Job Prepares for Death

1  רוּחִ֣י (My spirit) חֻ֭בָּלָה (is destroyed), יָמַ֥י (my days) נִזְעָ֗כוּ (are extinguished)—

קְבָרִ֥ים (graves are) לִֽי׃ (for me).

2  אִם־ (If) לֹ֣א (not) הֲ֭תֻלִים (mockers are) עִמָּדִ֑י (with me),

וּ֝בְהַמְּרוֹתָ֗ם (and in their provocation) תָּלַ֥ן (lodges) עֵינִֽי׃ (my eye).

3  שִֽׂימָה־ (Place) נָּ֭א (please) עָרְבֵ֣נִי (my pledge) עִמָּ֑ךְ (with You);

מִֽי (who is) ה֝֗וּא (he who) לְיָדִ֥י (to my hand) יִתָּקֵֽעַ׃ (will strike himself).

4  כִּֽי־ (For) לִ֭בָּם (their heart) צָפַ֣נְתָּ (You have hidden) מִּשָּׂ֑כֶל (from understanding),

עַל־ (and upon) כֵּ֝֗ן (thus) לֹ֣א (not) תְרֹמֵֽם׃ (will You exalt them).

5  לְ֭חֵלֶק (For a portion) יַגִּ֣יד (he reports) רֵעִ֑ים (his friends),

וְעֵינֵ֖י (and the eyes) בָנָ֣יו (of his sons) תִּכְלֶֽנָה׃ (are consumed).

6  וְֽ֭הִצִּגַנִי (And He has made me) לִמְשֹׁ֣ל (a byword) עַמִּ֑ים (among the peoples);

וְתֹ֖פֶת (and a spitting) לְפָנִ֣ים (in the face) אֶֽהְיֶֽה׃ (I have become).

7  וַתֵּ֣כַהּ (And is dim) מִכַּ֣עַשׂ (from sorrow) עֵינִ֑י (my eye),

וִֽיצֻרַ֖י (and my members) כַּצֵּ֣ל (are like a shadow), כֻּלָּֽם׃ (all of them).

8  יָשֹׁ֣מּוּ (Are appalled) יְשָׁרִ֣ים (the upright) עַל־ (at) זֹ֑את (this),

וְ֝נָקִ֗י (and the innocent) עַל־ (against) חָנֵ֥ף (the godless) יִתְעֹרָֽר׃ (rouses himself).

9  וְיֹאחֵ֣ז (And shall hold) צַדִּ֣יק (the righteous) דַּרְכּ֑וֹ (to his way),

וּֽטֳהָר־ (and the one clean) יָ֝דַ֗יִם (of hands) יֹסִ֥יף (shall add) אֹֽמֶץ׃ (strength).

10  וְֽאוּלָ֗ם (But) כֻּלָּ֣ם (all of them), תָּ֭שֻׁבוּ (you⁺ should return), וּבֹ֣אוּ (and come in) נָ֑א (please),

וְלֹֽא־ (and not) אֶמְצָ֖א (shall I find) בָכֶ֣ם (among you⁺) חָכָֽם׃ (a wise one).

11  יָמַ֣י (My days) עָ֭בְרוּ (have passed by), זִמֹּתַ֣י (my plans) נִתְּק֑וּ (are pulled out)—

מ֖וֹרָשֵׁ֣י (the possessions) לְבָבִֽי׃ (of my heart).

12  לַ֭יְלָה (The night) לְי֣וֹם (into day) יָשִׂ֑ימוּ (they set):

א֝֗וֹר (Light) קָר֥וֹב (is near) מִפְּנֵי־ (in the face) חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (of darkness).

13  אִם־ (If) אֲ֭קַוֶּה (I await) שְׁא֣וֹל (Sheol) בֵּיתִ֑י (as my house),

בַּ֝חֹ֗שֶׁךְ (if in the darkness) רִפַּ֥דְתִּי (I spread out) יְצוּעָֽי׃ (my bed),

14  לַשַּׁ֣חַת (if to the Pit), קָ֭רָאתִי (I call out) אָ֣בִי (My father) אָ֑תָּה (you are)

אִמִּ֥י (or My mother), וַ֝אֲחֹתִ֗י (Or My sister) לָֽרִמָּֽה׃ (to the worm),

15  וְ֭אַיֵּה (where) אֵפ֣וֹ (then) תִקְוָתִ֑י (is my hope)?

וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י (And my hope), מִ֣י (who) יְשׁוּרֶֽנָּה׃ (can see it)?

16  בַּדֵּ֣י (Into the hands) שְׁאֹ֣ל (of Sheol) תֵּרַ֑דְנָה (will it go down),

אִם־ (if) יַ֖חַד (together) עַל־ (upon) עָפָ֣ר (the dust) נָֽחַת׃ס (we may rest).