1
וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַר
Then Job answered and said:
Ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ἰὼβ, λέγει,
Then Job answered and said,
2
אָמְנָם יָדַעְתִּי כִי־כֵן וּמַה־יִּצְדַּק אֱנוֹשׁ עִם־אֵל
Of a truth I know that it is so; and how can man be just with G-d?
Ἐπʼ ἀληθείας οἶδα, ὅτι οὕτως ἐστί· πῶς γὰρ ἔσται δίκαιος βροτὸς παρὰ Κυρίῳ;
I know of a truth that it is so: For how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord?
3
אִם־יַחְפֹּץ לָרִיב עִמּוֹ לֹא־יַעֲנֶנּוּ אַחַת מִנִּי־אָלֶף
If one should desire to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one of a thousand.
Ἐὰν γὰρ βούληται κριθῆναι αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴ ὑπακούσῃ αὐτῷ, ἵνα μὴ ἀντείπῃ πρὸς ἕνα λόγον αὐτοῦ ἐκ χιλίων.
For if he would enter into judgment with him, [God] would not hearken to him, So that he should answer to one of his charges of a thousand.
4
חֲכַם לֵבָב וְאַמִּיץ כֹּחַ מִי־הִקְשָׁה אֵלָיו וַיִּשְׁלָם
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardened himself against Him, and prospered?
Σοφὸς γάρ ἐστι διανοίᾳ, κραταιός τε καὶ μέγας· τίς σκληρὸς γενόμενος ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ ὑπέμεινεν;
For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: Who has hardened himself against him and endured?
5
הַמַּעְתִּיק הָרִים וְלֹא יָדָעוּ אֲשֶׁר הֲפָכָם בְּאַפּוֹ
Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when He overturneth them in His anger.
Ὁ παλαιῶν ὄρη καὶ οὐκ οἴδασιν, ὁ καταστρέφων αὐτὰ ὀργῇ·
Who wears out the mountains, and [men] know it not: Who overturns them in anger.
6
הַמַּרְגִּיז אֶרֶץ מִמְּקוֹמָהּ וְעַמּוּדֶיהָ יִתְפַלָּצוּן
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
Ὁ σείων τὴν ὑπʼ οὐρανὸν ἐκ θεμελίων, οἱ δὲ στύλοι αὐτῆς σαλεύονται·
Who shakes the [earth] under heaven from its foundations, And its pillars totter.
7
הָאֹמֵר לַחֶרֶס וְלֹא יִזְרָח וּבְעַד כּוֹכָבִים יַחְתֹּם
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
Ὁ λέγων τῷ ἡλίῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνατέλλει, κατὰ δὲ ἄστρων κατασφραγίζει·
Who commands the sun, and it rises not; And he seals up the stars.
8
נֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם לְבַדּוֹ וְדוֹרֵךְ עַל־בָּמֳתֵי יָם
Who alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
Ὁ τανύσας τὸν οὐρανὸν μόνος, καὶ περιπατῶν ὡς ἐπʼ ἐδάφους ἐπὶ θαλάσσης·
Who alone has stretched out the heavens, And walks on the sea as on firm ground.
9
עֹשֶׂה־עָשׁ כְּסִיל וְכִימָה וְחַדְרֵי תֵמָן
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
Ὁ ποιῶν Πλειάδα καὶ Ἕσπερον καὶ Ἀρκτοῦρον, καὶ ταμεῖα Νότου·
Who makes Pleiades, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and the chambers of the south.
10
עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת עַד־אֵין חֵקֶר וְנִפְלָאוֹת עַד־אֵין מִסְפָּר
Who doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvellous things without number.
Ὁ ποιῶν μεγάλα καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστα, ἔνδοξά τε καὶ ἐξαίσια, ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμός.
Who does great and unsearchable things; Glorious also and excellent things, innumerable.
11
הֵן יַעֲבֹר עָלַי וְלֹא אֶרְאֶה וְיַחֲלֹף וְלֹא־אָבִין לוֹ
Lo, He goeth by me, and I see Him not. He passeth on also, but I perceive Him not.
Ἐὰν ὑπερβῇ με, οὐ μὴ ἴδω· ἐὰν παρέλθῃ με, οὐδʼ ὡς ἔγνων.
If ever he should go beyond me, I shall not see him: If he should pass by me, neither thus have I known [it].
12
הֵן יַחְתֹּף מִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ מִי־יֹאמַר אֵלָיו מַה־תַּעֲשֶׂה
Behold, He snatcheth away, who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him: 'What doest Thou?'
Ἐὰν ἀπαλλάξῃ, τίς ἀποστρέψει; ἢ τίς ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ, τί ἐποίησας;
If he would take away, who shall turn him back? Or who shall say to him, What hast thou done?
13
אֱלוֹהַּ לֹא־יָשִׁיב אַפּוֹ תחתו תַּחְתָּיו שָׁחֲחוּ עֹזְרֵי רָהַב
G-d will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab did stoop under Him.
Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἀπέστραπται ὀργὴν, ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ ἐκάμφθησαν κήτη τὰ ὑπʼ οὐρανόν
For [if] he has turned away [his] anger, The whales under heaven have stooped under him.
14
אַף כִּי־אָנֹכִי אֶעֱנֶנּוּ אֶבְחֲרָה דְבָרַי עִמּוֹ
How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments with Him?
15
אֲשֶׁר אִם־צָדַקְתִּי לֹא אֶעֱנֶה לִמְשֹׁפְטִי אֶתְחַנָּן
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contendeth with me.
Ἐὰν γὰρ ὦ δίκαιος, οὐκ εἰσακούσεταί μου, τοῦ κρίματος αὐτοῦ δεηθήσομαι·
For though I be righteous, he will not hearken to me: I will entreat his judgment.
16
אִם־קָרָאתִי וַיַּעֲנֵנִי לֹא־אַאֲמִין כִּי־יַאֲזִין קוֹלִי
If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice--
Ἐὰν δέ μου ὑπακούσεται, ἤ διακρίνει τὰ ῥήματά μου.
Oh then that he would hearken to me, or judge my cause.
Ἐάν τε καλέσω καὶ μὴ ὑπακούσῃ, οὐ πιστεύω ὅτι εἰσακήκοέ μου τῆς φωνῆς.
And if I should call and he should not hearken, I cannot believe that he has listened to my voice.
17
אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׂעָרָה יְשׁוּפֵנִי וְהִרְבָּה פְצָעַי חִנָּם
He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause;
Μὴ γνόφῳ με ἐκτρίψῃ· πολλὰ δέ μου τὰ συντρίμματα πεποίηκε διακενῆς.
Let him not crush me with a dark storm: But he has made my bruises many without cause.
18
לֹא־יִתְּנֵנִי הָשֵׁב רוּחִי כִּי יַשְׂבִּעַנִי מַמְּרֹרִים
That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill me with bitterness.
Οὐκ ἐᾷ γάρ με ἀναπνεῦσαι· ἐνέπλησε δέ με πικρίας,
For he suffers me not to take breath, But he has filled me with bitterness.
19
אִם־לְכֹחַ אַמִּיץ הִנֵּה וְאִם־לְמִשְׁפָּט מִי יוֹעִידֵנִי
If it be a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! and if of justice, who will appoint me a time?
ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἰσχύει κράτει· τίς οὖν κρίματι αὐτοῦ ἀντιστήσεται;
For indeed he is strong in power: Who then shall resist his judgment?
20
אִם־אֶצְדָּק פִּי יַרְשִׁיעֵנִי תָּם־אָנִי וַיַּעְקְשֵׁנִי
Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse.
Ἐὰν γὰρ ὦ δίκαιος, τὸ στόμα μου ἀσεβήσει· ἐάν τε ᾧ ἄμεμπτος, σκολιὸς ἀποβήσομαι.
For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: And though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse.
21
תָּם־אָנִי לֹא־אֵדַע נַפְשִׁי אֶמְאַס חַיָּי
I am innocent--I regard not myself, I despise my life.
Εἴτε γὰρ ἠσέβησα, οὐκ οἶδα τῇ ψυχῇ, πλὴν ἀφαιρεῖταί μου ἡ ζωή.
For even if I have sinned, I know it not [in] my soul: But my life is taken away.
22
אַחַת הִיא עַל־כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי תָּם וְרָשָׁע הוּא מְכַלֶּה
It is all one--therefore I say: He destroyeth the innocent and the wicked.
Διὸ εἶπον, μέγαν καὶ δυνάστην ἀπολλύει ὀργή,
Wherefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man.
23
אִם־שׁוֹט יָמִית פִּתְאֹם לְמַסַּת נְקִיִּם יִלְעָג
If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the calamity of the guiltless.
ὅτι φαῦλοι ἐν θανάτῳ ἐξαισίῳ, ἀλλὰ δίκαιοι καταγελῶνται,
For the worthless die, But the righteous are laughed to scorn.
24
אֶרֶץ נִתְּנָה בְיַד־רָשָׁע פְּנֵי־שֹׁפְטֶיהָ יְכַסֶּה אִם־לֹא אֵפוֹא מִי־הוּא
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if it be not He, who then is it?
παραδέδονται γὰρ εἰς χεῖρας ἀσεβοῦς, πρόσωπα κριτῶν αὐτῆς συγκαλύπτει· εἰ δὲ μὴ αὐτός ἐστι, τίς ἐστιν;
For they are delivered into the hands of the unrighteous [man]: He covers the faces of the judges [of the earth]: But if it be not he, who is it?
25
וְיָמַי קַלּוּ מִנִּי־רָץ בָּרְחוּ לֹא־רָאוּ טוֹבָה
Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.
Ὁ δὲ βίος μου ἐστὶν ἐλαφρότερος δρομέως· ἀπέδρασαν, καὶ οὐκ εἴδοσαν.
But my life is swifter than a post: [My days] have fled away, and they knew it not.
26
חָלְפוּ עִם־אֳנִיּוֹת אֵבֶה כְּנֶשֶׁר יָטוּשׂ עֲלֵי־אֹכֶל
They are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoopeth on the prey.
Ἢ καὶ ἐστι ναυσὶν ἴχνος ὁδοῦ, ἢ ἀετοῦ πετομένου ζητοῦντος βοράν;
Or again, is there a trace of [their] path [left] by ships? Or is there one of the flying eagle as it seeks [its] prey?
27
אִם־אָמְרִי אֶשְׁכְּחָה שִׂיחִי אֶעֶזְבָה פָנַי וְאַבְלִיגָה
If I say: 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer',
Ἐάν τε γὰρ εἶπω, ἐπιλήσομαι λαλῶν, συγκύψας τῷ προσώπῳ στενάξω·
And if I should say, I will forget to speak, I will bow down my face and groan;
28
יָגֹרְתִּי כָל־עַצְּבֹתָי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי־לֹא תְנַקֵּנִי
I am afraid of all my pains, I know that Thou wilt not hold me guiltless.
Σείομαι πᾶσι τοῖς μέλεσιν, οἴδα γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἀθῶόν με ἐάσεις.
I quake in all my limbs, For I know that thou wilt not leave me alone [as] innocent.
29
אָנֹכִי אֶרְשָׁע לָמָּה־זֶּה הֶבֶל אִיגָע
I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
Ἐπειδὴ δέ εἰμι ἀσεβὴς, διὰ τί οὐκ ἀπέθανον;
But since I am ungodly, why have I not died?
30
אִם־הִתְרָחַצְתִּי במו־בְמֵי־שָׁלֶג וַהֲזִכּוֹתִי בְּבֹר כַּפָּי
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
Ἐὰν γὰρ ἀπολούσωμαι χιόνι, καὶ ἀποκαθάρωμαι χερσὶ καθαραῖς,
For if I should wash myself with snow, And purge myself with pure hands,
31
אָז בַּשַּׁחַת תִּטְבְּלֵנִי וְתִעֲבוּנִי שַׂלְמוֹתָי
Yet wilt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
ἱκανῶς ἐν ῥύπῳ με ἔβαψας, ἐβδελύξατο δέ με ἡ στολή.
Thou hadst thoroughly plunged me in filth, And my garment had abhorred me.
32
כִּי־לֹא־אִישׁ כָּמֹנִי אֶעֱנֶנּוּ נָבוֹא יַחְדָּו בַּמִּשְׁפָּט
For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in judgment.
Οὐ γὰρ εἰ ἄνθρωπος κατʼ ἐμὲ, ᾧ ἀντικρινοῦμαι, ἵνα ἔλθωμεν ὁμοθυμαδὸν εἰς κρίσιν.
For thou art not man like me, with whom I could contend, That we might come together to judgment.
33
לֹא יֵשׁ־בֵּינֵינוּ מוֹכִיחַ יָשֵׁת יָדוֹ עַל־שְׁנֵינוּ
There is no arbiter betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
Εἴθε ἦν ὁ μεσίτης ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐλέγχων, καὶ διακούων ἀναμέσον ἀμφοτέρων.
Would that [he] our mediator were [present], and a reprover, And one who should hear [the cause] between both.
34
יָסֵר מֵעָלַי שִׁבְטוֹ וְאֵמָתוֹ אַל־תְּבַעֲתַנִּי
Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not His terror make me afraid;
Ἀπαλλαξάτω ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ τὴν ῥάβδον, ὁ δὲ φόβος αὐτοῦ μή με στροβείτω,
Let him remove [his] rod from me, And let not his fear terrify me:
35
אַדַבְּרָה וְלֹא אִירָאֶנּוּ כִּי לֹא־כֵן אָנֹכִי עִמָּדִי
Then would I speak, and not fear Him; for I am not so with myself.
καὶ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῶ, ἀλλὰ λαλήσω· οὐ γὰρ οὕτω συνεπίσταμαι.
So shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: For I am not thus conscious [of guilt].