TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 27

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Iyov again took up his theme and said:

אוַיֹּסֶף אִיּוֹב שְׂאֵת מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר׃

2By Hashem who has deprived me of justice! By Shaddai who has embittered my life!

בחַי־אֵל הֵסִיר מִשְׁפָּטִי וְשַׁדַּי הֵמַר נַפְשִׁי׃

3As long as there is life in me, And Hashem's breath is in my nostrils,

גכִּי־כָל־עוֹד נִשְׁמָתִי בִי וְרוּחַ אֱלוֹהַּ בְּאַפִּי׃

4My lips will speak no wrong, Nor my tongue utter deceit.

דאִם־תְּדַבֵּרְנָה שְׂפָתַי עַוְלָה וּלְשׁוֹנִי אִם־יֶהְגֶּה רְמִיָּה׃

5Far be it from me to say you are right; Until I die I will maintain my integrity.

החָלִילָה לִּי אִם־אַצְדִּיק אֶתְכֶם עַד־אֶגְוָע לֹא־אָסִיר תֻּמָּתִי מִמֶּנִּי׃

6I persist in my righteousness and will not yield; I shall be free of reproach as long as I live.

ובְּצִדְקָתִי הֶחֱזַקְתִּי וְלֹא אַרְפֶּהָ לֹא־יֶחֱרַף לְבָבִי מִיָּמָי׃

7May my enemy be as the wicked; My assailant, as the wrongdoer.

זיְהִי כְרָשָׁע אֹיְבִי וּמִתְקוֹמְמִי כְעַוָּל׃

8For what hope has the impious man when he is cut down, When Hashem takes away his life?

חכִּי מַה־תִּקְוַת חָנֵף כִּי יִבְצָע כִּי יֵשֶׁל אֱלוֹהַּ נַפְשׁוֹ׃

9Will Hashem hear his cry When trouble comes upon him,

ha-tza-a-ka-TO yish-MA AYL kee ta-VO a-LAV tza-RAH

טהַצַעֲקָתוֹ יִשְׁמַע אֵל כִּי־תָבוֹא עָלָיו צָרָה׃

27:9   Will Hashem hear his cry

In this chapter, Iyov indicates that his colleagues who came to comfort him have instead brought about the opposite effect. Contemporary Bible scholar Amos Hakham explains that Iyov is so hurt by his friends that he calls them his enemies. He declares that even Hashem will ignore their cries when they call out for help, since in trying to defend God, they have misrepresented Him and also offended their fellow. One must be careful with the words he chooses to comfort those who are grieving, for it is easy to cause pain and distress while intending to console. Sometimes remaining silent, as the friends did for the first seven days they sat with Iyov, is really the best response.

10When he seeks the favor of Shaddai, Calls upon Hashem at all times?

יאִם־עַל־שַׁדַּי יִתְעַנָּג יִקְרָא אֱלוֹהַּ בְּכָל־עֵת׃

11I will teach you what is in Hashem's power, And what is with Shaddai I will not conceal.

יאאוֹרֶה אֶתְכֶם בְּיַד־אֵל אֲשֶׁר עִם־שַׁדַּי לֹא אֲכַחֵד׃

12All of you have seen it, So why talk nonsense?

יבהֵן־אַתֶּם כֻּלְּכֶם חֲזִיתֶם וְלָמָּה־זֶּה הֶבֶל תֶּהְבָּלוּ׃

13This is the evil man's portion from Hashem, The lot that the ruthless receive from Shaddai:

יגזֶה חֵלֶק־אָדָם רָשָׁע עִם־אֵל וְנַחֲלַת עָרִיצִים מִשַּׁדַּי יִקָּחוּ׃

14Should he have many sons—they are marked for the sword; His descendants will never have their fill of bread;

ידאִם־יִרְבּוּ בָנָיו לְמוֹ־חָרֶב וְצֶאֱצָאָיו לֹא יִשְׂבְּעוּ־לָחֶם׃

15Those who survive him will be buried in a plague, And their widows will not weep;

טושרידו [שְׂרִידָיו] בַּמָּוֶת יִקָּבֵרוּ וְאַלְמְנֹתָיו לֹא תִבְכֶּינָה׃

16Should he pile up silver like dust, Lay up clothing like dirt—

טזאִם־יִצְבֹּר כֶּעָפָר כָּסֶף וְכַחֹמֶר יָכִין מַלְבּוּשׁ׃

17He may lay it up, but the righteous will wear it, And the innocent will share the silver.

יזיָכִין וְצַדִּיק יִלְבָּשׁ וְכֶסֶף נָקִי יַחֲלֹק׃

18The house he built is like a bird's nest, Like the booth a watchman makes.

יחבָּנָה כָעָשׁ בֵּיתוֹ וּכְסֻכָּה עָשָׂה נֹצֵר׃

19He lies down, a rich man, with [his wealth] intact; When he opens his eyes it is gone.

יטעָשִׁיר יִשְׁכַּב וְלֹא יֵאָסֵף עֵינָיו פָּקַח וְאֵינֶנּוּ׃

20Terror overtakes him like a flood; A storm wind makes off with him by night.

כתַּשִּׂיגֵהוּ כַמַּיִם בַּלָּהוֹת לַיְלָה גְּנָבַתּוּ סוּפָה׃

21The east wind carries him far away, and he is gone; It sweeps him from his place.

כאיִשָּׂאֵהוּ קָדִים וְיֵלַךְ וִישָׂעֲרֵהוּ מִמְּקֹמוֹ׃

22Then it hurls itself at him without mercy; He tries to escape from its force.

כבוְיַשְׁלֵךְ עָלָיו וְלֹא יַחְמֹל מִיָּדוֹ בָּרוֹחַ יִבְרָח׃

23It claps its hands at him, And whistles at him from its place.

כגיִשְׂפֹּק עָלֵימוֹ כַפֵּימוֹ וְיִשְׁרֹק עָלָיו מִמְּקֹמוֹ׃