Job Presents His Case

1  וַיַּ֥עַן (And answered) אִיּ֗וֹב (Job) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (and said),

2  אָ֭מְנָם (Truly) כִּ֣י (it is that) אַתֶּם־ (you⁺ are) עָ֑ם (the people),

וְ֝עִמָּכֶ֗ם (and with you⁺) תָּמ֥וּת (will die) חָכְמָֽה׃ (wisdom).

3  גַּם־ (Also) לִ֤י (unto me is) לֵבָ֨ב׀ (a heart) כְּֽמוֹכֶ֗ם (like you⁺);

לֹא־ (not) נֹפֵ֣ל (falling) אָנֹכִ֣י (am I) מִכֶּ֑ם (below you⁺).

וְאֶת־ (And with) מִי־ (whom) אֵ֥ין (are not) כְּמוֹ־ (things like) אֵֽלֶּה׃ (these)?

4  שְׂחֹ֤ק (A laughingstock) לְרֵעֵ֨הוּ׀ (to his neighbor) אֶֽהְיֶ֗ה (I have become),

קֹרֵ֣א (one calling) לֶ֭אֱלוֹהַּ (on God) וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ (and He answered him),

שְׂ֝ח֗וֹק (a laughingstock) צַדִּ֥יק (the righteous) תָּמִֽים׃ (and blameless one).

5  לַפִּ֣יד (For disaster) בּ֭וּז (there is contempt) לְעַשְׁתּ֣וּת (in the thought) שַׁאֲנָ֑ן (of the secure);

נָ֝כ֗וֹן (prepared) לְמ֣וֹעֲדֵי (for those slipping) רָֽגֶל׃ (of foot).

6  יִשְׁלָ֤יוּ (Are at rest) אֹֽהָלִ֨ים׀ (the tents) לְשֹׁ֥דְדִ֗ים (of robbers),

וּֽ֭בַטֻּחוֹת (and are secure) לְמַרְגִּ֣יזֵי (those disturbing) אֵ֑ל (God).

לַאֲשֶׁ֤ר (To the one who) הֵבִ֖יא (carries) אֱל֣וֹהַּ (his god) בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (in his hand).

7  וְֽאוּלָ֗ם (But) שְׁאַל־ (ask) נָ֣א (now) בְהֵמ֣וֹת (the beasts) וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ (and they will instruct you),

וְע֥וֹף (and the birds) הַ֝שָּׁמַ֗יִם (of the heavens) וְיַגֶּד־ (and one will declare) לָֽךְ׃ (to you).

8  א֤וֹ (Or) שִׂ֣יחַ (speak) לָאָ֣רֶץ (to the earth) וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ (and it will instruct you),

וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ (and they will recount) לְ֝ךָ֗ (to you) דְּגֵ֣י (the fish) הַיָּֽם׃ (of the sea).

9  מִ֭י (Who) לֹא־ (does not) יָדַ֣ע (know) בְּכָל־ (among all) אֵ֑לֶּה (these)

כִּ֥י (that) יַד־ (the hand) יְ֝הוָה (of YHWH) עָ֣שְׂתָה (has done) זֹּֽאת׃ (this)—

10  אֲשֶׁ֣ר (of whom) בְּ֭יָדוֹ (in His hand) נֶ֣פֶשׁ (is the soul) כָּל־ (of every) חָ֑י (living thing),

וְ֝ר֗וּחַ (and the breath) כָּל־ (of all) בְּשַׂר־ (the flesh) אִֽישׁ׃ (of man)?

11  הֲלֹא־ (Does not) אֹ֭זֶן (the ear) מִלִּ֣ין (words) תִּבְחָ֑ן (examine),

וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ (and the mouth) אֹ֣כֶל (food) יִטְעַם־ (does taste) לֽוֹ׃ (for itself)?

12  בִּֽישִׁישִׁ֥ים (With the aged) חָכְמָ֑ה (is wisdom),

וְאֹ֖רֶךְ (and in length) יָמִ֣ים (of days) תְּבוּנָֽה׃ (is understanding).

13  עִ֭מּוֹ (With Him) חָכְמָ֣ה (are wisdom) וּגְבוּרָ֑ה (and strength);

ל֝֗וֹ (unto Him) עֵצָ֥ה (are counsel) וּתְבוּנָֽה׃ (and understanding).

14  הֵ֣ן (Behold) יַ֭הֲרוֹס (He tears down), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִבָּנֶ֑ה (can it be rebuilt);

יִסְגֹּ֥ר (He closes up) עַל־ (upon) אִ֝֗ישׁ (a man), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִפָּתֵֽחַ׃ (can it be opened).

15  הֵ֤ן (Behold), יַעְצֹ֣ר (He restrains) בַּמַּ֣יִם (the waters) וְיִבָ֑שׁוּ (and they dry up);

וִֽ֝ישַׁלְּחֵ֗ם (and He sends them forth) וְיַ֖הַפְכוּ (and they overthrow) אָֽרֶץ׃ (the land).

16  עִ֭מּוֹ (With Him are) עֹ֣ז (strength) וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה (and wisdom)

ל֝֗וֹ (unto Him are) שֹׁגֵ֥ג (the deceived) וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃ (and the deceiver).

17  מוֹלִ֣יךְ (Causing to go forth) יוֹעֲצִ֣ים (counselors) שׁוֹלָ֑ל (barefoot),

וְֽשֹׁפְטִ֥ים (and judges) יְהוֹלֵֽל׃ (He makes foolish).

18  מוּסַ֣ר (The bond) מְלָכִ֣ים (of kings) פִּתֵּ֑חַ (He loosens)

וַיֶּאְסֹ֥ר (and He binds) אֵ֝ז֗וֹר (a waistband) בְּמָתְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (around their loins).

19  מוֹלִ֣יךְ (He leads away) כֹּהֲנִ֣ים (priests) שׁוֹלָ֑ל (barefoot),

וְאֵֽתָנִ֣ים (and the established) יְסַלֵּֽף׃ (He overthrows).

20  מֵסִ֣יר (He deprives) שָׂ֭פָה (the lip) לְנֶאֱמָנִ֑ים (of the trusted ones),

וְטַ֖עַם (and the discernment) זְקֵנִ֣ים (of the elders) יִקָּֽח׃ (He takes away).

21  שׁוֹפֵ֣ךְ (He pours out) בּ֭וּז (contempt) עַל־ (on) נְדִיבִ֑ים (nobles),

וּמְזִ֖יחַ (and the) אֲפִיקִ֣ים (mighty) רִפָּֽה׃ (He makes feeble).

22  מְגַלֶּ֣ה (He uncovers) עֲ֭מֻקוֹת (deep things) מִנִּי־ (out) חֹ֑שֶׁךְ (of darkness),

וַיֹּצֵ֖א (and brings) לָא֣וֹר (to light) צַלְמָֽוֶת׃ (the shadow of death).

23  מַשְׂגִּ֣יא (He makes great) לַ֭גּוֹיִם (nations) וַֽיְאַבְּדֵ֑ם (and destroys them);

שֹׁטֵ֥חַ (He enlarges) לַ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם (nations) וַיַּנְחֵֽם׃ (and guides them away).

24  מֵסִ֗יר (He takes away) לֵ֭ב (the understanding) רָאשֵׁ֣י (of the chiefs) עַם־ (of the people) הָאָ֑רֶץ (of the earth)

וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם (and makes them wander) בְּתֹ֣הוּ (in a wilderness) לֹא־ (without) דָֽרֶךְ׃ (a path).

25  יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־ (They feel about) חֹ֥שֶׁךְ (in darkness) וְלֹא־ (without) א֑וֹר (light),

וַ֝יַּתְעֵ֗ם (and He makes them stagger) כַּשִּׁכּֽוֹר׃ (like a drunkard).