Chapter 16
Job Decries His Comforters
1
Then Job… answered:
𐤀𐤉𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍
אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ וַיַּ֥עַן ’î·yō·wḇ way·yō·mar way·ya·‘an — WLC · 1
2
“I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all.
𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤊𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤌𐤉 𐤊𐤋𐤊𐤌
שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי רַבּ֑וֹת כְאֵ֣לֶּה עָמָ֣ל מְנַחֲמֵ֖י כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃ šā·ma‘·tî rab·bō·wṯ ḵə·’êl·leh ‘ā·māl mə·na·ḥă·mê kul·lə·ḵem — WLC · 2
3
Is there no end to your long-winded… speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying?
𐤄𐤒𐤑 𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤀𐤅 𐤋𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤌𐤄 𐤉𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤑𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤏𐤍𐤄
הֲקֵ֥ץ ר֑וּחַ א֥וֹ לְדִבְרֵי־ מַה־ יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֶֽה׃ hă·qêṣ rū·aḥ ’ōw lə·ḏiḇ·rê- mah- yam·rî·ṣə·ḵā kî ṯa·‘ă·neh — WLC · 3
4
I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you…
𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉 𐤂𐤌 𐤀𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤄 𐤊𐤊𐤌 𐤋𐤅 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤊𐤌 𐤉𐤔 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤀𐤇𐤁𐤉𐤓𐤄 𐤁𐤌𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤉𐤏𐤄 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤁𐤌𐤅
אָנֹכִי֮ גַּ֤ם׀ אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה כָּכֶ֪ם ל֤וּ־ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשִׁ֗י תַּ֤חַת אַחְבִּ֣ירָה בְּמִלִּ֑ים עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם וְאָנִ֥יעָה רֹאשִֽׁי׃ עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמ֣וֹ ’ā·nō·ḵî gam ’ă·ḏab·bê·rāh kā·ḵem lū- nap̄·šə·ḵem yêš nap̄·šî ta·ḥaṯ ’aḥ·bî·rāh bə·mil·lîm ‘ă·lê·ḵem wə·’ā·nî·‘āh rō·šî ‘ă·lê·ḵem bə·mōw — WLC · 4
5
But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.
𐤀𐤀𐤌𐤑𐤊𐤌 𐤁𐤌𐤅 𐤐𐤉 𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤃 𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉 𐤉𐤇𐤔𐤊
אֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם בְּמוֹ־ פִ֑י וְנִ֖יד שְׂפָתַ֣י יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃ ’ă·’am·miṣ·ḵem bə·mōw- p̄î wə·nîḏ śə·p̄ā·ṯay yaḥ·śōḵ — WLC · 5
6
Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?
𐤀𐤌 𐤀𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤄 𐤊𐤀𐤁𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤃𐤋𐤄 𐤌𐤄 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤋𐤊
אִֽם־ אֲ֭דַבְּרָה כְּאֵבִ֑י לֹא־ יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ וְ֝אַחְדְּלָ֗ה מַה־ מִנִּ֥י יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃ ’im- ’ă·ḏab·bə·rāh kə·’ê·ḇî lō- yê·ḥā·śêḵ wə·’aḥ·də·lāh mah- min·nî ya·hă·lōḵ — WLC · 6
7
Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family.
𐤀𐤊 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤋𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤊𐤋 𐤏𐤃𐤕𐤉
אַךְ־ עַתָּ֥ה הֶלְאָ֑נִי הֲ֝שִׁמּ֗וֹתָ כָּל־ עֲדָתִֽי׃ ’aḵ- ‘at·tāh hel·’ā·nî hă·šim·mō·w·ṯā kāl- ‘ă·ḏā·ṯî — WLC · 7
8
You have bound me, [and] it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.
𐤅𐤕𐤒𐤌𐤈𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤏𐤃 𐤊𐤇𐤔𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤌 𐤁𐤉 𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤄 𐤁𐤐𐤍𐤉
וַֽ֭תִּקְמְטֵנִי הָיָ֑ה לְעֵ֣ד כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗י וַיָּ֥קָם בִּ֥י יַעֲנֶֽה׃ בְּפָנַ֥י wat·tiq·mə·ṭê·nî hā·yāh lə·‘êḏ ḵa·ḥă·šî way·yā·qām bî ya·‘ă·neh bə·p̄ā·nay — WLC · 8
9
His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.
𐤀𐤐𐤅 𐤈𐤓𐤐 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤈𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤇𐤓𐤒 𐤁𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤑𐤓𐤉 𐤉𐤋𐤈𐤅𐤔 𐤋𐤉 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤅
אַפּ֤וֹ טָרַ֨ף׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵ֗נִי חָרַ֣ק בְּשִׁנָּ֑יו עָלַ֣י צָרִ֓י׀ יִלְט֖וֹשׁ לִֽי׃ עֵינָ֣יו ’ap·pōw ṭā·rap̄ way·yiś·ṭə·mê·nî ḥā·raq bə·šin·nāw ‘ā·lay ṣā·rî yil·ṭō·wōš lî ‘ê·nāw — WLC · 9
10
They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
𐤐𐤏𐤓𐤅 𐤁𐤐𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤄𐤊𐤅 𐤋𐤇𐤉𐤉 𐤁𐤇𐤓𐤐𐤄 𐤉𐤕𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤅𐤍 𐤉𐤇𐤃 𐤏𐤋𐤉
פָּעֲר֬וּ בְּפִיהֶ֗ם עָלַ֨י׀ הִכּ֣וּ לְחָיָ֑י בְּ֭חֶרְפָּה יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן׃ יַ֝֗חַד עָלַ֥י pā·‘ă·rū bə·p̄î·hem ‘ā·lay hik·kū lə·ḥā·yāy bə·ḥer·pāh yiṯ·mal·lā·’ūn ya·ḥaḏ ‘ā·lay — WLC · 10
11
God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.
𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤎𐤂𐤉𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤅𐤉𐤋 𐤉𐤓𐤈𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤉𐤃𐤉 𐤓𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤌
אֵ֭ל יַסְגִּירֵ֣נִי אֶ֣ל עֲוִ֑יל יִרְטֵֽנִי׃ וְעַל־ יְדֵ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים ’êl yas·gî·rê·nî ’el ‘ă·wîl yir·ṭê·nî wə·‘al- yə·ḏê rə·šā·‘îm — WLC · 11
12
I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;
𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤔𐤋𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤐𐤓𐤐𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤆 𐤁𐤏𐤓𐤐𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤐𐤑𐤐𐤑𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤉𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤅 𐤋𐤌𐤈𐤓𐤄
הָיִ֨יתִי׀ שָׁ֘לֵ֤ו וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עָרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי ל֝֗וֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה׃ hā·yî·ṯî šā·lêw way·p̄ar·pə·rê·nî wə·’ā·ḥaz bə·‘ā·rə·pî way·p̄aṣ·pə·ṣê·nî way·qî·mê·nî lōw lə·maṭ·ṭā·rāh — WLC · 12
13
His archers surround me… He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.
𐤓𐤁𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤎𐤁𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤉𐤐𐤋𐤇 𐤊𐤋𐤉𐤅𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤌𐤅𐤋 𐤉𐤔𐤐𐤊 𐤌𐤓𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤀𐤓𐤑
רַבָּ֗יו יָ֘סֹ֤בּוּ עָלַ֨י׀ יְפַלַּ֣ח כִּ֭לְיוֹתַי וְלֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ מְרֵרָֽתִי׃ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ rab·bāw yā·sōb·bū ‘ā·lay yə·p̄al·laḥ kil·yō·w·ṯay wə·lō yaḥ·mō·wl yiš·pōḵ mə·rê·rā·ṯî lā·’ā·reṣ — WLC · 13
14
He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.
𐤉𐤐𐤓𐤑𐤍𐤉 𐤐𐤓𐤑 𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤐𐤓𐤑 𐤉𐤓𐤑 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤊𐤂𐤁𐤅𐤓
יִפְרְצֵ֣נִי פֶ֭רֶץ עַל־ פְּנֵי־ פָ֑רֶץ יָרֻ֖ץ עָלַ֣י כְּגִבּֽוֹר׃ yip̄·rə·ṣê·nî p̄e·reṣ ‘al- pə·nê- p̄ā·reṣ yā·ruṣ ‘ā·lay kə·ḡib·bō·wr — WLC · 14
15
I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.
𐤕𐤐𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤔𐤒 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤂𐤋𐤃𐤉 𐤅𐤏𐤋𐤋𐤕𐤉 𐤒𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤏𐤐𐤓
תָּ֭פַרְתִּי שַׂ֣ק עֲלֵ֣י גִלְדִּ֑י וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי קַרְנִֽי׃ בֶעָפָ֣ר tā·p̄ar·tî śaq ‘ă·lê ḡil·dî wə·‘ō·lal·tî qar·nî ḇe·‘ā·p̄ār — WLC · 15
16
My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes;
𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤇𐤌𐤓𐤌𐤓𐤄 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤊𐤉 𐤑𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤏𐤐𐤏𐤐𐤉
פָּנַ֣י חֳמַרְמְרָה מִנִּי־ בֶ֑כִי צַלְמָֽוֶת׃ וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י pā·nay ḥo·mar·mə·rå̄h min·nî- ḇe·ḵî ṣal·mā·weṯ wə·‘al ‘ap̄·‘ap·pay — WLC · 16
17
yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.
𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤊𐤐𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤇𐤌𐤎 𐤅𐤕𐤐𐤋𐤕𐤉 𐤆𐤊𐤄
עַ֭ל בְּכַפָּ֑י לֹא־ חָמָ֣ס וּֽתְפִלָּתִ֥י זַכָּֽה׃ ‘al bə·ḵap·pāy lō- ḥā·mās ū·ṯə·p̄il·lā·ṯî zak·kāh — WLC · 17
18
O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest.
𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤊𐤎𐤉 𐤃𐤌𐤉 𐤋𐤆𐤏𐤒𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤄𐤉 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌
אֶ֭רֶץ אַל־ תְּכַסִּ֣י דָמִ֑י לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃ וְֽאַל־ יְהִ֥י מָ֝ק֗וֹם ’e·reṣ ’al- tə·ḵas·sî ḏā·mî lə·za·‘ă·qā·ṯî wə·’al- yə·hî mā·qō·wm — WLC · 18
19
Even now… my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
𐤂𐤌 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤏𐤃𐤉 𐤁𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤔𐤄𐤃𐤉 𐤁𐤌𐤓𐤅𐤌𐤉𐤌
גַּם־ עַ֭תָּה הִנֵּה־ עֵדִ֑י בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְ֝שָׂהֲדִ֗י בַּמְּרוֹמִֽים׃ gam- ‘at·tāh hin·nêh- ‘ê·ḏî ḇaš·šā·ma·yim wə·śā·hă·ḏî bam·mə·rō·w·mîm — WLC · 19
20
My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out [tears] to God.
𐤓𐤏𐤉 𐤌𐤋𐤉𐤑𐤉 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉 𐤃𐤋𐤐𐤄 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄
רֵעָ֑י מְלִיצַ֥י עֵינִֽי׃ דָּלְפָ֥ה אֶל־ אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ rê·‘āy mə·lî·ṣay ‘ê·nî dā·lə·p̄āh ’el- ’ĕ·lō·w·ha — WLC · 20
21
Oh, that a man might plead with God as [he] [pleads]… with his neighbor!
𐤋𐤂𐤁𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤅𐤊𐤇 𐤏𐤌 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤅𐤁𐤍 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤋𐤓𐤏𐤄𐤅
לְגֶ֣בֶר וְיוֹכַ֣ח עִם־ אֱל֑וֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־ אָדָ֥ם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃ lə·ḡe·ḇer wə·yō·w·ḵaḥ ‘im- ’ĕ·lō·w·ah ū·ḇen- ’ā·ḏām lə·rê·‘ê·hū — WLC · 21
22
For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
𐤊𐤉 𐤌𐤎𐤐𐤓 𐤔𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤀𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤀𐤄𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤇 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤁
כִּֽי־ מִסְפָּ֣ר שְׁנ֣וֹת יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃ וְאֹ֖רַח לֹא־ אָשׁ֣וּב kî- mis·pār šə·nō·wṯ ye·’ĕ·ṯā·yū ’e·hĕ·lōḵ wə·’ō·raḥ lō- ’ā·šūḇ — WLC · 22