
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 7
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Truly man has a term of service on earth; His days are like those of a hireling—
ha-LO-tza-VA le-E-nosh (al) [a-LEI-]a-RETZ v'-ki-MAY sa-KHEER ya-MAV
אהֲלֹֽא־צָבָ֣א לֶֽאֱנ֣וֹשׁ (על) [עֲלֵי־]אָ֑רֶץ וְכִימֵ֖י שָׂכִ֣יר יָמָֽיו׃
2Like a slave who longs for [evening's] shadows, Like a hireling who waits for his wage.
k'-E-ved yish-AF-tzel u-k'-sa-KHEER ye-ka-VEH po-a-LO
בכְּעֶ֥בֶד יִשְׁאַף־צֵ֑ל וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר יְקַוֶּ֥ה פׇעֳלֽוֹ׃
3So have I been allotted months of futility; Nights of misery have been apportioned to me.
KEN ha-n'-KHAL-tee LEE yar-KHAY sha-VE v'-lay-LOT a-MAL mi-NU-LEE
גכֵּ֤ן הׇנְחַ֣לְתִּי לִ֭י יַרְחֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וְלֵיל֥וֹת עָ֝מָ֗ל מִנּוּ־לִֽי׃
4When I lie down, I think, “When shall I rise?” Night drags on, And I am sated with tossings till morning twilight.
im-sha-KHAV-tee v'-a-mar-TEE ma-TAI a-KUM u-mi-DAD a-REV v'-sa-va-TI ne-du-DEEM a-day-na-SHEF
דאִם־שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מָתַ֣י אָ֭קוּם וּמִדַּד־עָ֑רֶב וְשָׂבַ֖עְתִּי נְדֻדִ֣ים עֲדֵי־נָֽשֶׁף׃
5My flesh is covered with maggots and clods of earth; My skin is broken and festering.
la-VASH b'-sa-REE ri-MAH (v'-GUSH) [v'-GOOSH] a-FAHR o-REE ra-GA va-yi-MA-es
הלָ֘בַ֤שׁ בְּשָׂרִ֣י רִ֭מָּה (וגיש) [וְג֣וּשׁ] עָפָ֑ר עוֹרִ֥י רָ֝גַ֗ע וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃
6My days fly faster than a weaver's shuttle, And come to their end without hope.
ya-MAI ka-LU mi-ni-a-REG va-yikh-LU b'-E-fes tik-VAH
ויָמַ֣י קַ֭לּוּ מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶג וַ֝יִּכְל֗וּ בְּאֶ֣פֶס תִּקְוָֽה׃
7Consider that my life is but wind; I shall never see happiness again.
ZE-khor ki-ROO-akh KHA-yai lo-ta-SHU-vay AY-nee lir-OT TOV
זזְ֭כֹר כִּי־ר֣וּחַ חַיָּ֑י לֹֽא־תָשׁ֥וּב עֵ֝ינִ֗י לִרְא֥וֹת טֽוֹב׃
8The eye that gazes on me will not see me; Your eye will seek me, but I shall be gone.
lo-t'-shu-RE-nee AYN ro-EE, EY-ne-KHA bee v'-EY-ne-NEE
חלֹא־תְ֭שׁוּרֵנִי עֵ֣ין רֹ֑אִי עֵינֶ֖יךָ בִּ֣י וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃
9As a cloud fades away, So whoever goes down to Sheol does not come up;
ka-LAH a-NAN va-YE-lakh, KEN yo-RED she-OL lo ya-a-LEH
טכָּלָ֣ה עָ֭נָן וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ כֵּ֥ן יוֹרֵ֥ד שְׁ֝א֗וֹל לֹ֣א יַעֲלֶֽה׃
10He returns no more to his home; His place does not know him.
lo ya-SHU-vod le-VEE-to, v'-lo ya-ki-RE-nu od m'-ko-MO
ילֹא־יָשׁ֣וּב ע֣וֹד לְבֵית֑וֹ וְלֹא־יַכִּירֶ֖נּוּ ע֣וֹד מְקֹמֽוֹ׃
11On my part, I will not speak with restraint; I will give voice to the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
gam-a-NEE lo e-khe-SOK-pee a-da-VE-ra b'-tzar ru-KHEE, a-see-KHA b'-mar naf-SHEE
יאגַּם־אֲנִי֮ לֹ֤א אֶחֱשׇׂ֫ךְ־פִּ֥י אֲֽ֭דַבְּרָה בְּצַ֣ר רוּחִ֑י אָ֝שִׂ֗יחָה בְּמַ֣ר נַפְשִֽׁי׃
12Am I the sea or the Dragon, That You have set a watch over me?
ha-YAM-a-NEE im-ta-NEEN, ki-ta-SEEM a-LAI mish-MAR
יבהֲֽיָם־אָ֭נִי אִם־תַּנִּ֑ין כִּֽי־תָשִׂ֖ים עָלַ֣י מִשְׁמָֽר׃
13When I think, “My bed will comfort me, My couch will share my sorrow,”
ki-a-mar-TEE t'-na-kha-ME-nee ar-SEE, yi-SA v'-see-KHEE mish-ka-VEE
יגכִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי תְּנַחֲמֵ֣נִי עַרְשִׂ֑י יִשָּׂ֥א בְ֝שִׂיחִ֗י מִשְׁכָּבִֽי׃
14You frighten me with dreams, And terrify me with visions,
v'-chi-ta-TA-ni va-cha-LO-mot u-m'-chez-yo-NOT t'-va-a-ta-NI
ידוְחִתַּתַּ֥נִי בַחֲלֹמ֑וֹת וּֽמֵחֶזְיֹנ֥וֹת תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃
15Till I prefer strangulation, Death, to my wasted frame.
va-tiv-KHAR ma-cha-NAK naf-SHEE, ma-VET me-a-tz'-mo-TAI
טווַתִּבְחַ֣ר מַחֲנָ֣ק נַפְשִׁ֑י מָ֝֗וֶת מֵעַצְמוֹתָֽי׃
16I am sick of it. I shall not live forever; Let me be, for my days are a breath.
ma-AS-tee lo l'-o-LAM ekh-YEH, kha-DAL mi-ME-ni kee-he-VEL ya-MAI
טזמָ֭אַסְתִּי לֹא־לְעֹלָ֣ם אֶחְיֶ֑ה חֲדַ֥ל מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי כִּי־הֶ֥בֶל יָמָֽי׃
17What is man, that You make much of him, That You fix Your attention upon him?
mah e-NOSH KEE t'-ga-d'-LE-nu v'-KHEE ta-SHEET ay-LAV li-BE-kha
יזמָֽה־אֱ֭נוֹשׁ כִּ֣י תְגַדְּלֶ֑נּוּ וְכִֽי־תָשִׁ֖ית אֵלָ֣יו לִבֶּֽךָ׃
7:17 What is man, that You make much of him
In his despair, Iyov doubts the very worth of humanity. He declares that because man is insignificant, he is unworthy of Hashem’s attention and should be free from punishment and suffering. These words parallel the famous words of the psalmist: “What is man, that You have been mindful of him, mortal man that You have taken note of him?” However, the psalmist’s conclusion is very different from Iyov’s: “That You have made him little less than divine, and adorned him with glory and majesty” (Psalms 8:5-6). While Iyov bemoans the esteem given by God to man, the psalmist praises Hashem for granting man the capacity for greatness, though in reality he is undeserving.
18You inspect him every morning, Examine him every minute.
va-tif-ke-DAY-nu liv-ka-RIM, lir-ga-IM tiv-kha-NE-nu
יחוַתִּפְקְדֶ֥נּוּ לִבְקָרִ֑ים לִ֝רְגָעִ֗ים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃
19Will You not look away from me for a while, Let me be, till I swallow my spittle?
ka-MAH lo-tish-EH mi-ME-ni, lo-tar-PE-ni ad-bil-I ru-KI
יטכַּ֭מָּה לֹא־תִשְׁעֶ֣ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי לֹֽא־תַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִי עַד־בִּלְעִ֥י רֻקִּֽי׃
20If I have sinned, what have I done to You, Watcher of men? Why make of me Your target, And a burden to myself?
kha-TA-tee, MAH ef-AHL LAKH, no-TZER ha-a-DAM, LA-MAH sam-TA-NEE l'-mif-GA LAKH, va-EH-yeh a-LAI l'-ma-SA
כחָטָ֡אתִי מָ֤ה אֶפְעַ֨ל ׀ לָךְ֮ נֹצֵ֢ר הָ֫אָדָ֥ם לָ֤מָה שַׂמְתַּ֣נִי לְמִפְגָּ֣ע לָ֑ךְ וָאֶהְיֶ֖ה עָלַ֣י לְמַשָּֽׂא׃
21Why do You not pardon my transgression And forgive my iniquity? For soon I shall lie down in the dust; When You seek me, I shall be gone.
u-MEH lo-ti-SA fish-I v'-ta-a-VIR et-a-vo-NI ki-a-TAH le-a-FAR esh-KAV v'-shi-KHAR-ta-NI v'-ei-NE-ni.
כאוּמֶ֤ה ׀ לֹֽא־תִשָּׂ֣א פִשְׁעִי֮ וְתַעֲבִ֢יר אֶת־עֲוֺ֫נִ֥י כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה לֶעָפָ֣ר אֶשְׁכָּ֑ב וְשִׁ֖חַרְתַּ֣נִי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃