Job’s Final Appeal

1  בְּ֭רִית (A covenant) כָּרַ֣תִּי (I have made) לְעֵינָ֑י (with my eyes);

וּמָ֥ה (and how) אֶ֝תְבּוֹנֵ֗ן (could I gaze) עַל־ (upon) בְּתוּלָֽה׃ (a virgin)?

2  וּמֶ֤ה׀ (For what) חֵ֣לֶק (would be the portion) אֱל֣וֹהַּ (of God) מִמָּ֑עַל (from above),

וְֽנַחֲלַ֥ת (and the inheritance) שַׁ֝דַּ֗י (of Shaddai) מִמְּרֹמִֽים׃ (in the heights)?

3  הֲלֹא־ (Is not) אֵ֥יד (disaster) לְעַוָּ֑ל (for the perverse one)?

וְ֝נֵ֗כֶר (And calamity) לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי (for the workers) אָֽוֶן׃ (of iniquity)?

4  הֲלֹא־ (Does not) ה֭וּא (He) יִרְאֶ֣ה (see) דְרָכָ֑י (my ways),

וְֽכָל־ (and all) צְעָדַ֥י (my steps) יִסְפּֽוֹר׃ (He counts)?

5  אִם־ (If) הָלַ֥כְתִּי (I have walked) עִם־ (with) שָׁ֑וְא (falsehood),

וַתַּ֖חַשׁ (and has hurried) עַל־ (to) מִרְמָ֣ה (deceit) רַגְלִֽי׃ (my foot),

6  יִשְׁקְלֵ֥נִי (let Him weigh me) בְמֹאזְנֵי־ (in the scales) צֶ֑דֶק (of justice),

וְיֵדַ֥ע (and let know) אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ (God) תֻּמָּתִֽי׃ (my integrity).

7  אִ֥ם (If) תִּטֶּ֣ה (has turned aside) אַשֻּׁרִי֮ (my step) מִנִּ֪י (from) הַ֫דָּ֥רֶךְ (the way),

וְאַחַ֣ר (and following) עֵ֭ינַי (my eyes) הָלַ֣ךְ (has walked) לִבִּ֑י (my heart),

וּ֝בְכַפַּ֗י (and on my palms) דָּ֣בַק (has stuck) מֻאֽוּם׃פ (a spot),

8  אֶ֭זְרְעָה (then let me sow), וְאַחֵ֣ר (and another) יֹאכֵ֑ל (may eat),

וְֽצֶאֱצָאַ֥י (and may my crops) יְשֹׁרָֽשׁוּ׃ (be uprooted).

9  אִם־ (If) נִפְתָּ֣ה (has been enticed) לִ֭בִּי (my heart) עַל־ (over) אִשָּׁ֑ה (a woman),

וְעַל־ (or at) פֶּ֖תַח (the door) רֵעִ֣י (of my neighbor) אָרָֽבְתִּי׃ (I have lain in wait).

10  תִּטְחַ֣ן (Then let her grind) לְאַחֵ֣ר (for another) אִשְׁתִּ֑י (my wife),

וְ֝עָלֶ֗יהָ (and over her) יִכְרְע֥וּן (let bend down) אֲחֵרִֽין׃ (and others).

11  כִּי־ (For) הוּא (it) זִמָּ֑ה (is wickedness);

וְהִיא (and it is) עָוֺ֥ן (an iniquity) פְּלִילִֽים׃ (to be judged).

12  כִּ֤י (For) אֵ֣שׁ (is a fire) הִ֭יא (it) עַד־ (that unto) אֲבַדּ֣וֹן (Abaddon) תֹּאכֵ֑ל (consumes),

וּֽבְכָל־ (and among all) תְּב֖וּאָתִ֣י (my produce) תְשָׁרֵֽשׁ׃ (it would uproot).

13  אִם־ (If) אֶמְאַ֗ס (I have rejected) מִשְׁפַּ֣ט (the justice) עַ֭בְדִּי (of my manservant) וַאֲמָתִ֑י (or my maidservant)

בְּ֝רִבָ֗ם (in their dispute) עִמָּדִֽי׃ (with me),

14  וּמָ֣ה (and what) אֶֽ֭עֱשֶׂה (shall I do) כִּֽי־ (when) יָק֣וּם (arises) אֵ֑ל (God)?

וְכִֽי־ (And when) יִ֝פְקֹ֗ד (He inspects), מָ֣ה (how) אֲשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃ (shall I answer him).

15  הֲ‍ֽ֝לֹא־ (Did not) בַ֭בֶּטֶן (in the belly) עֹשֵׂ֣נִי (the One making me) עָשָׂ֑הוּ (make them),

וַ֝יְכֻנֶ֗נּוּ (and prepare us) בָּרֶ֥חֶם (in the womb) אֶחָֽד׃ (and that One)?

16  אִם־ (If) אֶ֭מְנַע (I have held back) מֵחֵ֣פֶץ (from pleasure) דַּלִּ֑ים (the poor),

וְעֵינֵ֖י (and the eyes) אַלְמָנָ֣ה (of the widow) אֲכַלֶּֽה׃ (made to fail),

17  וְאֹכַ֣ל (and have eaten) פִּתִּ֣י (my morsel) לְבַדִּ֑י (alone),

וְלֹא־ (and not) אָכַ֖ל (could eat) יָת֣וֹם (the fatherless) מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ (from it)—

18  כִּ֣י (indeed) מִ֭נְּעוּרַי (from my youth) גְּדֵלַ֣נִי (I brought him up) כְאָ֑ב (as a father),

וּמִבֶּ֖טֶן (and from the womb) אִמִּ֣י (of my mother) אַנְחֶֽנָּה׃ (I guided her)—

19  אִם־ (if) אֶרְאֶ֣ה (I have seen) א֭וֹבֵד (one perishing) מִבְּלִ֣י (from lack) לְב֑וּשׁ (of clothing),

וְאֵ֥ין (or there being no) כְּ֝ס֗וּת (covering) לָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ (for the needy),

20  אִם־ (if) לֹ֣א (have not) בֵרֲכ֣וּנִי (blessed me) חֲלָצוֹ (his loins)

וּמִגֵּ֥ז (and with the fleece) כְּ֝בָשַׂי (of my sheep) יִתְחַמָּֽם׃ (for warming him),

21  אִם־ (if) הֲנִיפ֣וֹתִי (I have raised) עַל־ (against) יָת֣וֹם (the fatherless) יָדִ֑י (my hand)

כִּֽי־ (because) אֶרְאֶ֥ה (I saw) בַ֝שַּׁ֗עַר (at the gate) עֶזְרָתִֽי׃ (my help),

22  כְּ֭תֵפִי (then let my upper arm) מִשִּׁכְמָ֣ה (from its shoulder) תִפּ֑וֹל (fall),

וְ֝אֶזְרֹעִ֗י (and my arm) מִקָּנָ֥ה (from its socket) תִשָּׁבֵֽר׃ (be broken off).

23  כִּ֤י (For) פַ֣חַד (a dread) אֵ֭לַי (to me) אֵ֣יד (is calamity from) אֵ֑ל (God)

וּ֝מִשְּׂאֵת֗וֹ (and His majesty) לֹ֣א (I cannot) אוּכָֽל׃ (overpower).

24  אִם־ (If) שַׂ֣מְתִּי (I have set) זָהָ֣ב (upon gold) כִּסְלִ֑י (my confidence),

וְ֝לַכֶּ֗תֶם (or of fine gold) אָמַ֥רְתִּי (I have said), מִבְטַחִֽי׃ (My trust),

25  אִם־ (if) אֶ֭שְׂמַח (I have rejoiced) כִּי־ (because) רַ֣ב (great) חֵילִ֑י (was my wealth),

וְכִֽי־ (and because) כַ֝בִּ֗יר (much) מָצְאָ֥ה (had acquired) יָדִֽי׃ (my hand),

26  אִם־ (if) אֶרְאֶ֣ה (I have seen) א֖וֹר (the light) כִּ֣י (when) יָהֵ֑ל (it shines),

וְ֝יָרֵ֗חַ (or the moon) יָקָ֥ר (in splendor) הֹלֵֽךְ׃ (moving),

27  וַיִּ֣פְתְּ (so that has been enticed) בַּסֵּ֣תֶר (in secret) לִבִּ֑י (my heart)

וַתִּשַּׁ֖ק (and has kissed) יָדִ֣י (my hand) לְפִֽי׃ (my mouth),

28  גַּם־ (then also) ה֭וּא (this would be) עָוֺ֣ן (an iniquity) פְּלִילִ֑י (be judged),

כִּֽי־ (for) כִחַ֖שְׁתִּי (I would have lied) לָאֵ֣ל (to God) מִמָּֽעַל׃ (above).

29  אִם־ (If) אֶ֭שְׂמַח (I have rejoiced) בְּפִ֣יד (in the destruction) מְשַׂנְאִ֑י (of one hating me)

וְ֝הִתְעֹרַ֗רְתִּי (or raised myself up) כִּֽי־ (because) מְצָ֥אוֹ (found him) רָֽע׃ (evil)

30  וְלֹא־ (and not) נָתַ֣תִּי (have I given) לַחֲטֹ֣א (to sin) חִכִּ֑י (my mouth)

לִשְׁאֹ֖ל (by asking) בְּאָלָ֣ה (with a curse) נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (for his life),

31  אִם־ (if) לֹ֣א (not) אָ֭מְרוּ (have said) מְתֵ֣י (the men) אָהֳלִ֑י (of my tent),

מִֽי־ (Who) יִתֵּ֥ן (will give) מִ֝בְּשָׂר֗וֹ (from his flesh) לֹ֣א (not) נִשְׂבָּֽע׃ (having been satisfied)?

32  בַּ֭חוּץ (In the street) לֹא־ (not) יָלִ֣ין (does lodge) גֵּ֑ר (a sojourner);

דְּ֝לָתַ֗י (for my doors) לָאֹ֥רַח (to the traveler) אֶפְתָּֽח׃ (I have opened)—

33  אִם־ (if) כִּסִּ֣יתִי (I have covered) כְאָדָ֣ם (like Adam) פְּשָׁעָ֑י (my transgressions)

לִטְמ֖וֹן (by hiding) בְּחֻבִּ֣י (in my bosom) עֲוֺֽנִי׃ (my guilt),

34  כִּ֤י (because) אֶֽעֱר֨וֹץ׀ (I feared) הָ֘מ֤וֹן (the multitude) רַבָּ֗ה (great)

וּבוּז־ (and the contempt) מִשְׁפָּח֥וֹת (of the clans) יְחִתֵּ֑נִי (terrified me)

וָ֝אֶדֹּ֗ם (and I kept silent),

לֹא־ (not) אֵ֥צֵא (going out) פָֽתַח׃ (the door)?

35  מִ֤י (Who) יִתֶּן־ (will give) לִ֨י׀ (to me) שֹׁ֘מֵ֤עַֽ (one listening) לִ֗י (to me)!

הֶן־ (Behold), תָּ֭וִי (my mark)

שַׁדַּ֣י (and let Shaddai) יַעֲנֵ֑נִי (answer me),

וְסֵ֥פֶר (and the bill) כָּ֝תַ֗ב (that has written) אִ֣ישׁ (the man) רִיבִֽי׃ (of my dispute). Prep | 1cs:—

36  אִם־ (If) לֹ֣א (not)— עַל־ (upon) שִׁ֭כְמִי (my shoulder) אֶשָּׂאֶ֑נּוּ (I would take it up),

אֶֽעֶנְדֶ֖נּוּ (and bind it) עֲטָר֣וֹת (as crowns) לִֽי׃ (to myself).

37  מִסְפַּ֣ר (The count) צְ֭עָדַי (of my steps) אַגִּידֶ֑נּוּ (I would declare to him);

כְּמוֹ־ (like) נָ֝גִ֗יד (a prince) אֲקָרֲבֶֽנּוּ׃ (I would approach Him)—

38  אִם־ (if) עָ֭לַי (against me) אַדְמָתִ֣י (my land) תִזְעָ֑ק (cries out)

וְ֝יַ֗חַד (and together) תְּלָמֶ֥יהָ (its furrows) יִבְכָּיֽוּן׃ (weep),

39  אִם־ (if) כֹּ֭חָהּ (its power) אָכַ֣לְתִּי (I have eaten) בְלִי־ (without) כָ֑סֶף (silver),

וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ (and the soul) בְּעָלֶ֣יהָ (of its workers) הִפָּֽחְתִּי׃ (I have caused to breathe out).

40  תַּ֤חַת (Then in place) חִטָּ֨ה׀ (of wheat) יֵ֥צֵא (let there come forth) ח֗וֹחַ (a thorn),

וְתַֽחַת־ (and in place) שְׂעֹרָ֥ה (of barley) בָאְשָׁ֑ה (weeds).

תַּ֝֗מּוּ (Have ended) דִּבְרֵ֥י (the words) אִיּֽוֹב׃פ (of Job).