Job: How Can I Contend with God?

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

2  אָ֭מְנָם (Truly); יָדַ֣עְתִּי (I know) כִי־ (that) כֵ֑ן (it is so),

וּמַה־ (and how) יִּצְדַּ֖ק (can be righteous) אֱנ֣וֹשׁ (a man) עִם־ (with) אֵֽל׃ (God)?

3  אִם־ (If) יַ֭חְפֹּץ (one was delighted) לָרִ֣יב (to contend) עִמּ֑וֹ (with Him),

לֹֽא־ (not) יַ֝עֲנֶ֗נּוּ (could he answer Him) אַחַ֥ת (one time) מִנִּי־ (out of) אָֽלֶף׃ (a thousand).

4  חֲכַ֣ם (He is wise) לֵ֭בָב (of heart) וְאַמִּ֣יץ (and firm) כֹּ֑חַ (of power).

מִֽי־ (Who) הִקְשָׁ֥ה (has hardened himself) אֵ֝לָ֗יו (against Him) וַיִּשְׁלָֽם׃ (and been whole)?

5  הַמַּעְתִּ֣יק (He moves) הָ֭רִים (the mountains), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יָדָ֑עוּ (they do know) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (when)

הֲפָכָ֣ם (He overturns them) בְּאַפּֽוֹ׃ (in His anger).

6  הַמַּרְגִּ֣יז (He shakes) אֶ֭רֶץ (the earth) מִמְּקוֹמָ֑הּ (from its place),

וְ֝עַמּוּדֶ֗יהָ (and its pillars) יִתְפַלָּצֽוּן׃ (shudder).

7  הָאֹמֵ֣ר (He speaks) לַ֭חֶרֶס (to the sun), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִזְרָ֑ח (does it rise),

וּבְעַ֖ד (and) כּוֹכָבִ֣ים (the stars) יַחְתֹּֽם׃ (He seals up).

8  נֹטֶ֣ה (Stretching out) שָׁמַ֣יִם (the heavens) לְבַדּ֑וֹ (by himself),

וְ֝דוֹרֵ֗ךְ (and treading) עַל־ (upon) בָּ֥מֳתֵי (the heights) יָֽם׃ (of the sea).

9  עֹֽשֶׂה־ (Making) עָ֭שׁ (the Bear), כְּסִ֥יל (and Orion),

וְכִימָ֗ה (and the Pleiades), וְחַדְרֵ֥י (and the chambers) תֵמָֽן׃ (of the south).

10  עֹשֶׂ֣ה (Doing) גְ֭דֹלוֹת (great things) עַד־ (until) אֵ֣ין (there is no) חֵ֑קֶר (searching out),

וְנִפְלָא֗וֹת (and wonders) עַד־ (until) אֵ֥ין (there is no) מִסְפָּֽר׃ (numbering).

11  הֵ֤ן (Behold) יַעֲבֹ֣ר (He passes by) עָ֭לַי (over me), וְלֹ֣א (and not) אֶרְאֶ֑ה (do I see Him);

וְ֝יַחֲלֹ֗ף (and He moves past) וְֽלֹא־ (and not) אָבִ֥ין (do I perceive) לֽוֹ׃ (Him).

12  הֵ֣ן (Behold) יַ֭חְתֹּף (He snatches away), מִ֣י (who) יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ (will turn Him back)?

מִֽי־ (Who) יֹאמַ֥ר (shall say) אֵ֝לָ֗יו (to Him) מַֽה־ (What) תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃ (are You doing)?

13  אֱ֭לוֹהַּ (God) לֹא־ (not) יָשִׁ֣יב (will turn aside) אַפּ֑וֹ (His nose);

תַּחַתוֹ (beneath Him) שָׁ֝חֲח֗וּ (bowed) עֹ֣זְרֵי (the helpers) רָֽהַב׃ (of Rahab).

14  אַ֭ף (How) כִּֽי־ (then) אָנֹכִ֣י (can I) אֶֽעֱנֶ֑נּוּ (answer Him)

אֶבְחֲרָ֖ה (and choose) דְבָרַ֣י (my words) עִמּֽוֹ׃ (with Him),

15  אֲשֶׁ֣ר (whom) אִם־ (if) צָ֭דַקְתִּי (I were righteous), לֹ֣א (not) אֶעֱנֶ֑ה (could I give answer);

לִ֝מְשֹׁפְטִ֗י (to my Judge) אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃ (I would plead for mercy).

16  אִם־ (If) קָרָ֥אתִי (I called) וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑נִי (and He answered me),

לֹֽא־ (not) אַ֝אֲמִ֗ין (could I believe) כִּֽי־ (that) יַאֲזִ֥ין (He gives ear) קוֹלִֽי׃ (to my voice).

17  אֲשֶׁר־ (He who) בִּשְׂעָרָ֥ה (with a tempest) יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי (crushes me)

וְהִרְבָּ֖ה (and multiplies) פְצָעַ֣י (my wounds) חִנָּֽם׃ (without cause).

18  לֹֽא־ (Not) יִ֭תְּנֵנִי (He does allow me) הָשֵׁ֣ב (to return) רוּחִ֑י (my breath),

כִּ֥י (that) יַ֝שְׂבִּעַ֗נִי (He fills me) מַמְּרֹרִֽים׃ (with bitterness).

19  אִם־ (If it is) לְכֹ֣חַ (of power),

אַמִּ֣יץ (He is mighty) הִנֵּ֑ה (behold),

וְאִם־ (and if) לְ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט (of justice),

מִ֣י (who) יוֹעִידֵֽנִי׃ (can summon me).

20  אִם־ (If) אֶ֭צְדָּק (I were righteous) פִּ֣י (my own mouth) יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי (would declare me wicked);

תָּֽם־ (were blameless) אָ֝֗נִי (if I), וַֽיַּעְקְשֵֽׁנִי׃ (then it would declare me perverse).

21  תָּֽם־ (Blameless) אָ֭נִי (I am), לֹֽא־ (not) אֵדַ֥ע (I do know) נַפְשִׁ֗י (my soul);

אֶמְאַ֥ס (I despise) חַיָּֽי׃ (my life).

22  אַחַ֗ת (One thing) הִ֥יא (it is); עַל־ (and upon) כֵּ֥ן (thus) אָמַ֑רְתִּי (I say),

תָּ֥ם (The blameless) וְ֝רָשָׁ֗ע (and the wicked) ה֣וּא (He) מְכַלֶּֽה׃ (brings to an end).

23  אִם־ (If) שׁ֭וֹט (the whip) יָמִ֣ית (kills) פִּתְאֹ֑ם (suddenly),

לְמַסַּ֖ת (the despair) נְקִיִּ֣ם (of the innocent) יִלְעָֽג׃ (He mocks).

24  אֶ֤רֶץ׀ (The earth) נִתְּנָ֬ה (is given) בְֽיַד־ (into the hand) רָשָׁ֗ע (of the wicked);

פְּנֵֽי־ (the faces) שֹׁפְטֶ֥יהָ (of its judges) יְכַסֶּ֑ה (He covers).

אִם־ (If) לֹ֖א (not), אֵפ֣וֹא (then) מִי־ (who) הֽוּא׃ (is it)?

25  וְיָמַ֣י (And my days) קַ֭לּוּ (are swifter) מִנִּי־ (than) רָ֑ץ (a runner);

בָּֽ֝רְח֗וּ (they flee) לֹא־ (not) רָא֥וּ (seeing) טוֹבָֽה׃ (good).

26  חָ֭לְפוּ (They pass by) עִם־ (with) אֳנִיּ֣וֹת (ships) אֵבֶ֑ה (of papyrus),

כְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁר (like an eagle) יָט֥וּשׂ (rushing) עֲלֵי־ (upon) אֹֽכֶל׃ (its food).

27  אִם־ (If) אָ֭מְרִי (I were to say), אֶשְׁכְּחָ֣ה (I will forget) שִׂיחִ֑י (my complaint);

אֶעֶזְבָ֖ה (let me change) פָנַ֣י (my face) וְאַבְלִֽיגָה׃ (and smile),

28  יָגֹ֥רְתִּי (I would fear) כָל־ (all) עַצְּבֹתָ֑י (my sorrows);

יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי (and I know) כִּי־ (that) לֹ֥א (not) תְנַקֵּֽנִי׃ (will You clear me).

29  אָנֹכִ֥י (I) אֶרְשָׁ֑ע (am wicked),

לָמָּה־ (why) זֶּ֝֗ה (then) הֶ֣בֶל (in vain) אִיגָֽע׃ (should I labor)?

30  אִם־ (If) הִתְרָחַ֥צְתִּי (I wash myself) בְמוֹ (with water) שָׁ֑לֶג (of snow),

וַ֝הֲזִכּ֗וֹתִי (and cleanse) בְּבֹ֣ר (with lye) כַּפָּֽי׃ (my hands),

31  אָ֭ז (yet) בַּשַּׁ֣חַת (into the pit) תִּטְבְּלֵ֑נִי (You will plunge me),

וְ֝תִֽעֲב֗וּנִי (and will abhor me) שַׂלְמוֹתָֽי׃ (my own garments).

32  כִּי־ (For) לֹא־ (not) אִ֣ישׁ (is He a man) כָּמֹ֣נִי (like I am), אֶֽעֱנֶ֑נּוּ (that I may answer Him),

נָב֥וֹא (that we would come) יַ֝חְדָּ֗ו (together) בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ (into judgment).

33  לֹ֣א (Not) יֵשׁ־ (is there) בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ (between us) מוֹכִ֑יחַ (a mediator)

יָשֵׁ֖ת (to lay) יָד֣וֹ (his hand) עַל־ (upon) שְׁנֵֽינוּ׃ (the two of us).

34  יָסֵ֣ר (Let Him turn away) מֵעָלַ֣י (from me) שִׁבְט֑וֹ (His rod)

וְ֝אֵמָת֗וֹ (and His terror) אַֽל־ (do not) תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃ (let it frighten me).

35  אַֽ֭דַבְּרָה (I would speak) וְלֹ֣א (and not) אִירָאֶ֑נּוּ (fear Him).

כִּ֥י (But) לֹא־ (not) כֵ֥ן (thus) אָ֝נֹכִ֗י (am I able to) עִמָּדִֽי׃ (with me).