Job 23
1 To naah Job mah,
Then Job answered:
2 vaihni loe kana ka haam; ka nathaih nung parai pongah hang ai ah ka om thai ai.
“Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3 Anih hnukthaihaih ahmuen to ka panoek nahaeloe, anih anghnuthaih ahmuen ah ka caeh han!
If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.
4 A hmaa ah kaimah kawng to ka thuih moe, pakha hoiah lok ka thuih han.
I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 Anih mah kawbangmaw na pathim tih, tiah ka panoek, a thuih han ih lok doeh ka panoek.
I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say.
6 A thacakhaih hoiah kai hae na hmang tih maw? Na hmang mak ai; anih mah kai ih lok hae tahngai lat tih.
Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.
7 To ahmuen ah katoeng kami hoi lokthuihaih om tih, kai loe lokcaek kami khae hoiah ka loih poe tih boeh.
Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8 Khenah, kai loe hmabangah ka caeh, toe anih loe to ahmuen ah om ai; hnukbangah kang nawn cadoeh, anih to ka panoek thai ai;
If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot find Him.
9 a toksakhaih banqoi bangah ka caeh, toe anih to ka hnu thai ai; bantang bangah kang qoi naah doeh, anih to ka hnu thai ai.
When He is at work in the north, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the south, I cannot see Him.
10 Toe ka caehhaih loklam to ang panoek pae; anih mah kai ang tanoek pacoengah loe, sui baktiah ka om tih boeh.
Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
11 Ka khok mah a caehhaih khok tangkannawk to pazui, kam khraeng taak ai, anih ih loklam to ka pazui.
My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.
12 A pahni hoi paek ih lok to ka caeh taak ai; ni thokkruek kangaih caaknaek pongah doeh anih mah thuih ih loknawk to ni ka palung kue.
I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.
13 Toe poekhaih maeto ah kaom, Sithaw to mi mah maw pakhrai thai tih? Anih loe a koehhaih baktiah ni sak.
But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires.
14 Anih loe kai han suek ih hmuen to a sak; anih loe to baktih poekhaih paroeai tawnh.
For He carries out His decree against me, and He has many such plans.
15 To pongah a hmaa ah loe zithaih hoiah ni ka oh; to baktih hmuen to ka poek naah, anih to ka zit.
Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I fear Him.
16 Sithaw mah palungthin ang naemsak moe, Thacak Angraeng mah zithaih to ang paek;
God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.
17 toe kai hae khoving hmaa ah va sut ai, ka hmaa ih khoving thung hoiah doeh paka ai.
Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.
