TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 16
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Iyov said in reply:
vai-YA-an i-YOV va-YO-mer
אוַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2I have often heard such things; You are all mischievous comforters.
sha-MA-tee k'-E-leh ra-VOT m'-na-cha-MAY a-MAL ku-L'-KHEM
בשָׁמַ֣עְתִּי כְאֵ֣לֶּה רַבּ֑וֹת מְנַחֲמֵ֖י עָמָ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃
3Have windy words no limit? What afflicts you that you speak on?
ha-KEtz l'-div-RAY-ru-AKH o ma-yam-ri-TZE-kha ki ta-a-NEH
גהֲקֵ֥ץ לְדִבְרֵי־ר֑וּחַ א֥וֹ מַה־יַּ֝מְרִֽיצְךָ֗ כִּ֣י תַֽעֲנֶֽה׃
4I would also talk like you If you were in my place; I would barrage you with words, I would wag my head over you.
gam a-NO-khi ka-KHEM a-da-BE-ra LU yesh naf-SHE-khem TA-khat naf-SHI akh-BI-ra a-LE-khem b'-mi-LIM v'-a-NEE-a a-LE-khem b'-mo ro-SHI
דגַּ֤ם ׀ אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֢ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמ֣וֹ רֹאשִֽׁי׃
5I would encourage you with words, My moving lips would bring relief.
a-a-mi-TZE-khem b'-mo-fi v'-NEED s'-fa-TAI yakh-SOKH
האֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם בְּמוֹ־פִ֑י וְנִ֖יד שְׂפָתַ֣י יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃
6If I speak, my pain will not be relieved, And if I do not—what have I lost?
im-a-da-va-RAH lo-ye-KHA-sekh k'-e-VEE v'-a-kh'-da-LAH ma-mi-NEE ya-ha-LOKH
ואִֽם־אֲ֭דַבְּרָה לֹא־יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ כְּאֵבִ֑י וְ֝אַחְדְּלָ֗ה מַה־מִּנִּ֥י יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃
7Now He has truly worn me out; You have destroyed my whole community.
akh-a-TAH hel-a-NEE ha-shi-MO-ta kol-a-da-TEE
זאַךְ־עַתָּ֥ה הֶלְאָ֑נִי הֲ֝שִׁמּ֗וֹתָ כׇּל־עֲדָתִֽי׃
8You have shriveled me; My gauntness serves as a witness, And testifies against me.
va-tik-m'-TE-ni l'-ED ha-YAH, va-YA-kom BEE kha-kha-SHEE b'-fa-NAI ya-a-NEH
חוַֽ֭תִּקְמְטֵנִי לְעֵ֣ד הָיָ֑ה וַיָּ֥קׇם בִּ֥י כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗י בְּפָנַ֥י יַעֲנֶֽה׃
9In His anger He tears and persecutes me; He gnashes His teeth at me; My foe stabs me with his eyes.
טאַפּ֤וֹ טָרַ֨ף ׀ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֵ֗נִי חָרַ֣ק עָלַ֣י בְּשִׁנָּ֑יו צָרִ֓י ׀ יִלְטֹ֖שׁ עֵינָ֣יו לִֽי׃
10They open wide their mouths at me; Reviling me, they strike my cheeks; They inflame themselves against me.
pa-a-RU a-LAI b'-fi-HEM b'-kher-PA hi-KU l'-kha-YAI ya-KHAD a-LAI yit-ma-LA-UN
יפָּעֲר֬וּ עָלַ֨י ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֗ם בְּ֭חֶרְפָּה הִכּ֣וּ לְחָיָ֑י יַ֝֗חַד עָלַ֥י יִתְמַלָּאֽוּן׃
11Hashem hands me over to an evil man, Thrusts me into the clutches of the wicked.
yas-gi-RE-ni el el a-VIL v'-al y'-day r'-sha-EEM yir-TE-ni
יאיַסְגִּירֵ֣נִי אֵ֭ל אֶ֣ל עֲוִ֑יל וְעַל־יְדֵ֖י רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִרְטֵֽנִי׃
12I had been untroubled, and He broke me in pieces; He took me by the scruff and shattered me; He set me up as His target;
sha-LEV ha-YI-tee, va-y'-far-p'-REY-nee, v'-a-KHAZ b'-or-PEE, va-y'-fatz-p'-TSEY-nee, va-y'-kee-MAY-nee lo l'-ma-ta-RAH
יבשָׁ֘לֵ֤ו הָיִ֨יתִי ׀ וַֽיְפַרְפְּרֵ֗נִי וְאָחַ֣ז בְּ֭עׇרְפִּי וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַיְקִימֵ֥נִי ל֝֗וֹ לְמַטָּרָֽה׃
13His bowmen surrounded me; He pierced my kidneys; He showed no mercy; He spilled my bile onto the ground.
ya-SOV-u a-LAI ra-BAV y'-fa-LAKH k'-LYO-tai v'-LO yakh-MOL yish-POKH la-A-retz m'-re-ra-TAI
יגיָ֘סֹ֤בּוּ עָלַ֨י ׀ רַבָּ֗יו יְפַלַּ֣ח כִּ֭לְיוֹתַי וְלֹ֣א יַחְמֹ֑ל יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מְרֵרָתִֽי׃
14He breached me, breach after breach; He rushed at me like a warrior.
yif-re-TZE-ni PE-retz al pe-NEI pa-RETZ ya-RUTS a-LAI ke-gi-BOR
ידיִפְרְצֵ֣נִי פֶ֭רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ יָרֻ֖ץ עָלַ֣י כְּגִבּֽוֹר׃
15I sewed sackcloth over my skin; I buried my glory in the dust.
SAK ta-FAR-tee a-LEI gil-DEE v'-o-LAL-tee ve-o-FAR kar-NEI
טושַׂ֣ק תָּ֭פַרְתִּי עֲלֵ֣י גִלְדִּ֑י וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי בֶעָפָ֣ר קַרְנִֽי׃
16My face is red with weeping; Darkness covers my eyes
pa-NAI (kham-ram-RAH) [kho-mar-m'-RU] mi-NI be-KHI, v'-al af-a-PAI tzal-ma-VET
טזפָּנַ֣י (חמרמרה) [חֳ֭מַרְמְרוּ] מִנִּי־בֶ֑כִי וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י צַלְמָֽוֶת׃
17For no injustice on my part And for the purity of my prayer!
al lo-KHA-mas b'-ka-PAI u-t'-fi-LA-tee za-KA
יזעַ֭ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס בְּכַפָּ֑י וּֽתְפִלָּתִ֥י זַכָּֽה׃
18Earth, do not cover my blood; Let there be no resting place for my outcry!
E-retz al t'-kha-SEE da-MEE v'-AL y'-HEE ma-KOM l'-za-a-ka-TEE
יחאֶ֭רֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּ֣י דָמִ֑י וְֽאַל־יְהִ֥י מָ֝ק֗וֹם לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃
16:18 Earth, do not cover my blood
Rabbi Judah Halevi (1075-1141)
By asking the earth not to cover up his blood, Iyov invokes the murder of Abel by Cain in response to which the ground “opened its mouth to receive… [Abel’s] blood” (Genesis 4:11). The commentators wonder what argument led to the first murder in history, in which a person killed his own brother. According to Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, they were fighting over the Land of Israel. In his words, “They desired to know which of them would be Adam’s successor, and heir to his essence and intrinsic perfection, to inherit the land, and to stand in connection with the divine influence, while the other would be a nonentity.” From the beginning of time, Eretz Yisrael has been the object of desire and the source of conflict among those who wish to inherit it. However, Hashem states explicitly in the Bible that He gave it to Avraham to pass on to the Children of Israel as their eternal inheritance (see, e.g., Genesis 13:15).
19Surely now my witness is in heaven; He who can testify for me is on high.
gam-a-TAH hi-NEH va-sha-MA-yim e-DI v'-sa-ha-DEE ba-m'-ro-MEEM
יטגַּם־עַ֭תָּה הִנֵּה־בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם עֵדִ֑י וְ֝שָׂהֲדִ֗י בַּמְּרֹמִֽים׃
20O my advocates, my fellows, Before Hashem my eyes shed tears;
m'-li-TZAI re-AI el e-lo-HA dal-FAH e-NI
כמְלִיצַ֥י רֵעָ֑י אֶל־אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ דָּלְפָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃
21Let Him arbitrate between a man and Hashem As between a man and his fellow.
v'-yo-KHAKH l'-GE-ver im e-lo-AH u-ven a-DAm l'-re-E-hu
כאוְיוֹכַ֣ח לְגֶ֣בֶר עִם־אֱל֑וֹהַּ וּֽבֶן־אָדָ֥ם לְרֵעֵֽהוּ׃
22For a few more years will pass, And I shall go the way of no return.
ki-sh'-NOT mis-PA-yar y'-e-ta-YU v'-o-RAKH lo-a-SHUv e-h'-LOKH
כבכִּֽי־שְׁנ֣וֹת מִסְפָּ֣ר יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ וְאֹ֖רַח לֹא־אָשׁ֣וּב אֶהֱלֹֽךְ׃
