A covenantבְּרִיתI madeכָּרַתִּיwith my eyes;לְעֵינָיhowמָהthenוּcould I gazeאֶתְבּוֹנֵןatעַלa virgin?בְּתוּלָה
And what would beוּמֶהthe portionחֵלֶקof Eloahאֱלוֹהַּfrom above,מִמָּעַלand the inheritanceוְנַחֲלַתof Shaddaiשַׁדַּיfrom the heights?מִמְּרֹמִים
Is it notהֲלֹאcalamityאֵידfor the unjust,לְעַוָּלand disasterוְנֵכֶרfor those who workלְפֹעֲלֵיwickedness?אָוֶן
Does he notהֲלֹא הוּאseeיִרְאֶהmy waysדְרָכָיand countיִסְפּוֹרallוְכָלmy steps?צְעָדַי
IfאִםI have walkedהָלַכְתִּיwithעִםemptiness,שָׁוְאand my footרַגְלִיhas hurriedוַתַּחַשׁtoעַלdeceit,מִרְמָה
let him weigh meיִשְׁקְלֵנִיin scalesבְמֹאזְנֵיof righteousness,צֶדֶקand let Eloahוְ אֱלוֹהַּknowיֵדַעmy integrity.תֻּמָּתִי
Ifאִםmy stepאַשֻּׁרִיhas turned asideתִּטֶּהfrom the way,מִנִּי הַדָּרֶךְand my heartלִבִּיhas goneהָלַךְafterוְאַחַרmy eyes,עֵינַיand a stainוּ מֻאוּםhas stuckדָּבַקto my palms,בְכַפַּי
let me sowאֶזְרְעָהand anotherוְאַחֵרeat,יֹאכֵלand let my shootsוְצֶאֱצָאַיbe uprooted.יְשֹׁרָשׁוּ
Ifאִםmy heartלִבִּיhas been enticedנִפְתָּהbyעַלa woman,אִשָּׁהand atוְעַלthe doorפֶּתַחof my neighborרֵעִיI have lain in wait,אָרָבְתִּי
let my wifeאִשְׁתִּיgrindתִּטְחַןfor another,לְאַחֵרand let othersוְ אֲחֵרִיןbow downיִכְרְעוּןover her.עָלֶיהָ
Forכִּיthatהִיאwould be infamy,זִמָּהand thatוְהוּאwould be an iniquityעָוֺןfor the judges;פְּלִילִים
forכִּיit would be a fireאֵשׁ הִיאthat consumesתֹּאכֵלas far asעַדAbaddon,אֲבַדּוֹןand allוּבְכָלmy harvestתְּבוּאָתִיit would uproot.תְשָׁרֵשׁ
IfאִםI despisedאֶמְאַסthe rightמִשְׁפַּטof my male slaveעַבְדִּיor my female slaveוַאֲמָתִיin their caseבְּרִבָםwith me,עִמָּדִי
then whatוּמָהwould I doאֶעֱשֶׂהwhenכִּיElאֵלrises up?יָקוּםAnd whenוְכִיhe calls to account,יִפְקֹדwhatמָהwould I answer him?אֲשִׁיבֶנּוּ
Did notהֲלֹאthe one who made meעֹשֵׂנִיin the wombבַבֶּטֶןmake him?עָשָׂהוּAnd did not oneוַ אֶחָדform usיְכֻנֶנּוּin the womb?בָּרֶחֶם
IfאִםI withheldאֶמְנַעthe poorדַּלִּיםfrom their desire,מֵחֵפֶץor wore outוְ אֲכַלֶּהthe eyesעֵינֵיof the widow,אַלְמָנָה
or ateוְאֹכַלmy morselפִּתִּיalone,לְבַדִּיand the orphanיָתוֹםdid notוְלֹאeatאָכַלfrom itמִמֶּנָּה
—forכִּיfrom my youthמִנְּעוּרַיhe grew up with meגְּדֵלַנִיas with a father,כְאָבand from the wombוּמִבֶּטֶןof my motherאִמִּיI guided her—אַנְחֶנָּה
ifאִםI sawאֶרְאֶהanyone perishingאוֹבֵדfor lackמִבְּלִיof clothing,לְבוּשׁand noוְאֵיןcoveringכְּסוּתfor the needy,לָאֶבְיוֹן
ifאִםhis loinsחֲלָצָיוdid notלֹאbless me,בֵרֲכוּנִיand he was not warmedוּ יִתְחַמָּםwith the fleeceמִגֵּזof my lambs,כְּבָשַׂי
ifאִםI raisedהֲנִיפוֹתִיmy handיָדִיagainstעַלthe orphan,יָתוֹםbecauseכִּיI sawאֶרְאֶהmy helpעֶזְרָתִיin the gate,בַשַּׁעַר
let my shoulderכְּתֵפִיfallתִפּוֹלfrom its blade,מִשִּׁכְמָהand my armוְאֶזְרֹעִיbe brokenתִשָּׁבֵרfrom its reed.מִקָּנָה
Forכִּיdreadפַחַדto meאֵלַיwas the calamityאֵידof El,אֵלand because of his majestyוּמִשְּׂאֵתוֹI could not do it.לֹא אוּכָל
IfאִםI have madeשַׂמְתִּיgoldזָהָבmy confidence,כִּסְלִיand to fine goldוְלַכֶּתֶםsaid,אָמַרְתִּי‘My security,’מִבְטַחִי
ifאִםI rejoicedאֶשְׂמַחbecauseכִּיmy wealthחֵילִיwas great,רַבand becauseוְכִיmy handיָדִיhad foundמָצְאָהmuch,כַבִּיר
ifאִםI looked atאֶרְאֶהthe lightאוֹרwhenכִּיit shone,יָהֵלand the moonוְיָרֵחַmovingהֹלֵךְin splendor,יָקָר
and my heartלִבִּיwas enticedוַיִּפְתְּin secret,בַּסֵּתֶרand my handיָדִיhas kissedוַתִּשַּׁקat my mouth,לְפִי
thisהוּאtooגַּםwould be an iniquityעָוֺןfor the judges,פְּלִילִיforכִּיI would have deniedכִחַשְׁתִּיElלָאֵלabove.מִמָּעַל
IfאִםI rejoicedאֶשְׂמַחat the misfortuneבְּפִידof the one who hated me,מְשַׂנְאִיor exultedוְהִתְעֹרַרְתִּיwhenכִּיevilרָעfound himמְצָאוֹ
—and I did notוְלֹאletנָתַתִּיmy palateחִכִּיsinלַחֲטֹאby asking forלִשְׁאֹלhis lifeנַפְשׁוֹwith an imprecation—בְּאָלָה
ifאִםthe menמְתֵיof my tentאָהֳלִיdid notלֹאsay,אָמְרוּ‘Whoמִיcan find oneיִתֵּןnotלֹאfilledנִשְׂבָּעwith his meat?’מִבְּשָׂרוֹ
—in the streetבַּחוּץthe resident alienגֵּרdid notלֹאlodge;יָלִיןmy doorsדְּלָתַיto the travelerלָאֹרַחI opened—אֶפְתָּח
ifאִםI coveredכִּסִּיתִיlike Adamכְאָדָםmy transgressionsפְּשָׁעָיby hidingלִטְמוֹןin my bosomבְּחֻבִּיmy iniquity,עֲוֺנִי
becauseכִּיI dreadedאֶעֱרוֹץthe greatרַבָּהmultitude,הָמוֹןand the contemptוּבוּזof familiesמִשְׁפָּחוֹתterrified me,יְחִתֵּנִיso that I kept silentוָאֶדֹּםand did notלֹאgo outאֵצֵאof the door…פָתַח
Oh that I hadמִי יִתֶּן לִיone to hear me!שֹׁמֵעַ לִיLook,הֶןmy mark;תָּוִיlet Shaddaiשַׁדַּיanswer me!יַעֲנֵנִיAnd the documentוְסֵפֶרthat the manאִישׁof my caseרִיבִיhas written!כָּתַב
Surelyאִם לֹאonעַלmy shoulderשִׁכְמִיI would carry it;אֶשָּׂאֶנּוּI would bind it on myselfאֶעֶנְדֶנּוּ לִיas crowns.עֲטָרוֹת
The numberמִסְפַּרof my stepsצְעָדַיI would declare to him;אַגִּידֶנּוּlikeכְּמוֹa leaderנָגִידI would approach him.אֲקָרֲבֶנּוּ
Ifאִםagainst meעָלַיmy groundאַדְמָתִיcries out,תִזְעָקand togetherוְיַחַדits furrowsתְּלָמֶיהָweep,יִבְכָּיוּן
ifאִםits strengthכֹּחָהּI have eatenאָכַלְתִּיwithoutבְלִיsilver,כָסֶףand made the soulוְנֶפֶשׁof its ownersבְּעָלֶיהָbreathe its last,הִפָּחְתִּי
instead ofתַּחַתwheatחִטָּהlet thornsחוֹחַcome up,יֵצֵאand instead ofוְתַחַתbarley,שְׂעֹרָהstinkweed.”בָאְשָׁהThe wordsדִּבְרֵיof Jobאִיּוֹבare ended.תַּמּוּ