איוב ל״א
Job 31
Hebrew
בְּ֭רִית כָּרַ֣תִּי לְעֵינָ֑י וּמָ֥ה אֶ֝תְבּוֹנֵ֗ן עַל־בְּתוּלָֽה׃ וּמֶ֤ה חֵ֣לֶק אֱל֣וֹהַּ מִמָּ֑עַל וְֽנַחֲלַ֥ת שַׁ֝דַּ֗י מִמְּרֹמִֽים׃ הֲלֹא־אֵ֥יד לְעַוָּ֑ל וְ֝נֵ֗כֶר לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ הֲלֹא־ה֭וּא יִרְאֶ֣ה דְרָכָ֑י וְֽכׇל־צְעָדַ֥י יִסְפּֽוֹר׃ אִם־הָלַ֥כְתִּי עִם־שָׁ֑וְא וַתַּ֖חַשׁ עַל־מִרְמָ֣ה רַגְלִֽי׃ יִשְׁקְלֵ֥נִי בְמֹֽאזְנֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וְיֵדַ֥ע אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַּ תֻּמָּתִֽי׃ אִ֥ם־תִּטֶּ֣ה אַשֻּׁרִי֮ מִנִּ֢י הַ֫דָּ֥רֶךְ וְאַחַ֣ר עֵ֭ינַי הָלַ֣ךְ לִבִּ֑י וּ֝בְכַפַּ֗י דָּ֣בַק מֽאוּם׃ אֶ֭זְרְעָה וְאַחֵ֣ר יֹאכֵ֑ל וְֽצֶאֱצָאַ֥י יְשֹׁרָֽשׁוּ׃ אִם־נִפְתָּ֣ה לִ֭בִּי עַל־אִשָּׁ֑ה וְעַל־פֶּ֖תַח רֵעִ֣י אָרָֽבְתִּי׃ תִּטְחַ֣ן לְאַחֵ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֑י וְ֝עָלֶ֗יהָ יִכְרְע֥וּן אֲחֵרִֽין׃ כִּי־[הִ֥יא] (הוא) זִמָּ֑ה (והיא) [וְ֝ה֗וּא] עָוֺ֥ן פְּלִילִֽים׃ כִּ֤י אֵ֣שׁ הִ֭יא עַד־אֲבַדּ֣וֹן תֹּאכֵ֑ל וּֽבְכׇל־תְּב֖וּאָתִ֣י תְשָׁרֵֽשׁ׃ אִם־אֶמְאַ֗ס מִשְׁפַּ֣ט עַ֭בְדִּי וַאֲמָתִ֑י בְּ֝רִבָ֗ם עִמָּדִֽי׃ וּמָ֣ה אֶ֭עֱשֶׂה כִּֽי־יָק֣וּם אֵ֑ל וְכִי־יִ֝פְקֹ֗ד מָ֣ה אֲשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃ הֲֽלֹא־בַ֭בֶּטֶן עֹשֵׂ֣נִי עָשָׂ֑הוּ וַ֝יְכֻנֶ֗נּוּ בָּרֶ֥חֶם אֶחָֽד׃ אִם־אֶ֭מְנַע מֵחֵ֣פֶץ דַּלִּ֑ים וְעֵינֵ֖י אַלְמָנָ֣ה אֲכַלֶּֽה׃ וְאֹכַ֣ל פִּתִּ֣י לְבַדִּ֑י וְלֹֽא־אָכַ֖ל יָת֣וֹם מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ כִּ֣י מִ֭נְּעוּרַי גְּדֵלַ֣נִי כְאָ֑ב וּמִבֶּ֖טֶן אִמִּ֣י אַנְחֶֽנָּה׃ אִם־אֶרְאֶ֣ה א֭וֹבֵד מִבְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת לָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ אִם־לֹ֣א בֵרְכ֣וּנִי חֲלָצָ֑ו וּמִגֵּ֥ז כְּ֝בָשַׂ֗י יִתְחַמָּֽם׃ אִם־הֲנִיפ֣וֹתִי עַל־יָת֣וֹם יָדִ֑י כִּֽי־אֶרְאֶ֥ה בַ֝שַּׁ֗עַר עֶזְרָתִֽי׃ כְּ֭תֵפִי מִשִּׁכְמָ֣הֿ תִפּ֑וֹל וְ֝אֶזְרֹעִ֗י מִקָּנָ֥הֿ תִשָּׁבֵֽר׃ כִּ֤י פַ֣חַד אֵ֭לַי אֵ֣יד אֵ֑ל וּ֝מִשְּׂאֵת֗וֹ לֹ֣א אוּכָֽל׃ אִם־שַׂ֣מְתִּי זָהָ֣ב כִּסְלִ֑י וְ֝לַכֶּ֗תֶם אָמַ֥רְתִּי מִבְטַחִֽי׃ אִם־אֶ֭שְׂמַח כִּֽי־רַ֣ב חֵילִ֑י וְכִֽי־כַ֝בִּ֗יר מָצְאָ֥ה יָדִֽי׃ אִם־אֶרְאֶ֣ה א֭וֹר כִּ֣י יָהֵ֑ל וְ֝יָרֵ֗חַ יָקָ֥ר הֹלֵֽךְ׃ וַיִּ֣פְתְּ בַּסֵּ֣תֶר לִבִּ֑י וַתִּשַּׁ֖ק יָדִ֣י לְפִֽי׃ גַּם־ה֭וּא עָוֺ֣ן פְּלִילִ֑י כִּֽי־כִחַ֖שְׁתִּי לָאֵ֣ל מִמָּֽעַל׃ אִם־אֶ֭שְׂמַח בְּפִ֣יד מְשַׂנְאִ֑י וְ֝הִתְעֹרַ֗רְתִּי כִּֽי־מְצָ֥אוֹ רָֽע׃ וְלֹא־נָתַ֣תִּי לַחֲטֹ֣א חִכִּ֑י לִשְׁאֹ֖ל בְּאָלָ֣ה נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ אִם־לֹ֣א אָ֭מְרוּ מְתֵ֣י אׇהֳלִ֑י מִי־יִתֵּ֥ן מִ֝בְּשָׂר֗וֹ לֹ֣א נִשְׂבָּֽע׃ בַּ֭חוּץ לֹא־יָלִ֣ין גֵּ֑ר דְּ֝לָתַ֗י לָאֹ֥רַח אֶפְתָּֽח׃ אִם־כִּסִּ֣יתִי כְאָדָ֣ם פְּשָׁעָ֑י לִטְמ֖וֹן בְּחֻבִּ֣י עֲוֺנִֽי׃ כִּ֤י אֶעֱר֨וֹץ ׀ הָ֘מ֤וֹן רַבָּ֗ה וּבוּז־מִשְׁפָּח֥וֹת יְחִתֵּ֑נִי וָ֝אֶדֹּ֗ם לֹא־אֵ֥צֵא פָֽתַח׃ מִ֤י יִתֶּן־לִ֨י ׀ שֹׁ֘מֵ֤עַֽ לִ֗י הֶן־תָּ֭וִי שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְסֵ֥פֶר כָּ֝תַ֗ב אִ֣ישׁ רִיבִֽי׃ אִם־לֹ֣א עַל־שִׁ֭כְמִי אֶשָּׂאֶ֑נּוּ אֶעֶנְדֶ֖נּוּ עֲטָר֣וֹת לִֽי׃ מִסְפַּ֣ר צְ֭עָדַי אַגִּידֶ֑נּוּ כְּמוֹ־נָ֝גִ֗יד אֲקָֽרְבֶֽנּוּ׃ אִם־עָ֭לַי אַדְמָתִ֣י תִזְעָ֑ק וְ֝יַ֗חַד תְּלָמֶ֥יהָ יִבְכָּיֽוּן׃ אִם־כֹּ֭חָהּ אָכַ֣לְתִּי בְלִי־כָ֑סֶף וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ בְּעָלֶ֣יהָ הִפָּֽחְתִּי׃ תַּ֤חַת חִטָּ֨ה ׀ יֵ֥צֵא ח֗וֹחַ וְתַֽחַת־שְׂעֹרָ֥ה בׇאְשָׁ֑ה תַּ֝֗מּוּ דִּבְרֵ֥י אִיּֽוֹב׃ {פ}
English Translation
I have covenanted with my eyes
Not to gaze on a maiden. What fate is decreed by God above?
What lot, by Shaddai in the heights? Calamity is surely for the iniquitous;
Misfortune, for the worker of mischief. Surely [God] observes my ways,
Takes account of my every step. Have I walked with the worthless,
Or my feet hurried to deceit? Let me be weighed on the scale of righteousness;
Let God ascertain my integrity. If my feet have strayed from their course,
My heart followed after my eyes,
And a stain sullied my hands, May I sow, but another reap,
May the growth of my field be uprooted! If my heart was ravished by the wife of my neighbor,
And I lay in wait at his door, May my wife grind for another,
May others kneel over her! For that would have been debauchery,
A criminal offense, A fire burning down to Abaddon,
Consuming the roots of all my increase. Did I ever brush aside the case of my servants, man or maid,
When they made a complaint against me? What then should I do when God arises;
When I am called to account, what should I answer? Did not the One who made me in my mother’s belly make him?
Did not One form us both in the womb? Did I deny the poor their needs,
Or let aaa Lit. “the eyes of a.” widow pine away, By eating my food alone,
The fatherless not eating of it also? Why, from my youth he grew up with me as though I were his father;
Since I left my mother’s womb I was the widow’sbthe widow’s Heb. “her.” guide. I never saw an unclad wretch,
Someone needy without clothing, Whose loins did not bless me
As they warmed themselves with the shearings of my sheep. If I raised my hand against the fatherless,
Looking to my supporters in the gate, May my arm drop off my shoulder;
My forearm break off at the elbow.cat the elbow Lit. “from its shaft,” i.e., the humerus. For I am in dread of God-sent calamity;
I cannot bear such a threat. Did I put my reliance on gold,
Or regard fine gold as my bulwark? Did I rejoice in my great wealth,
In having attained plenty? If ever I saw the light shining,
The moon on its course in full glory, And I secretly succumbed,
And my hand touched my mouth in a kiss, That, too, would have been a criminal offense,
For I would have denied God above. Did I rejoice over my enemies’ misfortune?
Did I thrill because evil befell them? I never let my mouthdmouth Lit. “palate.” sin
By wishing their death in a curse. (Indeed, those of my clan said,
“We would consume his flesheconsume his flesh I.e., malign Job; cf. 19.22; Ps. 27.2. insatiably!”) No sojourner spent the night in the open;
I opened my doors to the road. Did I hide my transgressions like Adam,
Bury my wrongdoing in my bosom, That I should [now] fear the great multitude,
And am shattered by the contempt of families,
So that I keep silent and do not step outdoors? O that I had someone to give me a hearing;
O that Shaddai would reply to my writ,
Or my accuser draw up a true bill! I would carry it on my shoulder;
Tie it around me for a wreath. I would give an account of my steps,
Offer it as to a commander. If my land cries out against me,
Its furrows weep together; If I have eaten its produce without payment,
And made its [rightful] owners despair, May nettles grow there instead of wheat;
Instead of barley, stinkweed!
The words of Job are at an end.
Not to gaze on a maiden. What fate is decreed by God above?
What lot, by Shaddai in the heights? Calamity is surely for the iniquitous;
Misfortune, for the worker of mischief. Surely [God] observes my ways,
Takes account of my every step. Have I walked with the worthless,
Or my feet hurried to deceit? Let me be weighed on the scale of righteousness;
Let God ascertain my integrity. If my feet have strayed from their course,
My heart followed after my eyes,
And a stain sullied my hands, May I sow, but another reap,
May the growth of my field be uprooted! If my heart was ravished by the wife of my neighbor,
And I lay in wait at his door, May my wife grind for another,
May others kneel over her! For that would have been debauchery,
A criminal offense, A fire burning down to Abaddon,
Consuming the roots of all my increase. Did I ever brush aside the case of my servants, man or maid,
When they made a complaint against me? What then should I do when God arises;
When I am called to account, what should I answer? Did not the One who made me in my mother’s belly make him?
Did not One form us both in the womb? Did I deny the poor their needs,
Or let aaa Lit. “the eyes of a.” widow pine away, By eating my food alone,
The fatherless not eating of it also? Why, from my youth he grew up with me as though I were his father;
Since I left my mother’s womb I was the widow’sbthe widow’s Heb. “her.” guide. I never saw an unclad wretch,
Someone needy without clothing, Whose loins did not bless me
As they warmed themselves with the shearings of my sheep. If I raised my hand against the fatherless,
Looking to my supporters in the gate, May my arm drop off my shoulder;
My forearm break off at the elbow.cat the elbow Lit. “from its shaft,” i.e., the humerus. For I am in dread of God-sent calamity;
I cannot bear such a threat. Did I put my reliance on gold,
Or regard fine gold as my bulwark? Did I rejoice in my great wealth,
In having attained plenty? If ever I saw the light shining,
The moon on its course in full glory, And I secretly succumbed,
And my hand touched my mouth in a kiss, That, too, would have been a criminal offense,
For I would have denied God above. Did I rejoice over my enemies’ misfortune?
Did I thrill because evil befell them? I never let my mouthdmouth Lit. “palate.” sin
By wishing their death in a curse. (Indeed, those of my clan said,
“We would consume his flesheconsume his flesh I.e., malign Job; cf. 19.22; Ps. 27.2. insatiably!”) No sojourner spent the night in the open;
I opened my doors to the road. Did I hide my transgressions like Adam,
Bury my wrongdoing in my bosom, That I should [now] fear the great multitude,
And am shattered by the contempt of families,
So that I keep silent and do not step outdoors? O that I had someone to give me a hearing;
O that Shaddai would reply to my writ,
Or my accuser draw up a true bill! I would carry it on my shoulder;
Tie it around me for a wreath. I would give an account of my steps,
Offer it as to a commander. If my land cries out against me,
Its furrows weep together; If I have eaten its produce without payment,
And made its [rightful] owners despair, May nettles grow there instead of wheat;
Instead of barley, stinkweed!
The words of Job are at an end.
About This Text
Source
Job
Category
Tanach
Reference
Job 31
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