1Then Iyov answered and said,
2“Of a truth I know that it is so; and how can man be just with Elohim?
3If one should desire to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one of a thousand.
4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who has hardened himself against Him, and prospered?
5Who removes the mountains, and they know it not, when He overturns them in His anger.
6Who shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars.
8Who alone stretches out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea.
9Who makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10Who does great things past finding out; yes, marvellous things without number.
11Lo, He goes by me, and I see Him not. He passes on also, but I perceive Him not.
12Behold, He snatches away, who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him, “What do You do?”
13Eloha will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahav did stoop under Him.
14How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments with Him?
15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contends with me.
16If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice;
17He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause;
18That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill me with bitterness.
19If it is a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! And if of justice, who will appoint me a time?
20Though I become righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me; though I am innocent, He shall prove me perverse.
21I am innocent; I regard not myself, I despise my life.
22It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys the innocent and the wicked.’
23If the scourge slays suddenly, He will mock at the calamity of the guiltless.
24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of the judges thereof; if it is not He, who then is it?
25Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.
26They are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoops on the prey.
27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer’,
28I am afraid of all my pains, I know that You will not hold me guiltless.
29I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain?
30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31Yet will You plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me.
32For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in judgment.
33There is no arbiter between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not His terror make me afraid;
35Then would I speak, and not fear Him; for I am not so with myself.”
אוַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַר,
באָמְנָם יָדַעְתִּי כִי כֵן; וּמַה יִּצְדַּק אֱנוֹשׁ עִם אֵל.
גאִם יַחְפֹּץ לָרִיב עִמּוֹ לֹא יַעֲנֶנּוּ אַחַת מִנִּי אָלֶף.
דחֲכַם לֵבָב וְאַמִּיץ כֹּחַ מִי הִקְשָׁה אֵלָיו וַיִּשְׁלָם.
ההַמַּעְתִּיק הָרִים וְלֹא יָדָעוּ אֲשֶׁר הֲפָכָם בְּאַפּוֹ.
והַמַּרְגִּיז אֶרֶץ מִמְּקוֹמָהּ; וְעַמּוּדֶיהָ יִתְפַּלָּצוּן.
זהָאֹמֵר לַחֶרֶס וְלֹא יִזְרָח; וּבְעַד כּוֹכָבִים יַחְתֹּם.
חנֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם לְבַדּוֹ; וְדוֹרֵךְ עַל בָּמֳתֵי יָם.
טעֹשֶׂה עָשׁ כְּסִיל וְכִימָה; וְחַדְרֵי תֵמָן.
יעֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת עַד אֵין חֵקֶר; וְנִפְלָאוֹת עַד אֵין מִסְפָּר.
יאהֵן יַעֲבֹר עָלַי וְלֹא אֶרְאֶה; וְיַחֲלֹף וְלֹא אָבִין לוֹ.
יבהֵן יַחְתֹּף מִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ; מִי יֹאמַר אֵלָיו מַה תַּעֲשֶׂה.
יגאֱלוֹהַּ לֹא יָשִׁיב אַפּוֹ; תַּחְתָּו שָׁחֲחוּ עֹזְרֵי רָהַב.
ידאַף כִּי אָנֹכִי אֶעֱנֶנּוּ; אֶבְחֲרָה דְבָרַי עִמּוֹ.
טואֲשֶׁר אִם צָדַקְתִּי לֹא אֶעֱנֶה; לִמְשֹׁפְטִי אֶתְחַנָּן.
טזאִם קָרָאתִי וַיַּעֲנֵנִי לֹא אַאֲמִין כִּי יַאֲזִין קוֹלִי.
יזאֲשֶׁר בִּשְׂעָרָה יְשׁוּפֵנִי; וְהִרְבָּה פְצָעַי חִנָּם.
יחלֹא יִתְּנֵנִי הָשֵׁב רוּחִי: כִּי יַשְׂבִּעַנִי מַמְּרֹרִים.
יטאִם לְכֹחַ אַמִּיץ הִנֵּה; וְאִם לְמִשְׁפָּט מִי יוֹעִידֵנִי.
כאִם אֶצְדָּק פִּי יַרְשִׁיעֵנִי; תָּם אָנִי וַיַּעְקְשֵׁנִי.
כאתָּם אָנִי לֹא אֵדַע נַפְשִׁי; אֶמְאַס חַיָּי.
כבאַחַת הִיא: עַל כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי תָּם וְרָשָׁע הוּא מְכַלֶּה.
כגאִם שׁוֹט יָמִית פִּתְאֹם לְמַסַּת נְקִיִּם יִלְעָג.
כדאֶרֶץ נִתְּנָה בְיַד רָשָׁע פְּנֵי שֹׁפְטֶיהָ יְכַסֶּה; אִם לֹא אֵפוֹא מִי הוּא.
כהוְיָמַי קַלּוּ מִנִּי רָץ; בָּרְחוּ לֹא רָאוּ טוֹבָה.
כוחָלְפוּ עִם אֳנִיּוֹת אֵבֶה; כְּנֶשֶׁר יָטוּשׂ עֲלֵי אֹכֶל.
כזאִם אָמְרִי אֶשְׁכְּחָה שִׂיחִי; אֶעֶזְבָה פָנַי וְאַבְלִיגָה.
כחיָגֹרְתִּי כָל עַצְּבֹתָי; יָדַעְתִּי כִּי לֹא תְנַקֵּנִי.
כטאָנֹכִי אֶרְשָׁע; לָמָּה זֶּה הֶבֶל אִיגָע.
לאִם הִתְרָחַצְתִּי במו (בְמֵי) שָׁלֶג; וַהֲזִכּוֹתִי בְּבֹר כַּפָּי.
לאאָז בַּשַּׁחַת תִּטְבְּלֵנִי; וְתִעֲבוּנִי שַׂלְמוֹתָי.
לבכִּי לֹא אִישׁ כָּמוֹנִי אֶעֱנֶנּוּ; נָבוֹא יַחְדָּו בַּמִּשְׁפָּט.
לגלֹא יֵשׁ בֵּינֵינוּ מוֹכִיחַ יָשֵׁת יָדוֹ עַל שְׁנֵינוּ.
לדיָסֵר מֵעָלַי שִׁבְטוֹ; וְאֵמָתוֹ אַל תְּבַעֲתַנִּי.
להאֲדַבְּרָה וְלֹא אִירָאֶנּוּ: כִּי לֹא כֵן אָנֹכִי עִמָּדִי.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 