Job 10-13 (Young's Literal Translation)

Job 10

 ¹My soul hath been weary of my life, I leave off my talking to myself, I speak in the bitterness of my soul.

 ²I say unto God, `Do not condemn me, Let me know why Thou dost strive [with] me.

 ³Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

 ⁴Eyes of flesh hast Thou? As man seeth -- seest Thou?

 ⁵As the days of man [are] Thy days? Thy years as the days of a man?

 ⁶That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?

 ⁷For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.

 ⁸Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up!

 ⁹Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

 ¹⁰Dost Thou not as milk pour me out? And as cheese curdle me?

 ¹¹Skin and flesh Thou dost put on me, And with bones and sinews dost fence me.

 ¹²Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit.

 ¹³And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this [is] with Thee.

 ¹⁴If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,

 ¹⁵If I have done wickedly -- wo to me, And righteously -- I lift not up my head, Full of shame -- then see my affliction,

 ¹⁶And it riseth -- as a lion Thou huntest me. And Thou turnest back -- Thou shewest Thyself wonderful in me.

 ¹⁷Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, And dost multiply Thine anger with me, Changes and warfare [are] with me.

 ¹⁸And why from the womb Hast Thou brought me forth? I expire, and the eye doth not see me.

 ¹⁹As I had not been, I am, From the belly to the grave I am brought,

 ²⁰Are not my days few? Cease then, and put from me, And I brighten up a little,

 ²¹Before I go, and return not, Unto a land of darkness and death-shade,

 ²²A land of obscurity as thick darkness, Death-shade -- and no order, And the shining [is] as thick darkness.'

Job 11

 ¹And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --

 ²Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?

 ³Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

 ⁴And thou sayest, `Pure [is] my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.'

 ⁵And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

 ⁶And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, [Some] of thine iniquity.

 ⁷By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

 ⁸Heights of the heavens! -- what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! -- what knowest thou?

 ⁹Longer than earth [is] its measure, And broader than the sea.

 ¹⁰If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?

 ¹¹For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider [it]!

 ¹²And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

 ¹³If thou -- thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

 ¹⁴If iniquity [is] in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.

 ¹⁵For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

 ¹⁶For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

 ¹⁷And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest -- as the morning thou art.

 ¹⁸And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched -- in confidence thou liest down,

 ¹⁹And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

 ²⁰And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!

Job 12

 ¹And Job answereth and saith: --

 ²Truly -- ye [are] the people, And with you doth wisdom die.

 ³I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?

 ⁴A laughter to his friend I am: `He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.

 ⁵A torch -- despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.

 ⁶At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.

 ⁷And yet, ask, I pray thee, [One of] the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.

 ⁸Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

 ⁹`Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?

 ¹⁰In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'

 ¹¹Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

 ¹²With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days understanding.

 ¹³With Him [are] wisdom and might, To him [are] counsel and understanding.

 ¹⁴Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.

 ¹⁵Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.

 ¹⁶With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

 ¹⁷Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

 ¹⁸The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.

 ¹⁹Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

 ²⁰Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.

 ²¹Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.

 ²²Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.

 ²³Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.

 ²⁴Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy -- no way!

 ²⁵They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.

Job 13

 ¹Lo, all -- hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth to it.

 ²According to your knowledge I have known -- also I. I am not fallen more than you.

 ³Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.

 ⁴And yet, ye [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought -- all of you,

 ⁵O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.

 ⁶Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,

 ⁷For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?

 ⁸His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?

 ⁹Is [it] good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?

 ¹⁰He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.

 ¹¹Doth not His excellency terrify you? And His dread fall upon you?

 ¹²Your remembrances [are] similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.

 ¹³Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me doth what?

 ¹⁴Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?

 ¹⁵Lo, He doth slay me -- I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.

 ¹⁶Also -- He [is] to me for salvation, For the profane cometh not before Him.

 ¹⁷Hear ye diligently my word, And my declaration with your ears.

 ¹⁸Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.

 ¹⁹Who [is] he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.

 ²⁰Only two things, O God, do with me: Then from Thy face I am not hidden.

 ²¹Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.

 ²²And call Thou, and I -- I answer, Or -- I speak, and answer Thou me.

 ²³How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.

 ²⁴Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?

 ²⁵A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?

 ²⁶For Thou writest against me bitter things, And causest me to possess iniquities of my youth:

 ²⁷And puttest in the stocks my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a print,

 ²⁸And he, as a rotten thing, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.