TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 13

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1My eye has seen all this; My ear has heard and understood it.

אהֶן־כֹּל רָאֲתָה עֵינִי שָׁמְעָה אָזְנִי וַתָּבֶן לָהּ׃

2What you know, I know also; I am not less than you.

בכְּדַעְתְּכֶם יָדַעְתִּי גַם־אָנִי לֹא־נֹפֵל אָנֹכִי מִכֶּם׃

3Indeed, I would speak to the Almighty; I insist on arguing with Hashem.

גאוּלָם אֲנִי אֶל־שַׁדַּי אֲדַבֵּר וְהוֹכֵחַ אֶל־אֵל אֶחְפָּץ׃

4But you invent lies; All of you are quacks.

דוְאוּלָם אַתֶּם טֹפְלֵי־שָׁקֶר רֹפְאֵי אֱלִל כֻּלְּכֶם׃

5If you would only keep quiet It would be considered wisdom on your part.

המִי־יִתֵּן הַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישׁוּן וּתְהִי לָכֶם לְחָכְמָה׃

6Hear now my arguments, Listen to my pleading.

ושִׁמְעוּ־נָא תוֹכַחְתִּי וְרִבוֹת שְׂפָתַי הַקְשִׁיבוּ׃

7Will you speak unjustly on Hashem's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for Him?

זהַלְאֵל תְּדַבְּרוּ עַוְלָה וְלוֹ תְּדַבְּרוּ רְמִיָּה׃

8Will you be partial toward Him? Will you plead Hashem's cause?

חהֲפָנָיו תִּשָּׂאוּן אִם־לָאֵל תְּרִיבוּן׃

9Will it go well when He examines you? Will you fool Him as one fools men?

טהֲטוֹב כִּי־יַחְקֹר אֶתְכֶם אִם־כְּהָתֵל בֶּאֱנוֹשׁ תְּהָתֵלּוּ בוֹ׃

10He will surely reprove you If in your heart you are partial toward Him.

יהוֹכֵחַ יוֹכִיחַ אֶתְכֶם אִם־בַּסֵּתֶר פָּנִים תִּשָּׂאוּן׃

11His threat will terrify you, And His fear will seize you.

יאהֲלֹא שְׂאֵתוֹ תְּבַעֵת אֶתְכֶם וּפַחְדּוֹ יִפֹּל עֲלֵיכֶם׃

12Your briefs are empty platitudes; Your responses are unsubstantial.

יבזִכְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־אֵפֶר לְגַבֵּי־חֹמֶר גַּבֵּיכֶם׃

13Keep quiet; I will have my say, Come what may upon me.

יגהַחֲרִישׁוּ מִמֶּנִּי וַאֲדַבְּרָה־אָנִי וְיַעֲבֹר עָלַי מָה׃

14How long! I will take my flesh in my teeth; I will take my life in my hands.

ידעַל־מָה אֶשָּׂא בְשָׂרִי בְשִׁנָּי וְנַפְשִׁי אָשִׂים בְּכַפִּי׃

15He may well slay me; I may have no hope; Yet I will argue my case before Him.

טוהֵן יִקְטְלֵנִי לא [לוֹ] אֲיַחֵל אַךְ־דְּרָכַי אֶל־פָּנָיו אוֹכִיחַ׃

16In this too is my salvation: That no impious man can come into His presence.

gam hu LEE lee-shu-AH kee LO l'-fa-NAV kha-NAYF ya-VO

טזגַּם־הוּא־לִי לִישׁוּעָה כִּי־לֹא לְפָנָיו חָנֵף יָבוֹא׃

 13:16   That no impious man can come into His presence

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-1993)

Iyov rebukes those who come to comfort him by telling them that although he challenges Hashem’s justice and they do not, he is still more righteous than they are. He, at least, approaches God honestly, not hypocritically. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik explains that it was the prophet Yirmiyahu who set the precedent for challenging Hashem in difficult times. In Megillat Eicha, instead of merely accepting what has happened, Yirmiyahu demands of God an explanation for the ruin of Yerushalayim and the devastation of the Land of Israel. While it is permissible to question Hashem, this must be coupled with the firm belief that although we might not understand His ways, they are ultimately for the good.

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17Listen closely to my words; Give ear to my discourse.

יזשִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ מִלָּתִי וְאַחֲוָתִי בְּאָזְנֵיכֶם׃

18See now, I have prepared a case; I know that I will win it.

יחהִנֵּה־נָא עָרַכְתִּי מִשְׁפָּט יָדַעְתִּי כִּי־אֲנִי אֶצְדָּק׃

19For who is it that would challenge me? I should then keep silent and expire.

יטמִי־הוּא יָרִיב עִמָּדִי כִּי־עַתָּה אַחֲרִישׁ וְאֶגְוָע׃

20But two things do not do to me, So that I need not hide from You:

כאַךְ־שְׁתַּיִם אַל־תַּעַשׂ עִמָּדִי אָז מִפָּנֶיךָ לֹא אֶסָּתֵר׃

21Remove Your hand from me, And let not Your terror frighten me.

כאכַּפְּךָ מֵעָלַי הַרְחַק וְאֵמָתְךָ אַל־תְּבַעֲתַנִּי׃

22Then summon me and I will respond, Or I will speak and You reply to me.

כבוּקְרָא וְאָנֹכִי אֶעֱנֶה אוֹ־אֲדַבֵּר וַהֲשִׁיבֵנִי׃

23How many are my iniquities and sins? Advise me of my transgression and sin.

כגכַּמָּה לִי עֲוׂנוֹת וְחַטָּאוֹת פִּשְׁעִי וְחַטָּאתִי הֹדִיעֵנִי׃

24Why do You hide Your face, And treat me like an enemy?

כדלָמָּה־פָנֶיךָ תַסְתִּיר וְתַחְשְׁבֵנִי לְאוֹיֵב לָךְ׃

25Will You harass a driven leaf, Will You pursue dried-up straw,

כההֶעָלֶה נִדָּף תַּעֲרוֹץ וְאֶת־קַשׁ יָבֵשׁ תִּרְדֹּף׃

26That You decree for me bitter things And make me answer for the iniquities of my youth,

כוכִּי־תִכְתֹּב עָלַי מְרֹרוֹת וְתוֹרִישֵׁנִי עֲוׂנוֹת נְעוּרָי׃

27That You put my feet in the stocks And watch all my ways, Hemming in my footsteps?

כזוְתָשֵׂם בַּסַּד רַגְלַי וְתִשְׁמוֹר כָּל־אָרְחוֹתָי עַל־שָׁרְשֵׁי רַגְלַי תִּתְחַקֶּה׃

28Man wastes away like a rotten thing, Like a garment eaten by moths.

כחוְהוּא כְּרָקָב יִבְלֶה כְּבֶגֶד אֲכָלוֹ עָשׁ׃