Job Prepares His Case

1  הֶן־ (Behold), כֹּ֭ל (all this) רָאֲתָ֣ה (has seen) עֵינִ֑י (my eye);

שָֽׁמְעָ֥ה (has heard) אָ֝זְנִ֗י (my ear) וַתָּ֥בֶן (and understood) לָֽהּ׃ (it).

2  כְּֽ֭דַעְתְּכֶם (According to your⁺ knowledge), יָדַ֣עְתִּי (do I know) גַם־ (also) אָ֑נִי (I);

לֹא־ (not) נֹפֵ֖ל (am falling) אָנֹכִ֣י (I) מִכֶּֽם׃ (below you⁺).

3  אוּלָ֗ם (But) אֲ֭נִי (I) אֶל־ (to) שַׁדַּ֣י (Shaddai) אֲדַבֵּ֑ר (wish to speak),

וְהוֹכֵ֖חַ (and to reason) אֶל־ (with) אֵ֣ל (God) אֶחְפָּֽץ׃ (I desire).

4  וְֽאוּלָ֗ם (But) אַתֶּ֥ם (you⁺) טֹֽפְלֵי־ (are plasterers) שָׁ֑קֶר (of a lie),

רֹפְאֵ֖י (physicians) אֱלִ֣ל (worthless) כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃ (all of you⁺).

5  מִֽי־ (Who) יִ֭תֵּן (will give) הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ (being silent) תַּחֲרִישׁ֑וּן (to you should be silent),

וּתְהִ֖י (and it will be) לָכֶ֣ם (for you⁺) לְחָכְמָֽה׃ (for wisdom).

6  שִׁמְעוּ־ (Hear) נָ֥א (now) תוֹכַחְתִּ֑י (my reasoning),

וְרִב֖וֹת (and to the quarreling) שְׂפָתַ֣י (of my lips) הַקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃ (be attentive).

7  הַ֭לְאֵל (For God) תְּדַבְּר֣וּ (will you⁺ speak) עַוְלָ֑ה (injustice),

וְ֝ל֗וֹ (and for Him) תְּֽדַבְּר֥וּ (will you⁺ speak) רְמִיָּֽה׃ (deceit).

8  הֲפָנָ֥יו (His face) תִּשָּׂא֑וּן (will you⁺ lift),

אִם־ (or) לָאֵ֥ל (for God) תְּרִיבֽוּן׃ (will you⁺ contend)?

9  הֲ֭טוֹב (Will it be good) כִּֽי־ (when) יַחְקֹ֣ר (He searches out) אֶתְכֶ֑ם (you⁺),

אִם־ (or) כְּהָתֵ֥ל (as one mocks) בֶּ֝אֱנ֗וֹשׁ (a man) תְּהָתֵ֥לּוּ (can you⁺ mock) בֽוֹ׃ (Him)?

10  הוֹכֵ֣חַ (Rebuking) יוֹכִ֣יחַ (He will rebuke) אֶתְכֶ֑ם (you⁺)

אִם־ (if) בַּ֝סֵּ֗תֶר (in secrecy) פָּנִ֥ים (faces) תִּשָּׂאֽוּן׃ (you⁺ were lifting).

11  הֲלֹ֣א (Will not) שְׂ֭אֵתוֹ (His excellence) תְּבַעֵ֣ת (terrify) אֶתְכֶ֑ם (you⁺)

וּ֝פַחְדּ֗וֹ (and the dread of Him) יִפֹּ֥ל (fall) עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ (upon you⁺)?

12  זִֽ֭כְרֹנֵיכֶם (Your⁺ remembrances) מִשְׁלֵי־ (are proverbs) אֵ֑פֶר (of ashes),

לְגַבֵּי־ (defenses) חֹ֝֗מֶר (of clay) גַּבֵּיכֶֽם׃ (are your⁺ defenses).

13  הַחֲרִ֣ישׁוּ (Keep silent) מִ֭מֶּנִּי (from me), וַאֲדַבְּרָה־ (and I will speak) אָ֑נִי (I),

וְיַעֲבֹ֖ר (and let come) עָלַ֣י (upon me) מָֽה׃ (what may).

14  עַל־ (For) מָ֤ה׀ (what reason) אֶשָּׂ֣א (do I take up) בְשָׂרִ֣י (my flesh) בְשִׁנָּ֑י (in my teeth),

וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י (and my soul) אָשִׂ֥ים (do I set) בְּכַפִּֽי׃ (in my palm)?

15  הֵ֣ן (Behold) יִ֭קְטְלֵנִי (He may slay me), לֹא (unto Him) אֲיַחֵ֑ל (I will hope).

אַךְ־ (Indeed), דְּ֝רָכַ֗י (my ways) אֶל־ (to) פָּנָ֥יו (His face) אוֹכִֽיחַ׃ (I will defend).

16  גַּם־ (Even), הוּא־ (this) לִ֥י (may be unto me) לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה (salvation),

כִּי־ (for) לֹ֥א (not) לְ֝פָנָ֗יו (before His face) חָנֵ֥ף (the godless one) יָבֽוֹא׃ (come in).

17  שִׁמְע֣וּ (Listen) שָׁ֭מוֹעַ (with hearing) מִלָּתִ֑י (to my speech),

וְ֝אַֽחֲוָתִ֗י (and may my declaration be) בְּאָזְנֵיכֶֽם׃ (in your⁺ ears).

18  הִנֵּה־ (Behold), נָ֭א (now), עָרַ֣כְתִּי (I have arranged) מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (my defense).

יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי (I know) כִּֽי־ (that) אֲנִ֥י (I) אֶצְדָּֽק׃ (am righteous).

19  מִי־ (Who is) ה֭וּא (he who) יָרִ֣יב (will contend) עִמָּדִ֑י (with me)?

כִּֽי־ (For) עַתָּ֖ה (then), אַחֲרִ֣ישׁ (I would be silent) וְאֶגְוָֽע׃ (and die).

20  אַךְ־ (Only) שְׁ֭תַּיִם (two things) אַל־ (do not) תַּ֣עַשׂ (do) עִמָּדִ֑י (with me),

אָ֥ז (then) מִ֝פָּנֶ֗יךָ (from Your face) לֹ֣א (not) אֶסָּתֵֽר׃ (will I hide myself).

21  כַּ֭פְּךָ (Your hand) מֵעָלַ֣י (from me) הַרְחַ֑ק (Withdraw)

וְ֝אֵ֥מָתְךָ֗ (and Your terror) אַֽל־ (not) תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃ (let terrify me).

22  וּ֭קְרָא (And call) וְאָנֹכִ֣י (and I) אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה (will answer);

אֽוֹ־ (or) אֲ֝דַבֵּ֗ר (let me speak), וַהֲשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃ (and You reply).

23  כַּמָּ֣ה (How many) לִ֭י (to me are) עֲוֺנ֣וֹת (the iniquities) וְחַטָּא֑וֹת (and sins)?

פִּֽשְׁעִ֥י (My transgression) וְ֝חַטָּאתִ֗י (and my sin) הֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ (make me know).

24  לָֽמָּה־ (For what) פָנֶ֥יךָ (Your face) תַסְתִּ֑יר (do You hide)

וְתַחְשְׁבֵ֖נִי (and consider me) לְאוֹיֵ֣ב (to be an enemy) לָֽךְ׃ (unto You)?

25  הֶעָלֶ֣ה (A leaf) נִדָּ֣ף (driven away) תַּעֲר֑וֹץ (would You make tremble)

וְאֶת־ (and) קַ֖שׁ (stubble) יָבֵ֣שׁ (dry) תִּרְדֹּֽף׃ (would You pursue).

26  כִּֽי־ (For) תִכְתֹּ֣ב (You write) עָלַ֣י (against me) מְרֹר֑וֹת (bitter things)

וְ֝תוֹרִישֵׁ֗נִי (and you make me inherit) עֲוֺנ֥וֹת (the iniquities) נְעוּרָֽי׃ (of my youth).

27  וְתָ֘שֵׂ֤ם (And You put) בַּסַּ֨ד׀ (in the stock) רַגְלַ֗י (my feet),

וְתִשְׁמ֥וֹר (and You watch) כָּל־ (all) אָרְחוֹתָ֑י (my paths);

עַל־ (upon) שָׁרְשֵׁ֥י (the soles) רַ֝גְלַ֗י (of my feet)

תִּתְחַקֶּֽה׃ (You engrave).

28  וְ֭הוּא (And He), כְּרָקָ֣ב (like a rotten thing), יִבְלֶ֑ה (is worn out),

כְּ֝בֶ֗גֶד (like a garment) אֲכָ֣לוֹ (has eaten) עָֽשׁ׃ (a moth).