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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 13

Translation and Transliteration of 

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

hen-KOL ra-a-TAH ei-NI, sha-M'-AH aZ-NI, va-TA-ven LAH

אהֶן־כֹּ֭ל רָאֲתָ֣ה עֵינִ֑י שָֽׁמְעָ֥ה אׇ֝זְנִ֗י וַתָּ֥בֶן לָֽהּ׃

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

k'-da-T'-KHEM ya-DA-tee gam a-NEE lo no-FEL a-NO-khee mi-KHEM

בכְּֽ֭דַעְתְּכֶם יָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־אָ֑נִי לֹֽא־נֹפֵ֖ל אָנֹכִ֣י מִכֶּֽם׃

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

u-LAM a-NEE el sha-DAI a-da-BAYR v'-ho-KHAY-a el EL ekh-PATZ

גאוּלָ֗ם אֲ֭נִי אֶל־שַׁדַּ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְהוֹכֵ֖חַ אֶל־אֵ֣ל אֶחְפָּֽץ׃

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

v'-u-LAM a-TEM tof-lay SHA-ker ro-f'-AY e-LIL ku-L'-KHEM

דוְֽאוּלָ֗ם אַתֶּ֥ם טֹפְלֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר רֹפְאֵ֖י אֱלִ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

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

mi-yi-TEYN ha-cha-RESH ta-cha-REE-shuN u-te-HI la-KHEM le-cha-KH'-mah

המִי־יִ֭תֵּן הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישׁ֑וּן וּתְהִ֖י לָכֶ֣ם לְחׇכְמָֽה׃

6Hear now my arguments, Listen to my pleading.

SHI-m'u-NA to-KHAKH-tee, v'-ri-VOT s'-fa-TAI ha-k'-shi-VOO

ושִׁמְעוּ־נָ֥א תוֹכַחְתִּ֑י וְרִב֖וֹת שְׂפָתַ֣י הַקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃

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

ha-LEL t'-da-B'-RU a-VLA v'-LO t'-da-B'-RU r'-mi-YAH

זהַ֭לְאֵל תְּדַבְּר֣וּ עַוְלָ֑ה וְ֝ל֗וֹ תְּֽדַבְּר֥וּ רְמִיָּֽה׃

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

ha-fa-NA-yav t'-sa-U-nim im la-EL t'-ree-VUN

חהֲפָנָ֥יו תִּשָּׂא֑וּן אִם־לָאֵ֥ל תְּרִיבֽוּן׃

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

ha-TOV ki-yakh-KOR et-KHEM im-ke-ha-TEL be-e-NOSH te-ha-TE-lu BO

טהֲ֭טוֹב כִּֽי־יַחְקֹ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם אִם־כְּהָתֵ֥ל בֶּ֝אֱנ֗וֹשׁ תְּהָתֵ֥לּוּ בֽוֹ׃

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

ho-KHE-akh yo-KHE-akh et-KHEM im-ba-SE-ter pa-NIM ti-sa-UN

יהוֹכֵ֣חַ יוֹכִ֣יחַ אֶתְכֶ֑ם אִם־בַּ֝סֵּ֗תֶר פָּנִ֥ים תִּשָּׂאֽוּן׃

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

ha-LO se-E-to t'-va-ET et-KHEM u-fakh-DO yi-POl a-LE-khem

יאהֲלֹ֣א שְׂ֭אֵתוֹ תְּבַעֵ֣ת אֶתְכֶ֑ם וּ֝פַחְדּ֗וֹ יִפֹּ֥ל עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃

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

zi-kh'-ro-NE-khem mish-LEI-e-FER l'-ga-BEI-kho-MER ga-BEI-khem

יבזִֽ֭כְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־אֵ֑פֶר לְגַבֵּי־חֹ֝֗מֶר גַּבֵּיכֶֽם׃

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

ha-cha-REE-shu mi-me-NI va-a-da-b'-RAH a-NEE v'-ya-a-VOR a-LAI MAH

יגהַחֲרִ֣ישׁוּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי וַאֲדַבְּרָה־אָ֑נִי וְיַעֲבֹ֖ר עָלַ֣י מָֽה׃

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

al-MAH e-SA v'-sa-REE v'-shi-NAI v'-NAF-shee a-SIM b'-ka-PEE

ידעַל־מָ֤ה ׀ אֶשָּׂ֣א בְשָׂרִ֣י בְשִׁנָּ֑י וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י אָשִׂ֥ים בְּכַפִּֽי׃

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

HEIN yik-te-LE-ni (LO) [LO] a-ya-KHEL akh-d'-ra-KHAI el pa-NAV o-KHE-akh

טוהֵ֣ן יִ֭קְטְלֵנִי (לא) [ל֣וֹ] אֲיַחֵ֑ל אַךְ־דְּ֝רָכַ֗י אֶל־פָּנָ֥יו אוֹכִֽיחַ׃

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־לִ֥י לִישׁוּעָ֑ה כִּי־לֹ֥א לְ֝פָנָ֗יו חָנֵ֥ף יָבֽוֹא׃

 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.

SHI-m'u sha-MO-a mi-LA-tee v'-a-cha-VA-tee b'-o-z'-NEE-khem

יזשִׁמְע֣וּ שָׁ֭מוֹעַ מִלָּתִ֑י וְ֝אַחֲוָתִ֗י בְּאׇזְנֵיכֶֽם׃

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

hi-ne NA a-RAKH-tee mish-PAT ya-da-TI kee a-NEE etz-DAK

יחהִנֵּה־נָ֭א עָרַ֣כְתִּי מִשְׁפָּ֑ט יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּי־אֲנִ֥י אֶצְדָּֽק׃

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

mi-HU ya-RIB i-ma-DEE, ki-a-TAH a-kha-REESH v'-eg-VA

יטמִי־ה֭וּא יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י כִּֽי־עַתָּ֖ה אַחֲרִ֣ישׁ וְאֶגְוָֽע׃

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

akh-sh'-TAY-yim al-ta-AS i-ma-DEE az mi-PA-ne-KHA lo e-SA-ter

כאַךְ־שְׁ֭תַּיִם אַל־תַּ֣עַשׂ עִמָּדִ֑י אָ֥ז מִ֝פָּנֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א אֶסָּתֵֽר׃

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

ka-PE-kha me-a-LAI har-KHAK v'-e-MA-te-KHA al t'-va-a-TA-ni

כאכַּ֭פְּךָ מֵעָלַ֣י הַרְחַ֑ק וְ֝אֵ֥מָתְךָ֗ אַֽל־תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

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

u-KRA v'-a-NO-khi e-e-NEH o a-da-BER va-ha-SHI-ve-NI

כבוּ֭קְרָא וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֶעֱנֶ֑ה אֽוֹ־אֲ֝דַבֵּ֗ר וַהֲשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃

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

ka-MAH li a-vo-NOT v'-kha-ta-OT pish-EE v'-kha-ta-TEE ho-dee-EY-nee

כגכַּמָּ֣ה לִ֭י עֲוֺנ֣וֹת וְחַטָּא֑וֹת פִּֽשְׁעִ֥י וְ֝חַטָּאתִ֗י הֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃

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

la-MAH fa-NE-kha tas-TEER v'-takh-sh'-VE-ni l'-o-YEV la-KH

כדלָֽמָּה־פָנֶ֥יךָ תַסְתִּ֑יר וְתַחְשְׁבֵ֖נִי לְאוֹיֵ֣ב לָֽךְ׃

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

he-a-LEH ni-DAF ta-a-ROTZ v'-et-KASH ya-VESH tir-DOf

כההֶעָלֶ֣ה נִדָּ֣ף תַּעֲר֑וֹץ וְאֶת־קַ֖שׁ יָבֵ֣שׁ תִּרְדֹּֽף׃

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

ki-tikh-TOV a-LAI m'-RO-ROT v'-to-ri-SHE-ni a-vo-NOT n'-u-RAI

כוכִּֽי־תִכְתֹּ֣ב עָלַ֣י מְרֹר֑וֹת וְ֝תוֹרִישֵׁ֗נִי עֲוֺנ֥וֹת נְעוּרָֽי׃

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

v'-ta-SEM ba-SAD rag-LAI v'-tish-MOR kol-o-r'-kho-TAI al shor-SHAY rag-LAI tit-ha-KEH

כזוְתָ֘שֵׂ֤ם בַּסַּ֨ד ׀ רַגְלַ֗י וְתִשְׁמ֥וֹר כׇּל־אׇרְחוֹתָ֑י עַל־שׇׁרְשֵׁ֥י רַ֝גְלַ֗י תִּתְחַקֶּֽה׃

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

v'-HU k'-ra-KAV yiv-LEH, k'-ve-GED a-KHA-lo ASH

כחוְ֭הוּא כְּרָקָ֣ב יִבְלֶ֑ה כְּ֝בֶ֗גֶד אֲכָ֣לוֹ עָֽשׁ׃