English Standard Version

Hebrew Study Bible

1Then Job answered and said:

1וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2“Keep listening to my words, and let this be your comfort.

2שִׁמְע֣וּ שָׁ֭מוֹעַ מִלָּתִ֑י וּתְהִי־ זֹ֝֗את תַּנְח֥וּמֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃

3Bear with me, and I will speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.

3שָׂ֭אוּנִי וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְאַחַ֖ר דַּבְּרִ֣י תַלְעִֽיג׃

4As for me, is my complaint against man? Why should I not be impatient?

4הֶ֭אָנֹכִי לְאָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְאִם־ מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ לֹא־ תִקְצַ֥ר רוּחִֽי׃

5Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.

5פְּנוּ־ אֵלַ֥י וְהָשַׁ֑מּוּ וְשִׂ֖ימוּ יָ֣ד עַל־ פֶּֽה׃

6When I remember, I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.

6וְאִם־ זָכַ֥רְתִּי וְנִבְהָ֑לְתִּי וְאָחַ֥ז בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י פַּלָּצֽוּת׃

7Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

7מַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם־ גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל׃

8Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes.

8זַרְעָ֤ם נָכ֣וֹן לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם עִמָּ֑ם וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֗ם לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃

9Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.

9בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם שָׁל֣וֹם מִפָּ֑חַד וְלֹ֤א שֵׁ֖בֶט אֱל֣וֹהַּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

10Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry.

10שׁוֹר֣וֹ עִ֭בַּר וְלֹ֣א יַגְעִ֑ל תְּפַלֵּ֥ט פָּ֝רָת֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א תְשַׁכֵּֽל׃

11They send out their little boys like a flock, and their children dance.

11יְשַׁלְּח֣וּ כַ֭צֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝יַלְדֵיהֶ֗ם יְרַקֵּדֽוּן׃

12They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

12יִ֭שְׂאוּ כְּתֹ֣ף וְכִנּ֑וֹר וְ֝יִשְׂמְח֗וּ לְק֣וֹל עוּגָֽב׃

13They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.

13[יבלו] (יְכַלּ֣וּ) בַטּ֣וֹב יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝בְרֶ֗גַע שְׁא֣וֹל יֵחָֽתּוּ׃

14They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.

14וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָ֭אֵל ס֣וּר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְדַ֥עַת דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א חָפָֽצְנוּ׃

15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’

15מַה־ שַׁדַּ֥י כִּֽי־ נַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ וּמַה־ נּ֝וֹעִ֗יל כִּ֣י נִפְגַּע־ בּֽוֹ׃

16Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

16הֵ֤ן לֹ֣א בְיָדָ֣ם טוּבָ֑ם עֲצַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים רָ֣חֲקָה מֶֽנִּי׃

17“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains in his anger?

17כַּמָּ֤ה ׀ נֵר־ רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים יִדְעָ֗ךְ וְיָבֹ֣א עָלֵ֣ימוֹ אֵידָ֑ם חֲ֝בָלִ֗ים יְחַלֵּ֥ק בְּאַפּֽוֹ׃

18That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?

18יִהְי֗וּ כְּתֶ֥בֶן לִפְנֵי־ ר֑וּחַ וּ֝כְמֹ֗ץ גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ סוּפָֽה׃

19You say, ‘God stores up their iniquity for their children.’ Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it.

19אֱל֗וֹהַּ יִצְפֹּן־ לְבָנָ֥יו אוֹנ֑וֹ יְשַׁלֵּ֖ם אֵלָ֣יו וְיֵדָֽע׃

20Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

20יִרְא֣וּ [עינו] (עֵינָ֣יו) כִּיד֑וֹ וּמֵחֲמַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יִשְׁתֶּֽה׃

21For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off?

21כִּ֤י מַה־ חֶפְצ֣וֹ בְּבֵית֣וֹ אַחֲרָ֑יו וּמִסְפַּ֖ר חֳדָשָׁ֣יו חֻצָּֽצוּ׃

22Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those who are on high?

22הַלְאֵ֥ל יְלַמֶּד־ דָּ֑עַת וְ֝ה֗וּא רָמִ֥ים יִשְׁפּֽוֹט׃

23One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure,

23זֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּעֶ֣צֶם תֻּמּ֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ שַׁלְאֲנַ֥ן וְשָׁלֵֽיו׃

24his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.

24עֲ֭טִינָיו מָלְא֣וּ חָלָ֑ב וּמֹ֖חַ עַצְמוֹתָ֣יו יְשֻׁקֶּֽה׃

25Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity.

25וְזֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ מָרָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־ אָ֝כַ֗ל בַּטּוֹבָֽה׃

26They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.

26יַ֭חַד עַל־ עָפָ֣ר יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ וְ֝רִמָּ֗ה תְּכַסֶּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

27“Behold, I know your thoughts and your schemes to wrong me.

27הֵ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וּ֝מְזִמּ֗וֹת עָלַ֥י תַּחְמֹֽסוּ׃

28For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’

28כִּ֤י תֹֽאמְר֗וּ אַיֵּ֥ה בֵית־ נָדִ֑יב וְ֝אַיֵּ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל ׀ מִשְׁכְּנ֬וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים׃

29Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony

29הֲלֹ֣א שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם ע֣וֹבְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗ם לֹ֣א תְנַכֵּֽרוּ׃

30that the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath?

30כִּ֤י לְי֣וֹם אֵ֭יד יֵחָ֣שֶׂךְ רָ֑ע לְי֖וֹם עֲבָר֣וֹת יוּבָֽלוּ׃

31Who declares his way to his face, and who repays him for what he has done?

31מִֽי־ יַגִּ֣יד עַל־ פָּנָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְהֽוּא־ עָ֝שָׂ֗ה מִ֣י יְשַׁלֶּם־ לֽוֹ׃

32When he is carried to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.

32וְ֭הוּא לִקְבָר֣וֹת יוּבָ֑ל וְֽעַל־ גָּדִ֥ישׁ יִשְׁקֽוֹד׃

33The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all mankind follows after him, and those who go before him are innumerable.

33מָֽתְקוּ־ ל֗וֹ רִגְבֵ֫י נָ֥חַל וְ֭אַחֲרָיו כָּל־ אָדָ֣ם יִמְשׁ֑וֹךְ וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃

34How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”

34וְ֭אֵיךְ תְּנַחֲמ֣וּנִי הָ֑בֶל וּ֝תְשֽׁוּבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם נִשְׁאַר־ מָֽעַל׃ ס

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.