Chapter 10
Job’s Plea to God
1
[“]I loathe my own life; I will express… my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul.
𐤍𐤒𐤈𐤄 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤁𐤇𐤉𐤉 𐤀𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤄 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤔𐤉𐤇𐤉 𐤀𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤄 𐤁𐤌𐤓 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉
נָֽקְטָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֗י בְּחַ֫יָּ֥י אֶֽעֶזְבָ֣ה עָלַ֣י שִׂיחִ֑י אֲ֝דַבְּרָה֗ בְּמַ֣ר נַפְשִֽׁי׃ nā·qə·ṭāh nap̄·šî bə·ḥay·yāy ’e·‘ez·ḇāh ‘ā·lay śî·ḥî ’ă·ḏab·bə·rāh bə·mar nap̄·šî — WLC · 1
2
I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why… You prosecute me.
𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤓𐤔𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤋 𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤓𐤉𐤁𐤍𐤉
אֹמַ֣ר אֶל־ אֱ֭לוֹהַּ אַל־ תַּרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי הֽ֝וֹדִיעֵ֗נִי עַ֣ל מַה־ תְּרִיבֵֽנִי׃ ’ō·mar ’el- ’ĕ·lō·w·ah ’al- tar·šî·‘ê·nî hō·w·ḏî·‘ê·nî ‘al mah- tə·rî·ḇê·nî — WLC · 2
3
Does it please You… to oppress me,… to reject the work of Your hands… and favor the schemes of the wicked?
𐤄𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤏𐤔𐤒 𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤌𐤀𐤎 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤏 𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤅𐤐𐤏𐤕 𐤏𐤑𐤕 𐤓𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤌
הֲט֤וֹב לְךָ֨׀ כִּֽי־ תַעֲשֹׁ֗ק כִּֽי־ תִ֭מְאַס יְגִ֣יעַ כַּפֶּ֑יךָ וְעַל־ הוֹפָֽעְתָּ׃ עֲצַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים hă·ṭō·wḇ lə·ḵā kî- ṯa·‘ă·šōq kî- ṯim·’as yə·ḡî·a‘ kap·pe·ḵā wə·‘al- hō·w·p̄ā·‘ə·tā ‘ă·ṣaṯ rə·šā·‘îm — WLC · 3
4
Do You have eyes of flesh Do You see as man sees?
𐤄𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤌 𐤊𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔 𐤕𐤓𐤀𐤄
הַעֵינֵ֣י בָשָׂ֣ר לָ֑ךְ אִם־ כִּרְא֖וֹת אֱנ֣וֹשׁ תִּרְאֶֽה׃ ha·‘ê·nê ḇā·śār lāḵ ’im- kir·’ō·wṯ ’ĕ·nō·wōš tir·’eh — WLC · 4
5
Are Your days like those of a [mortal], or Your years like those of a man,
𐤄𐤊𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤊 𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔 𐤀𐤌 𐤔𐤍𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤊𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤂𐤁𐤓
הֲכִימֵ֣י יָמֶ֑יךָ אֱנ֣וֹשׁ אִם־ שְׁ֝נוֹתֶ֗יךָ כִּ֣ימֵי גָֽבֶר׃ hă·ḵî·mê yā·me·ḵā ’ĕ·nō·wōš ’i·mōš- šə·nô·t̲ê·k̲ā kî·mê ḡā·ḇer — WLC · 5
6
that You should seek my iniquity and search out my sin—
𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤁𐤒𐤔 𐤋𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤕𐤃𐤓𐤅𐤔 𐤅𐤋𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤕𐤉
כִּֽי־ תְבַקֵּ֥שׁ לַעֲוֺנִ֑י תִדְרֽוֹשׁ׃ וּ֭לְחַטָּאתִ֥י kî- ṯə·ḇaq·qêš la·‘ă·wō·nî ṯiḏ·rō·wōš ū·lə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯî — WLC · 6
7
though You know that I am not guilty, and there is no deliverance from Your hand?
𐤏𐤋 𐤃𐤏𐤕𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤑𐤉𐤋 𐤌𐤉𐤃𐤊
עַֽל־ דַּ֭עְתְּךָ כִּי־ לֹ֣א אֶרְשָׁ֑ע וְאֵ֖ין מַצִּֽיל׃ מִיָּדְךָ֣ ‘al- da‘·tə·ḵā kî- lō ’er·šā‘ wə·’ên maṣ·ṣîl mî·yā·ḏə·ḵā — WLC · 7
8
Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me. Would You now turn and destroy me?
𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤊 𐤏𐤑𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤇𐤃 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤔𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤎𐤁𐤉𐤁 𐤅𐤕𐤁𐤋𐤏𐤍𐤉
יָדֶ֣יךָ עִ֭צְּבוּנִי יַ֥חַד וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֑וּנִי סָ֝בִ֗יב וַֽתְּבַלְּעֵֽנִי׃ yā·ḏe·ḵā ‘iṣ·ṣə·ḇū·nî ya·ḥaḏ way·ya·‘ă·śū·nî sā·ḇîḇ wat·tə·ḇal·lə·‘ê·nî — WLC · 8
9
Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?
𐤍𐤀 𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤕𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤇𐤌𐤓 𐤕𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤐𐤓
נָ֭א זְכָר־ כִּי־ עֲשִׂיתָ֑נִי כַחֹ֣מֶר תְּשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃ וְֽאֶל־ עָפָ֥ר nā zə·ḵār- kî- ‘ă·śî·ṯā·nî ḵa·ḥō·mer tə·šî·ḇê·nî wə·’el- ‘ā·p̄ār — WLC · 9
10
Did You not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese?
𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤕𐤉𐤊𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤇𐤋𐤁 𐤕𐤒𐤐𐤉𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤊𐤂𐤁𐤍𐤄
הֲלֹ֣א תַּתִּיכֵ֑נִי כֶ֭חָלָב תַּקְפִּיאֵֽנִי׃ וְ֝כַגְּבִנָּ֗ה hă·lō tat·tî·ḵê·nî ḵe·ḥā·lāḇ taq·pî·’ê·nî wə·ḵag·gə·ḇin·nāh — WLC · 10
11
You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.
𐤕𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤁𐤔𐤓 𐤕𐤎𐤊𐤊𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤁𐤏𐤑𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤂𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤌
תַּלְבִּישֵׁ֑נִי ע֣וֹר וּ֭בָשָׂר תְּסֹכְכֵֽנִי׃ וּֽבַעֲצָמ֥וֹת וְ֝גִידִ֗ים tal·bî·šê·nî ‘ō·wr ū·ḇā·śār tə·sō·ḵə·ḵê·nî ū·ḇa·‘ă·ṣā·mō·wṯ wə·ḡî·ḏîm — WLC · 11
12
You have granted me life and loving devotion, and Your care has preserved my spirit.
𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤉 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤇𐤎𐤃 𐤅𐤐𐤒𐤃𐤕𐤊 𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤄 𐤓𐤅𐤇𐤉
עָשִׂ֣יתָ עִמָּדִ֑י חַיִּ֣ים וָ֭חֶסֶד וּ֝פְקֻדָּתְךָ֗ שָֽׁמְרָ֥ה רוּחִֽי׃ ‘ā·śî·ṯā ‘im·mā·ḏî ḥay·yîm wā·ḥe·seḏ ū·p̄ə·qud·dā·ṯə·ḵā šā·mə·rāh rū·ḥî — WLC · 12
13
Yet You concealed these [things] in Your heart, and I know that this [was] in Your [mind]:
𐤑𐤐𐤍𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤋𐤁𐤁𐤊 𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤆𐤀𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤊
צָפַ֣נְתָּ וְ֭אֵלֶּה בִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּי־ זֹ֥את עִמָּֽךְ׃ ṣā·p̄an·tā wə·’êl·leh ḇil·ḇā·ḇe·ḵā yā·ḏa‘·tî kî- zōṯ ‘im·māḵ — WLC · 13
14
If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity.
𐤀𐤌 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤕𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤍𐤒𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤉
אִם־ חָטָ֥אתִי וּשְׁמַרְתָּ֑נִי לֹ֣א תְנַקֵּֽנִי׃ וּ֝מֵעֲוֺנִ֗י ’im- ḥā·ṭā·ṯî ū·šə·mar·tā·nî lō ṯə·naq·qê·nî ū·mê·‘ă·wō·nî — WLC · 14
15
If I am guilty, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift my head. [I am] full of shame and aware of my affliction.
𐤀𐤌 𐤓𐤔𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤋𐤋𐤉 𐤋𐤉 𐤅𐤑𐤃𐤒𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤔𐤀 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉 𐤔𐤁𐤏 𐤒𐤋𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤏𐤍𐤉𐤉
אִם־ רָשַׁ֡עְתִּי אַלְלַ֬י לִ֗י וְ֭צָדַקְתִּי לֹא־ אֶשָּׂ֣א רֹאשִׁ֑י שְׂבַ֥ע קָ֝ל֗וֹן וּרְאֵ֥ה עָנְיִֽי׃ ’im- rā·ša‘·tî ’al·lay lî wə·ṣā·ḏaq·tî lō- ’eś·śā rō·šî śə·ḇa‘ qā·lō·wn ū·rə·’êh ‘ā·nə·yî — WLC · 15
16
Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me.
𐤅𐤉𐤂𐤀𐤄 𐤕𐤑𐤅𐤃𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤔𐤇𐤋 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤁 𐤕𐤕𐤐𐤋𐤀 𐤁𐤉
וְ֭יִגְאֶה תְּצוּדֵ֑נִי כַּשַּׁ֣חַל וְ֝תָשֹׁ֗ב תִּתְפַּלָּא־ בִֽי׃ wə·yiḡ·’eh tə·ṣū·ḏê·nî kaš·ša·ḥal wə·ṯā·šōḇ tiṯ·pal·lā- ḇî — WLC · 16
17
You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave.
𐤕𐤇𐤃𐤔 𐤏𐤃𐤉𐤊 𐤍𐤂𐤃𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤓𐤁 𐤊𐤏𐤔𐤊 𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤉 𐤅𐤑𐤁𐤀 𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤐𐤅𐤕
תְּחַדֵּ֬שׁ עֵדֶ֨יךָ׀ נֶגְדִּ֗י וְתֶ֣רֶב כַּֽ֭עַשְׂךָ עִמָּדִ֑י וְצָבָ֣א עִמִּֽי׃ חֲלִיפ֖וֹת tə·ḥad·dêš ‘ê·ḏe·ḵā neḡ·dî wə·ṯe·reḇ ka·‘aś·ḵā ‘im·mā·ḏî wə·ṣā·ḇā ‘im·mî ḥă·lî·p̄ō·wṯ — WLC · 17
18
Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!
𐤅𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤄𐤑𐤀𐤕𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤌 𐤀𐤂𐤅𐤏 𐤋𐤀 𐤅𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤕𐤓𐤀𐤍𐤉
וְלָ֣מָּה הֹצֵאתָ֑נִי מֵ֭רֶחֶם אֶ֝גְוַ֗ע לֹא־ וְעַ֣יִן תִרְאֵֽנִי׃ wə·lām·māh hō·ṣê·ṯā·nî mê·re·ḥem ’eḡ·wa‘ lō- wə·‘a·yin ṯir·’ê·nî — WLC · 18
19
If only I had never come to be, but had been carried from the womb to the grave.
𐤊𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤅𐤁𐤋 𐤌𐤁𐤈𐤍 𐤋𐤒𐤁𐤓
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ הָיִ֣יתִי אֶהְיֶ֑ה אוּבָֽל׃ מִ֝בֶּ֗טֶן לַקֶּ֥בֶר ka·’ă·šer lō- hā·yî·ṯî ’eh·yeh ’ū·ḇāl mib·be·ṭen laq·qe·ḇer — WLC · 19
20
Are my days not few? Withdraw… from me, that I may have a little comfort
𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤌𐤏𐤈 𐤉𐤇𐤃𐤋 𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤁𐤋𐤉𐤂𐤄 𐤌𐤏𐤈
יָמַ֣י הֲלֹא־ מְעַ֣ט יֶחְדָּל יָשִׁית מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי וְאַבְלִ֥יגָה מְּעָֽט׃ yā·may hă·lō- mə·‘aṭ yɛḥ·då̄l yå̄·šīṯ mim·men·nî wə·’aḇ·lî·ḡāh mə·‘āṭ — WLC · 20
21
before I go— never to return— to a land of darkness and gloom,
𐤁𐤈𐤓𐤌 𐤀𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤅𐤑𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕
בְּטֶ֣רֶם אֵ֭לֵךְ וְלֹ֣א אָשׁ֑וּב אֶל־ אֶ֖רֶץ חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃ bə·ṭe·rem ’ê·lêḵ wə·lō ’ā·šūḇ ’el- ’e·reṣ ḥō·šeḵ wə·ṣal·mā·weṯ — WLC · 21
22
to a land of utter darkness…, of deep shadow and disorder…, where even the light is like darkness.”
𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤏𐤉𐤐𐤕𐤄 𐤊𐤌𐤅 𐤀𐤐𐤋 𐤑𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤎𐤃𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤕𐤐𐤏 𐤊𐤌𐤅 𐤀𐤐𐤋𐤐
אֶ֤רֶץ עֵיפָ֨תָה׀ כְּמ֥וֹ אֹ֗פֶל צַ֭לְמָוֶת וְלֹ֥א סְדָרִ֗ים וַתֹּ֥פַע כְּמוֹ־ אֹֽפֶל׃פ ’e·reṣ ‘ê·p̄ā·ṯāh kə·mōw ’ō·p̄el ṣal·mā·weṯ wə·lō sə·ḏā·rîm wat·tō·p̄a‘ kə·mōw- ’ō·p̄el — WLC · 22