Job 21 אִיּוֹב
Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917
1וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
vayya'an iyyov vayyomar
Then Job answered and said:
2שִׁמְע֣וּ שָׁ֭מוֹעַ מִלָּתִ֑י וּתְהִי־זֹ֝֗את תַּנְח֥וּמֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃
shim'u shamoa millati utehi-zot tanchumotekhem
Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.
3שָׂ֭אוּנִי וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְאַחַ֖ר דַּבְּרִ֣י תַלְעִֽיג׃
sauni ve'anokhi adabber ve'achar dabberi tal'ig
Suffer me, that I may speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.
4הֶ֭אָנֹכִי לְאָדָ֣ם שִׂיחִ֑י וְאִם־מַ֝דּ֗וּעַ לֹא־תִקְצַ֥ר רוּחִֽי׃
he'anokhi le'adam sichi ve'im-maddua lo-tiktzar ruchi
As for me, is my complaint to man? Or why should I not be impatient?
5פְּנוּ־אֵלַ֥י וְהָשַׁ֑מּוּ וְשִׂ֖ימוּ יָ֣ד עַל־פֶּֽה׃
penu-elay vehashammu vesimu yad al-pe
Turn unto me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.
6וְאִם־זָכַ֥רְתִּי וְנִבְהָ֑לְתִּי וְאָחַ֥ז בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י פַּלָּצֽוּת׃
ve'im-zakharti venivhalti ve'achaz besari pallatzut
Even when I remember I am affrighted, And horror hath taketh hold on my flesh.
7מַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם־גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל׃
maddua resha'im yichyu atku gam-gavru chayil
Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
8זַרְעָ֤ם נָכ֣וֹן לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם עִמָּ֑ם וְ֝צֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֗ם לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
zar'am nakhon lifnehem immam vetze'etza'ehem le'enehem
Their seed is established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
9בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם שָׁל֣וֹם מִפָּ֑חַד וְלֹ֤א שֵׁ֖בֶט אֱל֣וֹהַּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
battehem shalom mippachad velo shevet eloah alehem
Their houses are safe, without fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.
10שׁוֹר֣וֹ עִ֭בַּר וְלֹ֣א יַגְעִ֑ל תְּפַלֵּ֥ט פָּ֝רָת֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א תְשַׁכֵּֽל׃
shoro ibbar velo yag'il tefallet parato velo teshakkel
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11יְשַׁלְּח֣וּ כַ֭צֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝יַלְדֵיהֶ֗ם יְרַקֵּדֽוּן׃
yeshallechu khatzon avilehem veyaldehem yerakkedun
They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
12יִ֭שְׂאוּ כְּתֹ֣ף וְכִנּ֑וֹר וְ֝יִשְׂמְח֗וּ לְק֣וֹל עוּגָֽב׃
yisu ketof vekhinnor veyismechu lekol ugav
They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
13יבלו [יְכַלּ֣וּ] בַטּ֣וֹב יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝בְרֶ֗גַע שְׁא֣וֹל יֵחָֽתּוּ׃
yekhallu vattov yemehem uverega' sheol yechattu
They spend their days in prosperity, And peacefully they go down to the grave.
14וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָ֭אֵל ס֣וּר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְדַ֥עַת דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א חָפָֽצְנוּ׃
vayyomru la'el sur mimmennu veda'at derakhekha lo chafatznu
Yet they said unto God: ‘Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.
15מַה־שַׁדַּ֥י כִּֽי־נַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ וּמַה־נּ֝וֹעִ֗יל כִּ֣י נִפְגַּע־בּֽוֹ׃
ma-shadday ki-na'avdennu uma-no'il ki nifga'-bo
What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?’—
16הֵ֤ן לֹ֣א בְיָדָ֣ם טוּבָ֑ם עֲצַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים רָ֣חֲקָה מֶֽנִּי׃
hen lo veyadam tuvam atzat resha'im rachaka menni
Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17כַּמָּ֤ה ׀ נֵר־רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים יִדְעָ֗ךְ וְיָבֹ֣א עָלֵ֣ימוֹ אֵידָ֑ם חֲ֝בָלִ֗ים יְחַלֵּ֥ק בְּאַפּֽוֹ׃
kamma ner-resha'im yid'akh veyavo alemo edam chavalim yechallek be'appo
How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That He distributeth pains in His anger?
18יִהְי֗וּ כְּתֶ֥בֶן לִפְנֵי־ר֑וּחַ וּ֝כְמֹ֗ץ גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ סוּפָֽה׃
yihyu keteven lifne-ruach ukhemotz genavattu sufa
That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm stealeth away?
19אֱל֗וֹהַּ יִצְפֹּן־לְבָנָ֥יו אוֹנ֑וֹ יְשַׁלֵּ֖ם אֵלָ֣יו וְיֵדָֽע׃
eloah yitzpon-levanav ono yeshallem elav veyeda'
’God layeth up his iniquity for his children! ’— Let Him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it.
20יִרְא֣וּ עינו [עֵינָ֣יו] כִּיד֑וֹ וּמֵחֲמַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י יִשְׁתֶּֽה׃
yiru enav kido umechamat shadday yishte
Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21כִּ֤י מַה־חֶפְצ֣וֹ בְּבֵית֣וֹ אַחֲרָ֑יו וּמִסְפַּ֖ר חֳדָשָׁ֣יו חֻצָּֽצוּ׃
ki ma-cheftzo beveto acharav umispar chodashav chutzatzu
For what pleasure hath he in his house after him? Seeing the number of his months is determined.
22הַלְאֵ֥ל יְלַמֶּד־דָּ֑עַת וְ֝ה֗וּא רָמִ֥ים יִשְׁפּֽוֹט׃
hal'el yelammed-da'at vehu ramim yishpot
Shall any teach God knowledge? Seeing it is He that judgeth those that are high.
23זֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּעֶ֣צֶם תֻּמּ֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ שַׁלְאֲנַ֥ן וְשָׁלֵֽיו׃
ze yamut be'etzem tummo kullo shal'anan veshalev
One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet;
24עֲ֭טִינָיו מָלְא֣וּ חָלָ֑ב וּמֹ֖חַ עַצְמוֹתָ֣יו יְשֻׁקֶּֽה׃
atinav malu chalav umoach atzmotav yeshukke
His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.
25וְזֶ֗ה יָ֭מוּת בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ מָרָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־אָ֝כַ֗ל בַּטּוֹבָֽה׃
veze yamut benefesh mara velo-akhal battova
And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And hath never tasted of good.
26יַ֭חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ וְ֝רִמָּ֗ה תְּכַסֶּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
yachad al-afar yishkavu verimma tekhasse alehem
They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.
27הֵ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וּ֝מְזִמּ֗וֹת עָלַ֥י תַּחְמֹֽסוּ׃
hen yada'ti machshevotekhem umezimmot alay tachmosu
Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
28כִּ֤י תֹֽאמְר֗וּ אַיֵּ֥ה בֵית־נָדִ֑יב וְ֝אַיֵּ֗ה אֹ֤הֶל ׀ מִשְׁכְּנ֬וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים׃
ki tomru ayye vet-nadiv ve'ayye ohel mishkenot resha'im
For ye say: ‘Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?’
29הֲלֹ֣א שְׁ֭אֶלְתֶּם ע֣וֹבְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ וְ֝אֹתֹתָ֗ם לֹ֣א תְנַכֵּֽרוּ׃
halo she'eltem ovre darekh ve'ototam lo tenakkeru
Have ye not asked them that go by the way; And will ye misdeem their tokens,
30כִּ֤י לְי֣וֹם אֵ֭יד יֵחָ֣שֶׂךְ רָ֑ע לְי֖וֹם עֲבָר֣וֹת יוּבָֽלוּ׃
ki leyom ed yechasekh ra' leyom avarot yuvalu
That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, That they are led forth to the day of wrath?
31מִֽי־יַגִּ֣יד עַל־פָּנָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְהֽוּא־עָ֝שָׂ֗ה מִ֣י יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ׃
mi-yaggid al-panav darko vehu-asa mi yeshallem-lo
But who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
32וְ֭הוּא לִקְבָר֣וֹת יוּבָ֑ל וְֽעַל־גָּדִ֥ישׁ יִשְׁקֽוֹד׃
vehu likvarot yuval ve'al-gadish yishkod
For he is borne to the grave, And watch is kept over his tomb.
33מָֽתְקוּ־ל֗וֹ רִגְבֵ֫י נָ֥חַל וְ֭אַחֲרָיו כָּל־אָדָ֣ם יִמְשׁ֑וֹךְ וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃
matku-lo rigve nachal ve'acharav kal-adam yimshokh ulefanav en mispar
The clods of the valley are sweet unto him, And all men draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.
34וְ֭אֵיךְ תְּנַחֲמ֣וּנִי הָ֑בֶל וּ֝תְשֽׁוּבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם נִשְׁאַר־מָֽעַל׃
ve'ekh tenachamuni havel uteshuvotekhem nish'ar-ma'al
How then comfort ye me in vain? And as for your answers, there remaineth only faithlessness?
Sister sites
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (ketiv shown with the qere in brackets). JPS 1917 and the Hebrew use Hebrew verse numbers; the English column uses English numbering, which sometimes differs by a verse.