Chapter 13
Job Prepares His Case
1
[“]Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.
𐤄𐤍 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉 𐤓𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤁𐤍 𐤋𐤄
הֶן־ עֵינִ֑י רָאֲתָ֣ה כֹּ֭ל אָ֝זְנִ֗י שָֽׁמְעָ֥ה וַתָּ֥בֶן לָֽהּ׃ hen- ‘ê·nî rā·’ă·ṯāh kōl ’ā·zə·nî šā·mə·‘āh wat·tā·ḇen lāh — WLC · 1
2
What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
𐤊𐤃𐤏𐤕𐤊𐤌 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤂𐤌 𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤐𐤋 𐤌𐤊𐤌
כְּֽ֭דַעְתְּכֶם אָ֑נִי גַם־ יָדַ֣עְתִּי אָנֹכִ֣י לֹא־ נֹפֵ֖ל מִכֶּֽם׃ kə·ḏa‘·tə·ḵem ’ā·nî ḡam- yā·ḏa‘·tî ’ā·nō·ḵî lō- nō·p̄êl mik·kem — WLC · 2
3
Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.
𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤌 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤇𐤐𐤑 𐤀𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤀𐤋 𐤔𐤃𐤉 𐤅𐤄𐤅𐤊𐤇 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤋
אוּלָ֗ם אֲ֭נִי אֶחְפָּֽץ׃ אֲדַבֵּ֑ר אֶל־ שַׁדַּ֣י וְהוֹכֵ֖חַ אֶל־ אֵ֣ל ’ū·lām ’ă·nî ’eḥ·pāṣ ’ă·ḏab·bêr ’el- šad·day wə·hō·w·ḵê·aḥ ’el- ’êl — WLC · 3
4
You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.
𐤀𐤕𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤌 𐤈𐤐𐤋𐤉 𐤔𐤒𐤓 𐤊𐤋𐤊𐤌 𐤀𐤋𐤋 𐤓𐤐𐤀𐤉
אַתֶּ֥ם וְֽאוּלָ֗ם טֹֽפְלֵי־ שָׁ֑קֶר כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃ אֱלִ֣ל רֹפְאֵ֖י ’at·tem wə·’ū·lām ṭō·p̄ə·lê- šā·qer kul·lə·ḵem ’ĕ·lil rō·p̄ə·’ê — WLC · 4
5
If only… you would remain silent…; for that would be your wisdom!
𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤄𐤇𐤓𐤔 𐤕𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤕𐤄𐤉 𐤋𐤊𐤌 𐤋𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄
מִֽי־ יִ֭תֵּן הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישׁ֑וּן וּתְהִ֖י לָכֶ֣ם לְחָכְמָֽה׃ mî- yit·tên ha·ḥă·rêš ta·ḥă·rî·šūn ū·ṯə·hî lā·ḵem lə·ḥā·ḵə·māh — WLC · 5
6
Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.
𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤍𐤀 𐤕𐤅𐤊𐤇𐤕𐤉 𐤄𐤒𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤅 𐤅𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉
שִׁמְעוּ־ נָ֥א תוֹכַחְתִּ֑י הַקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃ וְרִב֖וֹת שְׂפָתַ֣י šim·‘ū- nā ṯō·w·ḵaḥ·tî haq·šî·ḇū wə·ri·ḇō·wṯ śə·p̄ā·ṯay — WLC · 6
7
Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?
𐤕𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤅 𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤅 𐤄𐤋𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤅 𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤄
תְּדַבְּר֣וּ עַוְלָ֑ה וְ֝ל֗וֹ הַ֭לְאֵל תְּֽדַבְּר֥וּ רְמִיָּֽה׃ tə·ḏab·bə·rū ‘aw·lāh wə·lōw hal·’êl tə·ḏab·bə·rū rə·mî·yāh — WLC · 7
8
Would you show Him partiality… or argue in His defense?
𐤄𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤕𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤍 𐤀𐤌 𐤕𐤓𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤍 𐤋𐤀𐤋
הֲפָנָ֥יו תִּשָּׂא֑וּן אִם־ תְּרִיבֽוּן׃ לָאֵ֥ל hă·p̄ā·nāw tiś·śā·’ūn ’im- tə·rî·ḇūn lā·’êl — WLC · 8
9
Would it be well when He examined you -? Could you deceive Him as you would deceive a man?
𐤄𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤇𐤒𐤓 𐤀𐤕𐤊𐤌 𐤀𐤌 𐤊𐤄𐤕𐤋 𐤁𐤅 𐤕𐤄𐤕𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔
הֲ֭טוֹב כִּֽי־ יַחְקֹ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם אִם־ כְּהָתֵ֥ל בֽוֹ׃ תְּהָתֵ֥לּוּ בֶּ֝אֱנ֗וֹשׁ hă·ṭō·wḇ kî- yaḥ·qōr ’eṯ·ḵem ’im- kə·hā·ṯêl ḇōw tə·hā·ṯêl·lū be·’ĕ·nō·wōš — WLC · 9
10
Surely He would rebuke… you if you secretly showed partiality…
𐤄𐤅𐤊𐤇 𐤉𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤇 𐤀𐤕𐤊𐤌 𐤀𐤌 𐤁𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤍
הוֹכֵ֣חַ יוֹכִ֣יחַ אֶתְכֶ֑ם אִם־ בַּ֝סֵּ֗תֶר פָּנִ֥ים תִּשָּׂאֽוּן׃ hō·w·ḵê·aḥ yō·w·ḵî·aḥ ’eṯ·ḵem ’im- bas·sê·ṯer pā·nîm tiś·śā·’ūn — WLC · 10
11
Would His majesty not terrify you -? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?
𐤔𐤀𐤕𐤅 𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤁𐤏𐤕 𐤀𐤕𐤊𐤌 𐤅𐤐𐤇𐤃𐤅 𐤉𐤐𐤋 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤊𐤌
שְׂ֭אֵתוֹ הֲלֹ֣א תְּבַעֵ֣ת אֶתְכֶ֑ם וּ֝פַחְדּ֗וֹ יִפֹּ֥ל עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ śə·ʾē·t̲ô hă·lō tə·ḇa·‘êṯ ’eṯ·ḵem ū·p̄aḥ·dōw yip·pōl ‘ă·lê·ḵem — WLC · 11
12
Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.
𐤆𐤊𐤓𐤍𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤌𐤔𐤋𐤉 𐤀𐤐𐤓 𐤋𐤂𐤁𐤉 𐤂𐤁𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤇𐤌𐤓
זִֽ֭כְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־ אֵ֑פֶר לְגַבֵּי־ גַּבֵּיכֶֽם׃ חֹ֝֗מֶר ziḵ·rō·nê·ḵem miš·lê- ’ê·p̄er lə·ḡab·bê- gab·bê·ḵem ḥō·mer — WLC · 12
13
Be silent,… and I will speak. Then let come to me what [may].
𐤄𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤔𐤅 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤁𐤓 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤌𐤄
הַחֲרִ֣ישׁוּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי אָ֑נִי וַאֲדַבְּרָה־ וְיַעֲבֹ֖ר עָלַ֣י מָֽה׃ ha·ḥă·rî·šū mim·men·nî ’ā·nî wa·’ă·ḏab·bə·rāh- wə·ya·‘ă·ḇōr ‘ā·lay māh — WLC · 13
14
Why… do I put myself at risk… and take my life in my own hands?
𐤏𐤋 𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤔𐤓𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤀 𐤁𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤁𐤊𐤐𐤉
עַל־ מָ֤ה׀ בְשָׂרִ֣י אֶשָּׂ֣א בְשִׁנָּ֑י אָשִׂ֥ים וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י בְּכַפִּֽי׃ ‘al- māh ḇə·śā·rî ’eś·śā ḇə·šin·nāy ’ā·śîm wə·nap̄·šî bə·ḵap·pî — WLC · 14
15
Though He slay me,… I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.
𐤄𐤍 𐤉𐤒𐤈𐤋𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤉𐤇𐤋 𐤀𐤊 𐤀𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤇 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤋 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤅
הֵ֣ן יִ֭קְטְלֵנִי לֹא אֲיַחֵ֑ל אַךְ־ אוֹכִֽיחַ׃ דְּ֝רָכַ֗י אֶל־ פָּנָ֥יו hên yiq·ṭə·lê·nî lō ’ă·ya·ḥêl ’aḵ- ’ō·w·ḵî·aḥ də·rā·ḵay ’el- pā·nāw — WLC · 15
16
Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.
𐤂𐤌 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤋𐤉 𐤋𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤇𐤍𐤐 𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤅
גַּם־ הוּא־ לִ֥י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה כִּי־ לֹ֥א חָנֵ֥ף יָבֽוֹא׃ לְ֝פָנָ֗יו gam- hū- lî lî·šū·‘āh kî- lō ḥā·nêp̄ yā·ḇō·w lə·p̄ā·nāw — WLC · 16
17
Listen carefully… to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.
𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤏 𐤌𐤋𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤅𐤕𐤉 𐤁𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤉𐤊𐤌
שִׁמְע֣וּ שָׁ֭מוֹעַ מִלָּתִ֑י וְ֝אַֽחֲוָתִ֗י בְּאָזְנֵיכֶֽם׃ šim·‘ū šā·mô·aʿ mil·lā·ṯî wə·’a·ḥă·wā·ṯî bə·’ā·zə·nê·ḵem — WLC · 17
18
See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.
𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤍𐤀 𐤏𐤓𐤊𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤑𐤃𐤒
הִנֵּה־ נָ֭א עָרַ֣כְתִּי מִשְׁפָּ֑ט יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־ אֲנִ֥י אֶצְדָּֽק׃ hin·nêh- nā ‘ā·raḵ·tî miš·pāṭ yā·ḏa‘·tî kî- ’ă·nî ’eṣ·dāq — WLC · 18
19
Can anyone… indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.
𐤌𐤉 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤁 𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤔 𐤅𐤀𐤂𐤅𐤏
מִי־ ה֭וּא יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י כִּֽי־ עַתָּ֖ה אַחֲרִ֣ישׁ וְאֶגְוָֽע׃ mî- hū yā·rîḇ ‘im·mā·ḏî kî- ‘at·tāh ’a·ḥă·rîš wə·’eḡ·wā‘ — WLC · 19
20
Only grant these two… things to me, so that I need not hide from You:
𐤀𐤊 𐤕𐤏𐤔 𐤔𐤕𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤉 𐤀𐤆 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤊
אַךְ־ תַּ֣עַשׂ שְׁ֭תַּיִם אַל־ עִמָּדִ֑י אָ֥ז לֹ֣א אֶסָּתֵֽר׃ מִ֝פָּנֶ֗יךָ ’a·ḵōš- ta·‘aś šə·ta·yim ’al- ‘im·mā·ḏî ’āz lō ’es·sā·ṯêr mip·pā·ne·ḵā — WLC · 20
21
Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.
𐤄𐤓𐤇𐤒 𐤊𐤐𐤊 𐤌𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤕𐤊 𐤕𐤁𐤏𐤕𐤍𐤉
הַרְחַ֑ק כַּ֭פְּךָ מֵעָלַ֣י אַֽל־ וְ֝אֵ֥מָתְךָ֗ תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃ har·ḥaq kap·pə·ḵā mê·‘ā·lay ’al- wə·’ê·mā·ṯə·ḵā tə·ḇa·‘ă·ṯan·nî — WLC · 21
22
Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.
𐤅𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤏𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤅 𐤀𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤅𐤄𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤍𐤉
וּ֭קְרָא וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה אֽוֹ־ אֲ֝דַבֵּ֗ר וַהֲשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃ ū·qə·rā wə·’ā·nō·ḵî ’e·‘ĕ·neh ’ōw- ’ă·ḏab·bêr wa·hă·šî·ḇê·nî — WLC · 22
23
How many [are] my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.
𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤉 𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤃𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤐𐤔𐤏𐤉 𐤅𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤕𐤉
כַּמָּ֣ה לִ֭י עֲוֺנ֣וֹת וְחַטָּא֑וֹת הֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ פִּֽשְׁעִ֥י וְ֝חַטָּאתִ֗י kam·māh lî ‘ă·wō·nō·wṯ wə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·’ō·wṯ hō·ḏî·‘ê·nî piš·‘î wə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯî — WLC · 23
24
Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?
𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤎𐤕𐤉𐤓 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤕𐤇𐤔𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤊 𐤋𐤀𐤅𐤉𐤁
לָֽמָּה־ תַסְתִּ֑יר פָנֶ֥יךָ וְתַחְשְׁבֵ֖נִי לָֽךְ׃ לְאוֹיֵ֣ב lām·māh- ṯas·tîr p̄ā·ne·ḵā wə·ṯaḥ·šə·ḇê·nî lāḵ lə·’ō·w·yêḇ — WLC · 24
25
Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?
𐤕𐤏𐤓𐤅𐤑 𐤅𐤀𐤕 𐤍𐤃𐤐 𐤄𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤕𐤓𐤃𐤐 𐤉𐤁𐤔 𐤒𐤔
תַּעֲר֑וֹץ וְאֶת־ נִדָּ֣ף הֶעָלֶ֣ה תִּרְדֹּֽף׃ יָבֵ֣שׁ קַ֖שׁ ta·‘ă·rō·wṣ wə·’eṯ- nid·dāp̄ he·‘ā·leh tir·dōp̄ yā·ḇêš qaš — WLC · 25
26
For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.
𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤊𐤕𐤁 𐤌𐤓𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤍𐤏𐤅𐤓𐤉
כִּֽי־ תִכְתֹּ֣ב מְרֹר֑וֹת עָלַ֣י וְ֝תוֹרִישֵׁ֗נִי עֲוֺנ֥וֹת נְעוּרָֽי׃ kî- ṯiḵ·tōḇ mə·rō·rō·wṯ ‘ā·lay wə·ṯō·w·rî·šê·nî ‘ă·wō·nō·wṯ nə·‘ū·rāy — WLC · 26
27
You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet.
𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤌 𐤓𐤂𐤋𐤉 𐤁𐤎𐤃 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤓 𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤕𐤉 𐤕𐤕𐤇𐤒𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤔𐤓𐤔𐤉 𐤓𐤂𐤋𐤉
וְתָ֘שֵׂ֤ם רַגְלַ֗י בַּסַּ֨ד׀ וְתִשְׁמ֥וֹר כָּל־ אָרְחוֹתָ֑י תִּתְחַקֶּֽה׃ עַל־ שָׁרְשֵׁ֥י רַ֝גְלַ֗י wə·ṯā·śêm raḡ·lay bas·saḏ wə·ṯiš·mō·wr kāl- ’ā·rə·ḥō·w·ṯāy tiṯ·ḥaq·qeh ‘al- šā·rə·šê raḡ·lay — WLC · 27
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So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten… garment.
𐤅𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤉𐤁𐤋𐤄 𐤊𐤓𐤒𐤁 𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤏𐤔 𐤊𐤁𐤂𐤃
וְ֭הוּא יִבְלֶ֑ה כְּרָקָ֣ב אֲכָ֣לוֹ עָֽשׁ׃ כְּ֝בֶ֗גֶד wə·hū yiḇ·leh kə·rā·qāḇ ’ă·ḵā·lōw ‘āš kə·ḇe·ḡeḏ — WLC · 28