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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 40

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Hashem said in reply to Iyov.

va-YA-an a-do-NAI et i-YOV va-YO-mer

אוַיַּ֖עַן יְהֹוָ֥ה אֶת־אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2Shall one who should be disciplined complain against Shaddai? He who arraigns Hashem must respond.

ha-ROV im-SHA-dai yi-SOR mo-KHEE-akh e-lo-AH ya-a-NE-na.

בהֲ֭רֹב עִם־שַׁדַּ֣י יִסּ֑וֹר מוֹכִ֖יחַ אֱל֣וֹהַּ יַעֲנֶֽנָּה׃

3Iyov said in reply to Hashem:

vai-YA-an i-YOV et a-do-NAI va-YO-mer

גוַיַּ֖עַן אִיּ֥וֹב אֶת־יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

4See, I am of small worth; what can I answer You? I clap my hand to my mouth.

HEN ka-LO-tee MAH a-shee-VE-kha YA-dee sam-TEE l'-mo-PEE

דהֵ֣ן קַ֭לֹּתִי מָ֣ה אֲשִׁיבֶ֑ךָּ יָ֝דִ֗י שַׂ֣מְתִּי לְמוֹ־פִֽי׃

5I have spoken once, and will not reply; Twice, and will do so no more.

a-KHAT di-BAR-tee v'-LO e-e-NEH u-sh'-TA-yim v'-LO o-SEEF.

האַחַ֣ת דִּ֭בַּרְתִּי וְלֹ֣א אֶעֱנֶ֑ה וּ֝שְׁתַּ֗יִם וְלֹ֣א אוֹסִֽיף׃

6Then Hashem replied to Iyov out of the tempest and said:

va-YA-an a-do-NAI et i-YOV (mi-n'-se-a-RAH) [min s'-a-RAH] va-YO-mer

ווַיַּעַן־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב (מנסערה) [מִ֥ן ׀ סְעָרָ֗ה] וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

7Gird your loins like a man; I will ask, and you will inform Me.

e-ZOR-NA k'-GE-ver kha-LA-tze-KHA, esh-a-LE-kha v'-ho-dee-EY-ni

זאֱזׇר־נָ֣א כְגֶ֣בֶר חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ אֶ֝שְׁאָלְךָ֗ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃

8Would you impugn My justice? Would you condemn Me that you may be right?

ha-AF ta-FAYR mish-pa-TEE tar-shee-AY-nee l'-MA-an titz-DAK

חהַ֭אַף תָּפֵ֣ר מִשְׁפָּטִ֑י תַּ֝רְשִׁיעֵ֗נִי לְמַ֣עַן תִּצְדָּֽק׃

 40:8   Would you condemn Me that you may be right?

The Sages of the Talmud (Bava Batra 15a) try to determine the time period in which Iyov lived. Although some opinions have him living during the period of the Exodus from Egypt (see commentary to 2:7), another suggests that he was among the Baby­lonian exiles who returned to the Land of Israel after the destruction of the first Beit Hamikdash. The identification of Iyov with the generation that ex­perienced the destruction of the Temple and exile from Eretz Yisrael is fitting. Throughout the book, Iyov struggles with the reality that he is suffering, though seemingly righteous. He challenges God’s justice, trying to make sense of the age-old question about why bad things happen to good people. Likewise, the Jews at the time of the exile also struggled to understand why they deserved to suffer as they did (see Ezekiel 18). Though the Jews sinned and Iyov did not, his personal suffering is seen as emblematic of the suffering of the Nation of Israel.

9Have you an arm like Hashem's? Can you thunder with a voice like His?

v'-im Z'-RO-a KAH-el LAKH u-v'-KOL ka-MO-hu tar-EM

טוְאִם־זְר֖וֹעַ כָּאֵ֥ל ׀ לָ֑ךְ וּ֝בְק֗וֹל כָּמֹ֥הוּ תַרְעֵֽם׃

10Deck yourself now with grandeur and eminence; Clothe yourself in glory and majesty.

a-DEH na ga-ON va-go-BAH v'-HOD v'-ha-DAR til-BASH

יעֲדֵ֥ה נָ֣א גָא֣וֹן וָגֹ֑בַהּ וְה֖וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר תִּלְבָּֽשׁ׃

11Scatter wide your raging anger; See every proud man and bring him low.

ha-FETZ ev-ROT a-PE-kha u-re-EH kol-GE-e v'-hash-pee-LE-hu

יאהָ֭פֵץ עֶבְר֣וֹת אַפֶּ֑ךָ וּרְאֵ֥ה כׇל־גֵּ֝אֶ֗ה וְהַשְׁפִּילֵֽהוּ׃

12See every proud man and humble him, And bring them down where they stand.

REH khol-GEH ha-k'-nee-EH-hu va-ha-DOKH r'-sha-EEM takh-TAM

יברְאֵ֣ה כׇל־גֵּ֭אֶה הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ וַהֲדֹ֖ךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃

13Bury them all in the earth; Hide their faces in obscurity.

to-ME-nem be-a-FAR YA-khad, pe-NE-hem cha-VOSH ba-ta-MUN

יגטׇמְנֵ֣ם בֶּעָפָ֣ר יָ֑חַד פְּ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם חֲבֹ֣שׁ בַּטָּמֽוּן׃

14Then even I would praise you For the triumph your right hand won you.

v'-GAM a-NEE o-DE-kha, kee-to-SHE-a le-KHA ye-mee-NE-kha

ידוְגַם־אֲנִ֥י אוֹדֶ֑ךָּ כִּֽי־תוֹשִׁ֖עַ לְךָ֣ יְמִינֶֽךָ׃

15Take now behemoth, whom I made as I did you; He eats grass, like the cattle.

hi-ne NA v'-he-MOT a-SHER a-see-TEE i-MAKH, kha-TZEER ka-BA-kar yo-KHEL

טוהִנֵּה־נָ֣א בְ֭הֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתִי עִמָּ֑ךְ חָ֝צִ֗יר כַּבָּקָ֥ר יֹאכֵֽל׃

16His strength is in his loins, His might in the muscles of his belly.

hi-NEH-NA ko-KHO v'-mo-t'-NAV v'-o-NO b'-shi-ree-REI vit-NO

טזהִנֵּה־נָ֣א כֹח֣וֹ בְמׇתְנָ֑יו וְ֝אוֹנ֗וֹ בִּשְׁרִירֵ֥י בִטְנֽוֹ׃

17He makes his tail stand up like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

yakh-POTZ ze-NA-vo k'-MO a-REZ gi-DEI fa-cha-DAV ye-so-RAG-u

יזיַחְפֹּ֣ץ זְנָב֣וֹ כְמוֹ־אָ֑רֶז גִּידֵ֖י פַחֲדָ֣ו יְשֹׂרָֽגוּ׃

18His bones are like tubes of bronze, His limbs like iron rods.

a-TZA-ma-YAV a-fi-KEI n'-KHO-sha, g'-ra-MAV kim-TIL bar-ZEL

יחעֲ֭צָמָיו אֲפִיקֵ֣י נְחֻשָׁ֑ה גְּ֝רָמָ֗יו כִּמְטִ֥יל בַּרְזֶֽל׃

19He is the first of Hashem's works; Only his Maker can draw the sword against him.

HU re-SHEET dar-KHEI-EL ha-o-SO ya-GESH khar-BO

יטה֭וּא רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכֵי־אֵ֑ל הָ֝עֹשׂ֗וֹ יַגֵּ֥שׁ חַרְבּֽוֹ׃

20The mountains yield him produce, Where all the beasts of the field play.

ki-BUL ha-REEM yis-U-lo, v'-KOL cha-YAT ha-sa-DEH ye-sa-cha-KU-sham

ככִּי־ב֭וּל הָרִ֣ים יִשְׂאוּ־ל֑וֹ וְֽכׇל־חַיַּ֥ת הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗ה יְשַׂחֲקוּ־שָֽׁם׃

21He lies down beneath the lotuses, In the cover of the swamp reeds.

ta-KHAT tse-E-lim yish-KAV b'-SE-ter ka-NEH u-vi-TZAH

כאתַּֽחַת־צֶאֱלִ֥ים יִשְׁכָּ֑ב בְּסֵ֖תֶר קָנֶ֣ה וּבִצָּֽה׃

22The lotuses embower him with shade; The willows of the brook surround him.

y'-su-KU-hu tse-e-LIM tsi-l'-LO, y'-su-BU-hu ar-VEI na-KHAL

כביְסֻכֻּ֣הוּ צֶאֱלִ֣ים צִֽלְל֑וֹ יְ֝סֻבּ֗וּהוּ עַרְבֵי־נָֽחַל׃

23He can restrain the river from its rushing; He is confident the stream will gush at his command.

HEIN ya-a-SHOK NA-HAR lo yakh-POZ yiv-TAKH, KI ya-GEE-akh yar-DEN el-PI-hu.

כגהֵ֤ן יַעֲשֹׁ֣ק נָ֭הָר לֹ֣א יַחְפּ֑וֹז יִבְטַ֓ח ׀ כִּֽי־יָגִ֖יחַ יַרְדֵּ֣ן אֶל־פִּֽיהוּ׃

24Can he be taken by his eyes? Can his nose be pierced by hooks?

b'-ay-NAV yi-ka-KHE-nu b'-mo-k'-SHIM yin-KAV-af

כדבְּעֵינָ֥יו יִקָּחֶ֑נּוּ בְּ֝מוֹקְשִׁ֗ים יִנְקׇב־אָֽף׃

25Can you draw out Leviathan by a fishhook? Can you press down his tongue by a rope?

tim-SHOKH li-v'ya-TAN b'-cha-KAH u-v'-CHE-vel tash-KEE-a l'-SHO-no

כהתִּמְשֹׁ֣ךְ לִוְיָתָ֣ן בְּחַכָּ֑ה וּ֝בְחֶ֗בֶל תַּשְׁקִ֥יעַ לְשֹׁנֽוֹ׃

26Can you put a ring through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a barb?

ha-ta-SIM ag-MON b'-a-PO u-v'-CHO-akh ti-KOV le-khe-YO

כוהֲתָשִׂ֣ים אַגְמֹ֣ן בְּאַפּ֑וֹ וּ֝בְח֗וֹחַ תִּקֹּ֥ב לֶחֱיֽוֹ׃

27Will he plead with you at length? Will he speak soft words to you?

ha-ya-r'-BEH E-le-KHA ta-cha-NU-nim, im y'-da-BER E-le-KHA ra-KHOT.

כזהֲיַרְבֶּ֣ה אֵ֭לֶיךָ תַּחֲנוּנִ֑ים אִם־יְדַבֵּ֖ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ רַכּֽוֹת׃

28Will he make an agreement with you To be taken as your lifelong slave?

ha-yikh-ROT b'-REET i-MAKH, ti-ka-KHE-nu l'-E-ved o-LAM

כחהֲיִכְרֹ֣ת בְּרִ֣ית עִמָּ֑ךְ תִּ֝קָּחֶ֗נּוּ לְעֶ֣בֶד עוֹלָֽם׃

29Will you play with him like a bird, And tie him down for your girls?

ha-t'-sa-KHEK-BO ka-tsi-POHR v'-tik-sh'-RE-nu l'-na-a-RO-te-KHA

כטהַֽתְשַׂחֶק־בּ֭וֹ כַּצִּפּ֑וֹר וְ֝תִקְשְׁרֶ֗נּוּ לְנַעֲרוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

30Shall traders traffic in him? Will he be divided up among merchants?

YIKH-ru a-LAV cha-BA-rim ye-khe-TSE-hu bein k'-na-a-NEEM

ליִכְר֣וּ עָ֭לָיו חַבָּרִ֑ים יֶ֝חֱצ֗וּהוּ בֵּ֣ין כְּֽנַעֲנִֽים׃

31Can you fill his skin with darts Or his head with fish-spears?

ha-ta-ma-LAY b'-su-KOT o-RO u-v'-tzil-TZAL da-GIM ro-SHO

לאהַֽתְמַלֵּ֣א בְשֻׂכּ֣וֹת עוֹר֑וֹ וּבְצִלְצַ֖ל דָּגִ֣ים רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

32Lay a hand on him, And you will never think of battle again.

sim-a-LA-yu ka-PE-kha z'-KHOHR mil-KHA-ma al-to-SAF

לבשִׂים־עָלָ֥יו כַּפֶּ֑ךָ זְכֹ֥ר מִ֝לְחָמָ֗ה אַל־תּוֹסַֽף׃