Chapter 6
Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just
1
Then Job… replied:
𐤀𐤉𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍
אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ וַיַּ֥עַן ’î·yō·wḇ way·yō·mar way·ya·‘an — WLC · 1
2
“If only my grief could be weighed… and placed with my calamity on the scales.
𐤋𐤅 𐤊𐤏𐤔𐤉 𐤔𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤉𐤔𐤒𐤋 𐤉𐤔𐤀𐤅 𐤉𐤇𐤃 𐤅𐤄𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤁𐤌𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤉𐤌
ל֗וּ כַּעְשִׂ֑י שָׁק֣וֹל יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל יִשְׂאוּ־ יָֽחַד׃ וְהַיָּתִי בְּֽמֹאזְנַ֥יִם lū ka‘·śî šā·qō·wl yiš·šā·qêl yiś·’ū- yā·ḥaḏ wə·hay·yå̄·ṯī bə·mō·zə·na·yim — WLC · 2
3
For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas— no wonder… my words have been rash.
𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤉𐤊𐤁𐤃 𐤌𐤇𐤅𐤋 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤋𐤏𐤅
כִּֽי־ עַתָּ֗ה יִכְבָּ֑ד מֵח֣וֹל יַמִּ֣ים עַל־ כֵּ֝֗ן דְּבָרַ֥י לָֽעוּ׃ kî- ‘at·tāh yiḵ·bāḏ mê·ḥō·wl yam·mîm ‘al- kên də·ḇā·ray lā·‘ū — WLC · 3
4
For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
𐤊𐤉 𐤇𐤑𐤉 𐤔𐤃𐤉 𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤓𐤅𐤇𐤉 𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤇𐤌𐤕𐤌 𐤁𐤏𐤅𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤉𐤏𐤓𐤊𐤅𐤍𐤉
כִּ֤י חִצֵּ֪י שַׁדַּ֡י עִמָּדִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר רוּחִ֑י שֹׁתָ֣ה חֲ֭מָתָם בִּעוּתֵ֖י אֱל֣וֹהַּ יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי׃ kî ḥiṣ·ṣê šad·day ‘im·mā·ḏî ’ă·šer rū·ḥî šō·ṯāh ḥă·mā·ṯām bi·‘ū·ṯê ’ĕ·lō·w·ah ya·‘ar·ḵū·nî — WLC · 4
5
Does a wild donkey bray over fresh grass, or an ox low over its fodder?
𐤐𐤓𐤀 𐤄𐤉𐤍𐤄𐤒 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤃𐤔𐤀 𐤀𐤌 𐤔𐤅𐤓 𐤉𐤂𐤏𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤅
פֶּ֥רֶא הֲיִֽנְהַק־ עֲלֵי־ דֶ֑שֶׁא אִ֥ם שּׁ֝֗וֹר יִגְעֶה־ עַל־ בְּלִילֽוֹ׃ pe·re hă·yin·haq- ‘ă·lê- ḏe·še ’im šôr yiḡ·‘e·hō·šō- ‘al- bə·lî·lōw — WLC · 5
6
Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg
𐤕𐤐𐤋 𐤄𐤉𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤌𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤌𐤋𐤇 𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤔 𐤈𐤏𐤌 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤓 𐤇𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕
תָּ֭פֵל הֲיֵאָכֵ֣ל מִבְּלִי־ מֶ֑לַח אִם־ יֶשׁ־ טַ֝֗עַם בְּרִ֣יר חַלָּמֽוּת׃ tā·p̄êl hă·yê·’ā·ḵêl mib·bə·lî- me·laḥ ’im- yeš- ṭa·‘am bə·rîr ḥal·lā·mūṯ — WLC · 6
7
My soul refuses to touch them; they are loathsome food to me.
𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤌𐤀𐤍𐤄 𐤋𐤍𐤂𐤅𐤏 𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤊𐤃𐤅𐤉 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤉
נַפְשִׁ֑י מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגּ֣וֹעַ הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃ nap̄·šî mê·’ă·nāh lin·gō·w·a‘ hêm·māh kiḏ·wê laḥ·mî — WLC · 7
8
If only… my request were granted and God would fulfill my hope:
𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤔𐤀𐤋𐤕𐤉 𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤅𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤕𐤉
מִֽי־ יִ֭תֵּן שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י תָּב֣וֹא אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃ יִתֵּ֥ן וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י mî- yit·tên še·’ĕ·lā·ṯî tā·ḇō·w ’ĕ·lō·w·ah yit·tên wə·ṯiq·wā·ṯî — WLC · 8
9
that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off!
𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤉𐤃𐤊𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤕𐤓 𐤉𐤃𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤑𐤏𐤍𐤉
אֱ֭לוֹהַּ וְיֹאֵ֣ל וִֽידַכְּאֵ֑נִי יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝ד֗וֹ וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃ ’ĕ·lō·w·ah wə·yō·’êl wî·ḏak·kə·’ê·nî yat·têr yā·ḏōw wî·ḇaṣ·ṣə·‘ê·nî — WLC · 9
10
It still brings me comfort, and joy through unrelenting… pain, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤅𐤕𐤄𐤉 𐤍𐤇𐤌𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤎𐤋𐤃𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤌𐤅𐤋 𐤁𐤇𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤊𐤇𐤃𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤉 𐤒𐤃𐤅𐤔
ע֨וֹד׀ וּ֥תְהִי נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה לֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל בְ֭חִילָה כִּי־ לֹ֥א כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי אִמְרֵ֥י קָדֽוֹשׁ׃ ‘ō·wḏ ū·ṯə·hî ne·ḥā·mā·ṯî wa·’ă·sal·lə·ḏāh lō yaḥ·mō·wl ḇə·ḥî·lāh kî- lō ḵi·ḥaḏ·tî ’im·rê qā·ḏō·wōš — WLC · 10
11
What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What is my future, that I should be patient?
𐤌𐤄 𐤊𐤇𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤇𐤋 𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤒𐤑𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤀𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤊
מַה־ כֹּחִ֥י כִֽי־ אֲיַחֵ֑ל וּמַה־ קִּ֝צִּ֗י כִּֽי־ נַפְשִֽׁי׃ אַאֲרִ֥יךְ mah- kō·ḥî ḵî- ’ă·ya·ḥêl ū·mah- qiṣ·ṣî kî- nap̄·šî ’a·’ă·rîḵ — WLC · 11
12
Is my strength like that of stone, or my flesh made of bronze…?
𐤊𐤇 𐤊𐤇𐤉 𐤀𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌 𐤁𐤔𐤓𐤉 𐤍𐤇𐤅𐤔 𐤀𐤌
כֹּ֣חַ כֹּחִ֑י אֲבָנִ֣ים אִם־ בְּשָׂרִ֥י נָחֽוּשׁ׃ אִֽם־ kō·aḥ kō·ḥî ’ă·ḇā·nîm ’im- bə·śā·rî nā·ḥūš ’im- — WLC · 12
13
[Is] there any help within me now that success is driven from me?
𐤄𐤀𐤌 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤆𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤁𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤉𐤄 𐤍𐤃𐤇𐤄 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤉
הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ ha·’im ’ên ‘ez·rā·ṯî ḇî wə·ṯu·šî·yāh nid·də·ḥāh mim·men·nî — WLC · 13
14
A despairing man [should have] the kindness of his friend, even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
𐤋𐤌𐤎 𐤇𐤎𐤃 𐤌𐤓𐤏𐤄𐤅 𐤉𐤏𐤆𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤕 𐤔𐤃𐤉
לַמָּ֣ס חָ֑סֶד מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ יַעֲזֽוֹב׃ וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י lam·mās ḥā·seḏ mê·rê·‘ê·hū ya·‘ă·zō·wḇ wə·yir·’aṯ šad·day — WLC · 14
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[But] my brothers are as faithless as wadis, as seasonal streams… that overflow,
𐤀𐤇𐤉 𐤁𐤂𐤃𐤅 𐤊𐤌𐤅 𐤍𐤇𐤋 𐤊𐤀𐤐𐤉𐤒 𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤅
אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמוֹ־ נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃ ’a·ḥay bā·ḡə·ḏū ḵə·mōw- nā·ḥal ka·’ă·p̄îq nə·ḥā·lîm ya·‘ă·ḇō·rū — WLC · 15
16
darkened because of the ice and the inflow of melting snow,
𐤄𐤒𐤃𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤒𐤓𐤇 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤌𐤅 𐤉𐤕𐤏𐤋𐤌 𐤔𐤋𐤂
הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־ קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־ שָֽׁלֶג׃ haq·qō·ḏə·rîm min·nî- qā·raḥ ‘ā·lê·mōw yiṯ·‘al·lem- šā·leḡ — WLC · 16
17
but ceasing in the dry season… [and] vanishing from their channels in the heat.
𐤍𐤑𐤌𐤕𐤅 𐤁𐤏𐤕 𐤉𐤆𐤓𐤁𐤅 𐤍𐤃𐤏𐤊𐤅 𐤌𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌𐤌 𐤁𐤇𐤌𐤅
נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃ בְּ֝חֻמּ֗וֹ niṣ·mā·ṯū bə·‘êṯ yə·zō·rə·ḇū niḏ·‘ă·ḵū mim·mə·qō·w·mām bə·ḥum·mōw — WLC · 17
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Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go into the wasteland and perish.
𐤀𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤋𐤐𐤕𐤅 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤌 𐤉𐤏𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤕𐤄𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤃𐤅
אָרְח֣וֹת יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ ’ā·rə·ḥō·wṯ yil·lā·p̄ə·ṯū dar·kām ya·‘ă·lū ḇat·tō·hū wə·yō·ḇê·ḏū — WLC · 18
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The caravans of Tema look [for water]; the travelers of Sheba hope to find it.
𐤀𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤕 𐤕𐤌𐤀 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤈𐤅 𐤄𐤋𐤉𐤊𐤕 𐤔𐤁𐤀 𐤒𐤅𐤅 𐤋𐤌𐤅
אָרְח֣וֹת תֵּמָ֑א הִ֭בִּיטוּ הֲלִיכֹ֥ת שְׁ֝בָ֗א קִוּוּ־ לָֽמוֹ׃ ’ā·rə·ḥō·wṯ tê·mā hib·bî·ṭū hă·lî·ḵōṯ šə·b̲āʾ qiw·wū- lā·mōw — WLC · 19
20
They are confounded because they had hoped; their arrival brings disappointment.
𐤁𐤔𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤁𐤈𐤇 𐤁𐤀𐤅 𐤏𐤃𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤇𐤐𐤓𐤅
בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־ בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃ bō·šū kî- ḇā·ṭāḥ bå̄·ʾū ‘ā·ḏe·hā way·yeḥ·pā·rū — WLC · 20
21
For now you are of no help; you see terror, and you are afraid.
𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤕𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤓𐤀𐤅 𐤇𐤕𐤕 𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤅
כִּֽי־ עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם לֹא תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃ kî- ‘at·tāh hĕ·yî·ṯem lō tir·’ū ḥă·ṯaṯ wat·tî·rā·’ū — WLC · 21
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Have I ever said, ‘Give me something offer me a bribe… from your wealth;
𐤄𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤄𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤉 𐤔𐤇𐤃𐤅 𐤁𐤏𐤃𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤊𐤇𐤊𐤌
הֲֽכִי־ אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃ וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם hăḵî- ’ā·mar·tî hā·ḇū lî ši·ḥă·ḏū ḇa·‘ă·ḏî ū·mik·kō·ḥă·ḵem — WLC · 22
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deliver me from the hand of the enemy; redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless’?
𐤅𐤌𐤋𐤈𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤉𐤃 𐤑𐤓 𐤕𐤐𐤃𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤉𐤃 𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤑𐤉𐤌
וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־ צָ֑ר תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃ וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים ū·mal·lə·ṭū·nî mî·yaḏ- ṣār tip̄·dū·nî ū·mî·yaḏ ‘ā·rî·ṣîm — WLC · 23
24
Teach me, and I will be silent. Help me understand how I have erred.
𐤄𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤔 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤂𐤉𐤕𐤉
ה֭וֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃ וּמַה־ שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי hō·w·rū·nî wa·’ă·nî ’a·ḥă·rîš hā·ḇî·nū lî ū·ma·hō·šā- šā·g̲î·t̲î — WLC · 24
25
How painful [are] honest words! But what does your argument… prove?
𐤌𐤄 𐤍𐤌𐤓𐤑𐤅 𐤉𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤉𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤇 𐤌𐤊𐤌 𐤄𐤅𐤊𐤇
מַה־ נִּמְרְצ֥וּ יֹ֑שֶׁר אִמְרֵי־ וּמַה־ יּוֹכִ֖יחַ מִכֶּֽם׃ הוֹכֵ֣חַ mah- nim·rə·ṣū yō·šer ’im·rê- ū·mah- yō·w·ḵî·aḥ mik·kem hō·w·ḵê·aḥ — WLC · 25
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Do you intend to correct my words, and treat as wind my cry of despair?
𐤕𐤇𐤔𐤁𐤅 𐤄𐤋𐤄𐤅𐤊𐤇 𐤌𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤉 𐤍𐤀𐤔
תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ הַלְהוֹכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃ taḥ·šō·ḇū hal·hō·w·ḵaḥ mil·lîm ū·lə·rū·aḥ ’im·rê nō·’āš — WLC · 26
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You would even cast lots for an orphan and barter away… your friend.
𐤕𐤐𐤉𐤋𐤅 𐤉𐤕𐤅𐤌 𐤅𐤕𐤊𐤓𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤐 𐤏𐤋 𐤓𐤉𐤏𐤊𐤌
תַּפִּ֑ילוּ יָת֥וֹם וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ עַל־ אַף־ עַל־ רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃ tap·pî·lū yā·ṯō·wm wə·ṯiḵ·rū ‘al- ’ap̄- ‘al- rê·‘ă·ḵem — WLC · 27
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But now, please look at me. Would I lie to your face…?
𐤅𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤋𐤅 𐤐𐤍𐤅 𐤁𐤉 𐤀𐤊𐤆𐤁 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤀𐤌
וְ֭עַתָּה הוֹאִ֣ילוּ פְנוּ־ בִ֑י אֲכַזֵּֽב׃ וְעַל־ פְּ֝נֵיכֶ֗ם אִם־ wə·‘at·tāh hō·w·’î·lū p̄ə·nū- ḇî ’ă·ḵaz·zêḇ wə·‘al- pə·nê·ḵem ’im- — WLC · 28
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Reconsider;… do not be unjust. Reconsider, for my righteousness… is at stake.
𐤔𐤁𐤅 𐤍𐤀 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤄𐤉 𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤉 𐤑𐤃𐤒𐤉 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤁𐤄
שֻֽׁבוּ־ נָ֭א אַל־ תְּהִ֣י עַוְלָ֑ה וְשֻׁבִי צִדְקִי־ ע֝וֹד בָֽהּ׃ šu·ḇū- nā ’al- tə·hî ‘aw·lāh wə·šu·ḇī ṣiḏ·qî- ‘ō·wḏ ḇāh — WLC · 29
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Is there iniquity on my tongue? Can my mouth not discern malice?
𐤄𐤉𐤔 𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤌 𐤇𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤄𐤅𐤅𐤕
הֲיֵשׁ־ עַוְלָ֑ה בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֥י אִם־ חִ֝כִּ֗י לֹא־ יָבִ֥ין הַוּֽוֹת׃ hă·yêš- ‘aw·lāh bil·šō·w·nî ’im- ḥik·kî lō- yā·ḇîn haw·wō·wṯ — WLC · 30