Job

Job 9:16–23

¹⁶If I summoned Him and He answered me,

I do not believe He would listen to my voice.

¹⁷For He would crush me with a tempest

and multiply my wounds without cause.

¹⁸He does not let me catch my breath,

but overwhelms me with bitterness.

¹⁹If it is a matter of strength,

He is indeed mighty!

If it is a matter of justice,

who can summon Him^d?

²⁰Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me;

if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.^e

²¹Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself;

I despise my own life.

²²It is all the same, and so I say,

‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

²³When the scourge brings sudden death,

He mocks the despair of the innocent.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
I summoned Him	קָרָ֥אתִי	qā·rā·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
and He answered me	וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֑נִי	way·ya·‘ă·nê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H6030 answer, respond
I do not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
believe	אַ֝אֲמִ֗ין	’a·’ă·mîn	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H539 confirm, support
He would listen	יַאֲזִ֥ין	ya·’ă·zîn	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H238 give ear, listen, hear
to my voice	קוֹלִֽי׃	qō·w·lî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6963 sound, voice

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
He would crush me	יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי	yə·šū·p̄ê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7779 bruise
with a tempest	בִּשְׂעָרָ֥ה	biś·‘ā·rāh	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H8183 id.
and multiply	וְהִרְבָּ֖ה	wə·hir·bāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
my wounds	פְצָעַ֣י	p̄ə·ṣā·‘ay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6482 bruise, wound
without cause	חִנָּֽם׃	ḥin·nām	Adverb	H2600 out of favour

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He does not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
let me	יִ֭תְּנֵנִי	yit·tə·nê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5414 give, put, set
catch	הָשֵׁ֣ב	hā·šêḇ	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7725 turn back, return
my breath	רוּחִ֑י	rū·ḥî	Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
but	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
overwhelms me	יַ֝שְׂבִּעַ֗נִי	yaś·bi·‘a·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7646 be sated, satisfied, surfeited
with bitterness	מַמְּרֹרִֽים׃	mam·mə·rō·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4472 bitter thing

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
it is a matter of strength	לְכֹ֣חַ	lə·ḵō·aḥ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H3581 strength, power
He is indeed	הִנֵּ֑ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
mighty	אַמִּ֣יץ	’am·mîṣ	Adjective - masculine singular	H533 be stout, strong, bold, alert
If	וְאִם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
it is a matter of justice	לְ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט	lə·miš·pāṭ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
who	מִ֣י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
can summon Him	יוֹעִידֵֽנִי׃	yō·w·‘î·ḏê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H3259 appoint

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Even if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
I were righteous	אֶ֭צְדָּק	’eṣ·dāq	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6663 be just, righteous
my mouth	פִּ֣י	pî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6310 mouth
would condemn me	יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי	yar·šî·‘ê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7561 be wicked, act wickedly
if I	אָ֝֗נִי	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
were blameless	תָּֽם־	tām-	Adjective - masculine singular	H8535 complete
it would declare me guilty	וַֽיַּעְקְשֵֽׁנִי׃	way·ya‘·qə·šê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H6140 twist

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Though I	אָ֭נִי	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am blameless	תָּֽם־	tām-	Adjective - masculine singular	H8535 complete
I have no	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
concern	אֵדַ֥ע	’ê·ḏa‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3045 know
for myself	נַפְשִׁ֗י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
I despise	אֶמְאַ֥ס	’em·’as	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3988 reject
my own life	חַיָּֽי׃	ḥay·yāy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H2416 alive, living

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
It	הִ֥יא	hî	Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
is all the same	אַחַ֗ת	’a·ḥaṯ	Number - feminine singular	H259 one
and so	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
I say	אָמַ֑רְתִּי	’ā·mar·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
He	ה֣וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
destroys	מְכַלֶּֽה׃	mə·ḵal·leh	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H3615 be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
both the blameless	תָּ֥ם	tām	Adjective - masculine singular	H8535 complete
and the wicked	וְ֝רָשָׁ֗ע	wə·rā·šā‘	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H7563 wicked, criminal

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	אִם־	’i·mō·šō-	Conjunction	H518 if
the scourge	שׁ֭וֹט	šôṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H7752 scourge, whip
brings sudden	פִּתְאֹ֑ם	piṯ·’ōm	Adverb	H6597 suddenness
death	יָמִ֣ית	yā·mîṯ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4191 die
He mocks	יִלְעָֽג׃	yil·‘āḡ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3932 mock, deride
the despair	לְמַסַּ֖ת	lə·mas·saṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct	H4531 despair
of the innocent	נְקִיִּ֣ם	nə·qî·yim	Adjective - masculine plural	H5355 clean, free from, exempt