TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 17
Translation and Transliteration of
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1My spirit is crushed, my days run out; The graveyard waits for me.
RU-khi KHU-ba-LAH ya-MAI niz-A-khu k'-va-RIM LI
ארוּחִ֣י חֻ֭בָּלָה יָמַ֥י נִזְעָ֗כוּ קְבָרִ֥ים לִֽי׃
2Surely mocking men keep me company, And with their provocations I close my eyes.
im-lo ha-tu-LIM i-ma-DAI u-ve-ha-me-ro-TAM ta-LAN e-E-nai
באִם־לֹ֣א הֲ֭תֻלִים עִמָּדִ֑י וּ֝בְהַמְּרוֹתָ֗ם תָּלַ֥ן עֵינִֽי׃
3Come now, stand surety for me! Who will give his hand on my behalf?
si-MAH-na AR-ve-NEE i-MAKH, mi HU le-YA-dee yi-TA-ke-a
גשִֽׂימָה־נָּ֭א עׇרְבֵ֣נִי עִמָּ֑ךְ מִ֥י ה֝֗וּא לְיָדִ֥י יִתָּקֵֽעַ׃
4You have hidden understanding from their minds; Therefore You must not exalt [them].
ki-li-BAM tza-FAN-ta mi-SAKHEL al-KEN lo te-RO-mem
דכִּֽי־לִ֭בָּם צָפַ֣נְתָּ מִּשָּׂ֑כֶל עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן לֹ֣א תְרֹמֵֽם׃
5He informs on his friends for a share [of their property], And his children's eyes pine away.
l'-khe-LEK ya-GID re-EEM v'-ay-NAY va-NAV tikh-LE-nah
הלְ֭חֵלֶק יַגִּ֣יד רֵעִ֑ים וְעֵינֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו תִּכְלֶֽנָה׃
6He made me a byword among people; I have become like Tophet of old.
v'-hi-tzi-GA-nee lim-SHOL a-MEEM v'-TO-fet l'-fa-NEEM e-HEH
ווְֽ֭הִצִּיגַנִי לִמְשֹׁ֣ל עַמִּ֑ים וְתֹ֖פֶת לְפָנִ֣ים אֶהְיֶֽה׃
7My eyes fail from vexation; All shapes seem to me like shadows.
va-TE-khah mi-KA-as a-YI-NEE vi-tzu-RAI ka-tseL ku-LAM
זוַתֵּ֣כַהּ מִכַּ֣עַשׂ עֵינִ֑י וִיצֻרַ֖י כַּצֵּ֣ל כֻּלָּֽם׃
8The upright are amazed at this; The pure are aroused against the impious.
ya-SHOM-u ye-SHA-rim al-ZOT v'-na-KI al-cha-NEF yit-o-RAR
חיָשֹׁ֣מּוּ יְשָׁרִ֣ים עַל־זֹ֑את וְ֝נָקִ֗י עַל־חָנֵ֥ף יִתְעֹרָֽר׃
9The righteous man holds to his way; He whose hands are clean grows stronger.
v'-yo-KHEZ tza-DEEK dar-KO u-t'-HAR ya-DA-yim yo-SEEF o-METZ
טוְיֹאחֵ֣ז צַדִּ֣יק דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּֽטְהׇר־יָ֝דַ֗יִם יֹסִ֥יף אֹֽמֶץ׃
10But all of you, come back now; I shall not find a wise man among you.
v'-u-LAM ku-LAM ta-SHU-vu u-BO-u NA, v'-lo-em-TZA va-KHEM cha-KHAM
יוְֽאוּלָ֗ם כֻּלָּ֣ם תָּ֭שֻׁבוּ וּבֹ֣אוּ נָ֑א וְלֹֽא־אֶמְצָ֖א בָכֶ֣ם חָכָֽם׃
11My days are done, my tendons severed, The strings of my heart.
ya-MAI a-v'-RU zi-mo-TAI ni-t'-KU mo-ra-SHAY l'-va-VEE
יאיָמַ֣י עָ֭בְרוּ זִמֹּתַ֣י נִתְּק֑וּ מ֖וֹרָשֵׁ֣י לְבָבִֽי׃
17:11 My tendons severed
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935)
Iyov begins to feel distanced from God, and to believe that he can no longer communicate meaningfully with Him. Iyov can no longer beg Hashem to give him succor and end his suffering, and therefore feels he is close to death. Similarly, the Sages (Berachot 32b) state that from the time of the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, an iron wall separates mankind from their Father in Heaven. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook explains the symbolism of this image: Iron is symbolic of death and destruction, as it is a material used to make instruments of war and execution. Conversely, the goal of the Beit Hamikdash was to prolong life and to promote peace in the world. With the destruction of the Temple, its influence in the world was replaced by the influence of iron. Rabbi Kook concludes that only when justice and integrity will be restored will the iron wall come down, and then the Beit Hamikdash will resume its place as the center of prayer and inspiration for the entire world.
12They say that night is day, That light is here—in the face of darkness.
la-YE-lah l'-YOM ya-SEE-mu OR ka-ROV mi-p'-NEI kho-SHEKH
יבלַ֭יְלָה לְי֣וֹם יָשִׂ֑ימוּ א֝֗וֹר קָר֥וֹב מִפְּנֵי־חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
13If I must look forward to Sheol as my home, And make my bed in the dark place,
im-a-ka-VEH she-OL be-TI ba-KHO-shekh ri-pa-DI ye-tzu-AI
יגאִם־אֲ֭קַוֶּה שְׁא֣וֹל בֵּיתִ֑י בַּ֝חֹ֗שֶׁךְ רִפַּ֥דְתִּי יְצוּעָֽי׃
14Say to the Pit, “You are my father,” To the maggots, “Mother,” “Sister”—
la-sha-KHAT ka-RA-tee a-VEE a-TAH i-MEE va-a-KHO-tee la-ri-MAH
ידלַשַּׁ֣חַת קָ֭רָאתִי אָ֣בִי אָ֑תָּה אִמִּ֥י וַ֝אֲחֹתִ֗י לָרִמָּֽה׃
15Where, then, is my hope? Who can see hope for me?
v'-a-YEH e-FOH tik-va-TEE v'-tik-va-TEE mee ye-shu-re-Nah
טווְ֭אַיֵּה אֵפ֣וֹ תִקְוָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י מִ֣י יְשׁוּרֶֽנָּה׃
16Will it descend to Sheol? Shall we go down together to the dust?
ba-DEI sh'-OL te-RA-d'-NAH, im YA-khad al a-far na-KHAT.
טזבַּדֵּ֣י שְׁאֹ֣ל תֵּרַ֑דְנָה אִם־יַ֖חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר נָֽחַת׃
