Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1Then Job answered:

1וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2If only my grief could be weighed and my devastation placed with it in the scales.

2ל֗וּ שָׁק֣וֹל יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל כַּעְשִׂ֑י [והיתי] (וְ֝הַוָּתִ֗י) בְּֽמֹאזְנַ֥יִם יִשְׂאוּ־ יָֽחַד׃

3For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas! That is why my words are rash.

3כִּֽי־ עַתָּ֗ה מֵח֣וֹל יַמִּ֣ים יִכְבָּ֑ד עַל־ כֵּ֝֗ן דְּבָרַ֥י לָֽעוּ׃

4Surely the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks their poison. God's terrors are arrayed against me.

4כִּ֤י חִצֵּ֪י שַׁדַּ֡י עִמָּדִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲ֭מָתָם שֹׁתָ֣ה רוּחִ֑י בִּעוּתֵ֖י אֱל֣וֹהַּ יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי׃

5Does a wild donkey bray over fresh grass or an ox low over its fodder?

5הֲיִֽנְהַק־ פֶּ֥רֶא עֲלֵי־ דֶ֑שֶׁא אִ֥ם יִגְעֶה־ שּׁ֝֗וֹר עַל־ בְּלִילֽוֹ׃

6Is bland food eaten without salt? Is there flavor in an egg white?

6הֲיֵאָכֵ֣ל תָּ֭פֵל מִבְּלִי־ מֶ֑לַח אִם־ יֶשׁ־ טַ֝֗עַם בְּרִ֣יר חַלָּמֽוּת׃

7I refuse to touch them; they are like contaminated food.

7מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגּ֣וֹעַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃

8If only my request would be granted and God would provide what I hope for:

8מִֽי־ יִ֭תֵּן תָּב֣וֹא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃

9that He would decide to crush me, to unleash His power and cut me off!

9וְיֹאֵ֣ל אֱ֭לוֹהַּ וִֽידַכְּאֵ֑נִי יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝ד֗וֹ וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃

10It would still bring me comfort, and I would leap for joy in unrelenting pain that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

10וּ֥תְהִי ע֨וֹד ׀ נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה בְ֭חִילָה לֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל כִּי־ לֹ֥א כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי אִמְרֵ֥י קָדֽוֹשׁ׃

11What strength do I have that I should continue to hope? What is my future, that I should be patient?

11מַה־ כֹּחִ֥י כִֽי־ אֲיַחֵ֑ל וּמַה־ קִּ֝צִּ֗י כִּֽי־ אַאֲרִ֥יךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃

12Is my strength that of stone, or my flesh made of bronze?

12אִם־ כֹּ֣חַ אֲבָנִ֣ים כֹּחִ֑י אִֽם־ בְּשָׂרִ֥י נָחֽוּשׁ׃

13Since I cannot help myself, the hope for success has been banished from me.

13הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

14A despairing man should receive loyalty from his friends, even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty.

14לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֽוֹב׃

15My brothers are as treacherous as a wadi, as seasonal streams that overflow

15אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמוֹ־ נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

16and become darkened because of ice, and the snow melts into them.

16הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־ קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־ שָֽׁלֶג׃

17The wadis evaporate in warm weather; they disappear from their channels in hot weather.

17בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמּ֗וֹ נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃

18Caravans turn away from their routes, go up into the desert, and perish.

18יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְח֣וֹת דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

19The caravans of Tema look for these streams. The traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them.

19הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְח֣וֹת תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת שְׁ֝בָ֗א קִוּוּ־ לָֽמוֹ׃

20They are ashamed because they had been confident of finding water. When they arrive there, they are frustrated.

20בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־ בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ‪‬ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

21So this is what you have now become to me. When you see something dreadful, you are afraid.

21כִּֽי־ עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם [לא] (ל֑וֹ) תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃

22Have I ever said: "Give me something" or "Pay a bribe for me from your wealth"

22הֲ‍ֽכִי־ אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

23or "Deliver me from the enemy's power" or "Redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless"?

23וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־ צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

24Teach me, and I will be silent. Help me understand what I did wrong.

24ה֭וֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַה־ שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

25How painful honest words can be! But what does your rebuke prove?

25מַה־ נִּמְרְצ֥וּ אִמְרֵי־ יֹ֑שֶׁר וּמַה־ יּוֹכִ֖יחַ הוֹכֵ֣חַ מִכֶּֽם׃

26Do you think that you can disprove my words or that a despairing man's words are mere wind?

26הַלְהוֹכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃

27No doubt you would cast lots for a fatherless child and negotiate a price to sell your friend.

27אַף־ עַל־ יָת֥וֹם תַּפִּ֑ילוּ וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ עַל־ רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃

28But now, please look at me; would I lie to your face?

28וְ֭עַתָּה הוֹאִ֣ילוּ פְנוּ־ בִ֑י וְעַל־ פְּ֝נֵיכֶ֗ם אִם־ אֲכַזֵּֽב׃

29Reconsider; don't be unjust. Reconsider; my righteousness is still the issue.

29שֻֽׁבוּ־ נָ֭א אַל־ תְּהִ֣י עַוְלָ֑ה [ושבי] (וְשׁ֥וּבוּ‪‬) ע֝וֹד צִדְקִי־ בָֽהּ׃

30Is there injustice on my tongue or can my palate not taste disaster?

30הֲיֵשׁ־ בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֥י עַוְלָ֑ה אִם־ חִ֝כִּ֗י לֹא־ יָבִ֥ין הַוּֽוֹת׃

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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