Heavier Than Sand.

וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered and said:

ל֗וּ שָׁק֣וֹל יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל כַּעְשִׂ֑י ׳וְהַיָּתִי׳ ״וְ֝הַוָּתִ֗י״ בְּֽמֹאזְנַ֥יִם יִשְׂאוּ־יָֽחַד׃

[2] “Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances!

כִּֽי־עַתָּ֗ה מֵח֣וֹל יַמִּ֣ים יִכְבָּ֑ד עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן דְּבָרַ֥י לָֽעוּ׃

[3] For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash.

כִּ֤י חִצֵּ֪י שַׁדַּ֡י עִמָּדִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲ֭מָתָם שֹׁתָ֣ה רוּחִ֑י בִּעוּתֵ֖י אֱל֣וֹהַּ יַֽעַרְכֽוּנִי׃

[4] For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

הֲיִֽנְהַק־פֶּ֥רֶא עֲלֵי־דֶ֑שֶׁא אִ֥ם יִגְעֶה־שּׁ֝֗וֹר עַל־בְּלִילֽוֹ׃

[5] Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass, or the ox low over his fodder?

הֲיֵאָכֵ֣ל תָּ֭פֵל מִבְּלִי־מֶ֑לַח אִם־יֶשׁ־טַ֝֗עַם בְּרִ֣יר חַלָּמֽוּת׃

[6] Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the juice of the mallow?

מֵאֲנָ֣ה לִנְגּ֣וֹעַ נַפְשִׁ֑י הֵ֝֗מָּה כִּדְוֵ֥י לַחְמִֽי׃

[7] My appetite refuses to touch them; they are as food that is loathsome to me.

מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן תָּב֣וֹא שֶֽׁאֱלָתִ֑י וְ֝תִקְוָתִ֗י יִתֵּ֥ן אֱלֽוֹהַּ׃

[8] “Oh that I might have my request, and that God would fulfill my hope,

וְיֹאֵ֣ל אֱ֭לוֹהַּ וִֽידַכְּאֵ֑נִי יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝ד֗וֹ וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃

[9] that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!

וּ֥תְהִי ע֨וֹד׀ נֶ֘חָ֤מָתִ֗י וַאֲסַלְּדָ֣ה בְ֭חִילָה לֹ֣א יַחְמ֑וֹל כִּי־לֹ֥א כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי אִמְרֵ֥י קָדֽוֹשׁ׃

[10] This would be my comfort; I would even exult in pain unsparing, for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

מַה־כֹּחִ֥י כִֽי־אֲיַחֵ֑ל וּמַה־קִּ֝צִּ֗י כִּֽי־אַאֲרִ֥יךְ נַפְשִֽׁי׃

[11] What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should be patient?

אִם־כֹּ֣חַ אֲבָנִ֣ים כֹּחִ֑י אִֽם־בְּשָׂרִ֥י נָחֽוּשׁ׃

[12] Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze?

הַאִ֬ם אֵ֣ין עֶזְרָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְ֝תֻשִׁיָּ֗ה נִדְּחָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

[13] Have I any help in me, when resource is driven from me?

לַמָּ֣ס מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ חָ֑סֶד וְיִרְאַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲזֽוֹב׃

[14] “He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

אַ֭חַי בָּגְד֣וּ כְמוֹ־נָ֑חַל כַּאֲפִ֖יק נְחָלִ֣ים יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃

[15] My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed, as torrential streams that pass away,

הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־שָֽׁלֶג׃

[16] which are dark with ice, and where the snow hides itself.

בְּ֭עֵת יְזֹרְב֣וּ נִצְמָ֑תוּ בְּ֝חֻמּ֗וֹ נִדְעֲכ֥וּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽם׃

[17] When they melt, they disappear; when it is hot, they vanish from their place.

יִ֭לָּ֣פְתוּ אָרְח֣וֹת דַּרְכָּ֑ם יַעֲל֖וּ בַתֹּ֣הוּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃

[18] The caravans turn aside from their course; they go up into the waste and perish.

הִ֭בִּיטוּ אָרְח֣וֹת תֵּמָ֑א הֲלִיכֹ֥ת שְׁ֝בָ֗א קִוּוּ־לָֽמוֹ׃

[19] The caravans of Tema look, the travelers of Sheba hope.

בֹּ֥שׁוּ כִּֽי־בָטָ֑ח בָּ֥אוּ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃

[20] They are ashamed because they were confident; they come there and are disappointed.

כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה הֱיִ֣יתֶם ׳לֹא׳ ״ל֑וֹ״ תִּֽרְא֥וּ חֲ֝תַ֗ת וַתִּירָֽאוּ׃

[21] For you have now become nothing; you see my calamity and are afraid.

הֲ‍ֽכִי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי הָ֣בוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מִכֹּחֲכֶ֗ם שִׁחֲד֥וּ בַעֲדִֽי׃

[22] Have I said, ‘Make me a gift’? Or, ‘From your wealth offer a bribe for me’?

וּמַלְּט֥וּנִי מִיַּד־צָ֑ר וּמִיַּ֖ד עָרִיצִ֣ים תִּפְדּֽוּנִי׃

[23] Or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary's hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the ruthless’?

ה֭וֹרוּנִי וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַה־שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

[24] “Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray.

מַה־נִּמְרְצ֥וּ אִמְרֵי־יֹ֑שֶׁר וּמַה־יּוֹכִ֖יחַ הוֹכֵ֣חַ מִכֶּֽם׃

[25] How forceful are upright words! But what does reproof from you reprove?

הַלְהוֹכַ֣ח מִלִּ֣ים תַּחְשֹׁ֑בוּ וּ֝לְר֗וּחַ אִמְרֵ֥י נֹאָֽשׁ׃

[26] Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind?

אַף־עַל־יָת֥וֹם תַּפִּ֑ילוּ וְ֝תִכְר֗וּ עַל־רֵֽיעֲכֶֽם׃

[27] You would even cast lots over the fatherless, and bargain over your friend.

וְ֭עַתָּה הוֹאִ֣ילוּ פְנוּ־בִ֑י וְעַל־פְּ֝נֵיכֶ֗ם אִם־אֲכַזֵּֽב׃

[28] “But now, be pleased to look at me, for I will not lie to your face.

שֻֽׁבוּ־נָ֭א אַל־תְּהִ֣י עַוְלָ֑ה ׳וְשֻׁבִי׳ ״וְשׁ֥וּבוּ״ ע֝וֹד צִדְקִי־בָֽהּ׃

[29] Please turn; let no injustice be done. Turn now; my vindication is at stake.

הֲיֵשׁ־בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֥י עַוְלָ֑ה אִם־חִ֝כִּ֗י לֹא־יָבִ֥ין הַוּֽוֹת׃

[30] Is there any injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity?