Chapter 6

1Then Iyov said in reply:

אוַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַר׃

2If my anguish were weighed, My full calamity laid on the scales,

בלוּ שָׁקוֹל יִשָּׁקֵל כַּעְשִׂי והיתי [וְהַוָּתִי] בְּמֹאזְנַיִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָחַד׃

3It would be heavier than the sand of the sea; That is why I spoke recklessly.

גכִּי־עַתָּה מֵחוֹל יַמִּים יִכְבָּד עַל־כֵּן דְּבָרַי לָעוּ׃

4For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; My spirit absorbs their poison; Hashem's terrors are arrayed against me.

דכִּי חִצֵּי שַׁדַּי עִמָּדִי אֲשֶׁר חֲמָתָם שֹׁתָה רוּחִי בִּעוּתֵי אֱלוֹהַּ יַעַרְכוּנִי׃

5Does a wild ass bray when he has grass? Does a bull bellow over his fodder?

ההֲיִנְהַק־פֶּרֶא עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא אִם יִגְעֶה־שּׁוֹר עַל־בְּלִילוֹ׃

6Can what is tasteless be eaten without salt? Does mallow juice have any flavor?

והֲיֵאָכֵל תָּפֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶלַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַעַם בְּרִיר חַלָּמוּת׃

7I refuse to touch them; They are like food when I am sick.

זמֵאֲנָה לִנְגּוֹעַ נַפְשִׁי הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחְמִי׃

8Would that my request were granted, That Hashem gave me what I wished for;

חמִי־יִתֵּן תָּבוֹא שֶׁאֱלָתִי וְתִקְוָתִי יִתֵּן אֱלוֹהַּ׃

9Would that Hashem consented to crush me, Loosed His hand and cut me off.

טוְיֹאֵל אֱלוֹהַּ וִידַכְּאֵנִי יַתֵּר יָדוֹ וִיבַצְּעֵנִי׃

10Then this would be my consolation, As I writhed in unsparing pains: That I did not suppress my words against the Holy One.

יוּתְהִי עוֹד נֶחָמָתִי וַאֲסַלְּדָה בְחִילָה לֹא יַחְמוֹל כִּי־לֹא כִחַדְתִּי אִמְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ׃

11What strength have I, that I should endure? How long have I to live, that I should be patient?

יאמַה־כֹּחִי כִי־אֲיַחֵל וּמַה־קִּצִּי כִּי־אַאֲרִיךְ נַפְשִׁי׃

12Is my strength the strength of rock? Is my flesh bronze?

יבאִם־כֹּחַ אֲבָנִים כֹּחִי אִם־בְּשָׂרִי נָחוּשׁ׃

13Truly, I cannot help myself; I have been deprived of resourcefulness.

יגהַאִם אֵין עֶזְרָתִי בִי וְתֻשִׁיָּה נִדְּחָה מִמֶּנִּי׃

14A friend owes loyalty to one who fails, Though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty;

ידלַמָּס מֵרֵעֵהוּ חָסֶד וְיִרְאַת שַׁדַּי יַעֲזוֹב׃

15My comrades are fickle, like a wadi, Like a bed on which streams once ran.

טואַחַי בָּגְדוּ כְמוֹ־נָחַל כַּאֲפִיק נְחָלִים יַעֲבֹרוּ׃

16They are dark with ice; Snow obscures them;

טזהַקֹּדְרִים מִנִּי־קָרַח עָלֵימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָׁלֶג׃

17But when they thaw, they vanish; In the heat, they disappear where they are.

יזבְּעֵת יְזֹרְבוּ נִצְמָתוּ בְּחֻמּוֹ נִדְעֲכוּ מִמְּקוֹמָם׃

18Their course twists and turns; They run into the desert and perish.

יחיִלָּפְתוּ אָרְחוֹת דַּרְכָּם יַעֲלוּ בַתֹּהוּ וְיֹאבֵדוּ׃

19Caravans from Tema look to them; Processions from Sheba count on them.

יטהִבִּיטוּ אָרְחוֹת תֵּמָא הֲלִיכֹת שְׁבָא קִוּוּ־לָמוֹ׃

20They are disappointed in their hopes; When they reach the place, they stand aghast.

כבֹּשׁוּ כִּי־בָטָח בָּאוּ עָדֶיהָ וַיֶּחְפָּרוּ׃

21So you are as nothing: At the sight of misfortune, you take fright.

כאכִּי־עַתָּה הֱיִיתֶם לא [לוֹ] תִּרְאוּ חֲתַת וַתִּירָאוּ׃

22Did I say to you, “I need your gift; Pay a bribe for me out of your wealth;

כבהֲ‍כִי־אָמַרְתִּי הָבוּ לִי וּמִכֹּחֲכֶם שִׁחֲדוּ בַעֲדִי׃

23Deliver me from the clutches of my enemy; Redeem me from violent men”?

כגוּמַלְּטוּנִי מִיַּד־צָר וּמִיַּד עָרִיצִים תִּפְדּוּנִי׃

24Teach me; I shall be silent; Tell me where I am wrong.

כדהוֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִי אַחֲרִישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁגִיתִי הָבִינוּ לִי׃

25How trenchant honest words are; But what sort of reproof comes from you?

כהמַה־נִּמְרְצוּ אִמְרֵי־יֹשֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִיחַ הוֹכֵחַ מִכֶּם׃

26Do you devise words of reproof, But count a hopeless man's words as wind?

כוהַלְהוֹכַח מִלִּים תַּחְשֹׁבוּ וּלְרוּחַ אִמְרֵי נֹאָשׁ׃

27You would even cast lots over an orphan, Or barter away your friend.

af al ya-TOM ta-PEE-lu v'-tikh-RU al ray-a-KHEM

כזאַף־עַל־יָתוֹם תַּפִּילוּ וְתִכְרוּ עַל־רֵיעֲכֶם׃

28Now be so good as to face me; I will not lie to your face.

כחוְעַתָּה הוֹאִילוּ פְנוּ־בִי וְעַל־פְּנֵיכֶם אִם־אֲכַזֵּב׃

29Relent! Let there not be injustice; Relent! I am still in the right.

כטשֻׁבוּ־נָא אַל־תְּהִי עַוְלָה ושבי [וְשׁוּבוּ] עוֹד צִדְקִי־בָהּ׃

30Is injustice on my tongue? Can my palate not discern evil?

להֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִי עַוְלָה אִם־חִכִּי לֹא־יָבִין הַוּוֹת׃