefore be pleased to look upon me; For surely I shall not lie to your face.

¹

6:29

שֻׁבוּ־נָא אַל־תְּהִי עַוְלָה ושבי [וְשׁוּבוּ] עוֹד צִדְקִי־בָהּ׃

Return, I pray you, let there be no injustice; Yea, return again, my cause is righteous.

¹

6:30

הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִי עַוְלָה אִם־חִכִּי לֹא־יָבִין הַוּוֹת׃

Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern crafty devices?

¹