וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַר׃

Job answered and said:

שָׁמַעְתִּי כְאֵלֶּה רַבּוֹת מְנַחֲמֵי עָמָל כֻּלְּכֶם

I have heard many statements like these. You have not told me anything new. All of you are useless comforters, toilers in vain, worthless and false.

הֲקֵץ לְדִבְרֵי־רוּחַ אוֹ מַה־יַּמְרִיצְךָ כִּי תַעֲנֶה

Is there an end to windy, empty, words? Or what is it that drives you, motivates or applies pressure upon each one of you, that you respond?

גַּם אָנֹכִי כָּכֶם אֲדַבֵּרָה לוּ־יֵשׁ נַפְשְׁכֶם תַּחַת נַפְשִׁי אַחְבִּירָה עֲלֵיכֶם בְּמִלִּים וְאָנִיעָה עֲלֵיכֶם בְּמוֹ רֹאשִׁי

I also could and would speak as you do, if your life were in place of my life, if you were in my place. I would amass words against you, in the manner of preachers and eulogizers. I am very familiar with the style of a sermon, and were it not for my suffering I could moralize just as well as you do. And I too would shake my head at you, as a mark of sorrow.

אֲאַמִּצְכֶם בְּמוֹ־פִי וְנִיד שְׂפָתַי יַחְשֹׂךְ

I would likewise encourage you with my mouth, just as until now you have offered me no practical assistance, and the movement of my lips would relieve your grief, or, alternatively, my grief.

אִם־אֲדַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂךְ כְּאֵבִי וְאַחְדְּלָה מַה־מִּ נִּי יַהֲלֹךְ

But why should I dwell on fantasies, for if I speak, my pain will not be lessened, and if I refrain from talking and remain silent, what will go from me? What part of my pain will be removed?

אַךְ־עַתָּה הֶלְאָנִי הֲשִׁמּוֹתָ כָּל־עֲדָתִי

But now it, or all this talk, or this pain, has wearied me; You have devastated all my congregation, or my family.

וַתִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵד הָיָה וַיָּקָם בִּי כַחֲשִׁי בְּפָנַי יַעֲנֶה

You have shriveled me through the want and suffering You have inflicted upon me; the mark it has made on me is a witness. My gauntness stands to testify against me; it testifies before me.

אַפּוֹ טָרַף וַיִּשְׂטְמֵנִי חָרַק עָלַי בְּשִׁנָּיו צָרִי יִלְטוֹשׁ עֵינָיו לִי

His wrath has mauled and He hates me; He has gnashed His teeth at me; my enemy sharpens his eyes toward me and plots how to increase my suffering.

פָּעֲרוּ עָלַי בְּפִיהֶם בְּחֶרְפָּה הִכּוּ לְחָיָי יַחַד עָלַי יִתְמַלָּאוּן

They have opened wide their mouth against me, to shout at me; they strike my cheek in disgrace, scornfully, to humiliate me; together they convene against me.

יַסְגִּירֵנִי אֵל אֶל עֲוִיל וְעַל־יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵנִי

God hands me over to the unjust, those who perform evil acts, and by means of the wicked, He misdirects me.

שָׁלֵו הָיִיתִי וַיְפַרְפְּרֵנִי וְאָחַז בְּעָרְפִּי וַיְפַצְפְּצֵנִי וַיְקִימֵנִי לוֹ לְמַטָּרָה

I was tranquil, and He agitated me, or, alternatively, He crushed me; He seized my nape and shattered me; He set me as His target in order to shoot me.

יָסֹבּוּ עָלַי רַבָּיו יְפַלַּח כִּלְיוֹתַי וְלֹא יַחְמֹל יִשְׁפֹּךְ לָאָרֶץ מְרֵרָתִי

His marksmen surround me; He pierces my kidneys with their arrows, and He does not show compassion; He spills my bile onto the ground.

יִפְרְצֵנִי פֶרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָרֶץ יָרֻץ עָלַי כְּגִבּוֹר

He strikes and breaks me, break after break, one blow after another; He runs at me to hurt me like a warrior attacking in battle.

שַׂק תָּפַרְתִּי עֲלֵי גִלְדִּי וְעֹלַלְתִּי בֶעָפָר קַרְנִי

I sewed sackcloth over my skin as a sign of mourning for myself, and I have set in dust my renown. I placed dust upon my head.

פָּנַי חֳמַרְמְרוּ מִנִּי בֶכִי וְעַל עַפְעַפַּי צַלְמָוֶת

My face is enflamed from weeping, and the shadow of death is on my eyelids.

עַל לֹא־חָמָס בְּכַפָּי ותְפִלָּתִי זַכָּה

All this has befallen me for no villainy that is in my hands, for nothing; my prayer before You has been pure. If so, why am I experiencing such terrible suffering?

אֶרֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּי דָמִי וְאַל־יְהִי מָקוֹם לְזַעֲקָתִי

Earth, do not cover my blood. I prefer it to remain exposed, as a constant reminder of the injustice I have suffered. And let there be no resting place for my outcry, so that it may continue to be heard by all, or by God.

גַּם־עַתָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַיִם עֵדִי וְשָׂהֲדִי בַּמְּרוֹמִים

Now too, behold, my witness is located in the heavens, and my witness is on high.

מְלִיצַי רֵעָי אֶל־אֱלוֹהַּ דָּלְפָה עֵינִי

My eloquent ones, or, alternatively, those who distort my claims, my friends: My eye streams as I weep to God.

וְיוֹכַח לְגֶבֶר עִם־אֱלוֹהַּ ובֶן־אָדָם לְרֵעֵהוּ

Can a man argue with God as a person does with his friend? One can rightfully respond only to his friend, another mortal.

כִּי שְׁנוֹת מִסְפָּר יֶאֱתָיוּ ואֹרַח לֹא־אָשׁוּב אֶהֱלֹךְ

For but a few years pass me, and I will go on the path of life from which I will not return. One cannot return from this path.