1 ف َأجابَ أيُّوبُ:

Then Job answered and said,

2 « استَمَعتُ إلَى هَذِهِ الأفكارِ كُلَّها، وَكُلُّكُمْ مُعَزُّونَ مُتْعِبُونَ.

I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

3 أ َما مِنْ نِهايَةٍ لِهَذا الكَلامِ الفارِغِ؟ فَما الَّذِي يُزعِجُكُمْ فَتُضْطَرُّونَ لِلكَلامِ؟

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

4 ل َوْ كَنتُمْ مَكانِي، لَكُنتُ أستَطِيعُ أنا أيضاً أنْ أتَكَلَّمَ مِثلَكُمْ. أُهاجِمُكُمْ بِالِاتِّهاماتِ، وَأهُزُّ رَأسِي لَكُمْ.

I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

5 « لَكِنِّي كُنتُ سَأُشَجِّعُكُمْ بِكَلِماتِي، وَأُخَفِّفُ أوجاعَكُمْ بِكَلامٍ مُعَزٍّ.

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

6 « إنْ تَكَلَّمْتُ، لا يَخِفُّ ألَمِي، وَإنِ امتَنَعْتُ عَنِ الكَلامِ، لا يَتَوَقَفُ.

Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

7 ه ا هُوَ اللهُ يُضعِفُنِي، ألَمْ تُدَمِّرْ يا اللهُ كُلَّ أهلِي؟

But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

8 م َلأتَ وَجهِي بِالتَّجاعِيدِ، فَصارَ هَذا شاهِداً ضِدِّي. قامَ جِسْمِي الهَزِيلُ لِيَشهَدَ عَن ذَنبِي.

And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

9 « يُهاجِمُنِي فِي غَضَبِهِ وَيُمَزِّقُنِي، وَهُوَ يَصِّرُّ بِأسنانِهِ عَلَيَّ. وَيَنظُرُ إلَيَّ عَدُوِّي بِكُرْهٍ.

He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

10 ي َفتَحُ النّاسُ أفواهَهُمْ لِيَفتَرِسُونِي. لَطَمُونِي عَلَى وَجهِي استِهزاءً، وَاصطَفُّوا مَعاً ضِدِّي.

They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

11 أ سلَمَنِي اللهُ إلَى الشِّرِّيرِ، وَرَمانِي بَينَ يَدَي الأشْرارِ.

God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

12 ك ُنتُ مُرتاحاً فَحَطَّمَنِي. أمسَكَ بِرَقَبَتِي وَكَسَّرَنِي تَكسِيراً. نَصَبَنِي لَهُ هَدَفاً،

I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

13 و َأحاطَ بِي رُماةُ سِهامِهِ. شَقَّ كُلْيَتَيَّ شَقّاً دُونَ شَفَقَةٍ. يَسكُبُ مَرارَتِي عَلَى الأرْضِ.

His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

14 ي َسحَقُنِي مَرَّةً بَعدَ مَرَّةٍ، وَيَهجُمُ عَلَيَّ كَمُقاتِلٍ.

He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

15 « لَبِستُ خَيْشاً عَلَى جِلْدِي، وَمَرَّغتُ كِبرِيائِي فِي التُّرابِ.

I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

16 ا حمَرَّ وَجهِي مِنَ البُكاءِ، وَبَدَتْ حَولَ عَينَيَّ دَوائِرُ سَوداءُ.

My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

17 م َعَ أنَّ يَدَيَّ لَمْ تُسِيئا لأحَدٍ، وَصَلاتِي نَقِيَّةٌ.

Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

18 « لا تُغَطِّي دَمِي يا أرْضُ، وَلا تَمنَعِي صَرَخاتِي مِنْ أنْ تُسمَعَ.

O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

19 ا لآنَ يُوجَدُ شاهِدٌ فِي السَّماءِ، وَدَلِيلُ بَراءَتِي فِي الأعالِي.

Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

20 ص احِبِي يُدافِعُ عَنِّي، بَينَما تَذْرِفُ عَينايَ الدُمُوعَ للهِ.

My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

21 س َيُحاجِجُ عَنِّي فِي حَضْرَةِ اللهِ، كَإنسانٍ يُدافِعُ عَنْ صَدِيقِهِ.

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

22 « لأنَّهُ بَعْدَ سَنَواتٍ قَلِيلَةٍ، سَأمضِي فِي طَرِيقٍ لا أعُودَ مِنها.

When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.