Job 23
1 To naah Job mah,
Job replied,
2 vaihni loe kana ka haam; ka nathaih nung parai pongah hang ai ah ka om thai ai.
“Just the same, my complaints today remain bitter. In spite of my groaning he is still punishing me.
3 Anih hnukthaihaih ahmuen to ka panoek nahaeloe, anih anghnuthaih ahmuen ah ka caeh han!
If only I knew where I could find him so I could go to where he sits in judgment.
4 A hmaa ah kaimah kawng to ka thuih moe, pakha hoiah lok ka thuih han.
There I would lay out my case before him and present all my arguments in full.
5 Anih mah kawbangmaw na pathim tih, tiah ka panoek, a thuih han ih lok doeh ka panoek.
I would discover how he would answer me and learn what he has to say to me.
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 fight against me using his mighty power? No, he would pay attention to what I have to say.
7 To ahmuen ah katoeng kami hoi lokthuihaih om tih, kai loe lokcaek kami khae hoiah ka loih poe tih boeh.
There a good person could reason with him, and I would be acquitted forever by 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 to the east, he's not there; if I go the west, I don't 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.
If he's working in the north, I don't perceive him; if he's moving south, I don't 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 always knows where I'm going. When he has proved me, I will come out shining like gold.
11 Ka khok mah a caehhaih khok tangkannawk to pazui, kam khraeng taak ai, anih ih loklam to ka pazui.
I have kept in step with him; I have followed 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 neglected his commands, for I value what he has told me to do more than the food I eat every day.
13 Toe poekhaih maeto ah kaom, Sithaw to mi mah maw pakhrai thai tih? Anih loe a koehhaih baktiah ni sak.
But God is unchangeable—who can turn him from his purposes? He does whatever he wants to do.
14 Anih loe kai han suek ih hmuen to a sak; anih loe to baktih poekhaih paroeai tawnh.
So he will finish whatever he has planned for me—and he has many plans for me.
15 To pongah a hmaa ah loe zithaih hoiah ni ka oh; to baktih hmuen to ka poek naah, anih to ka zit.
That's why I'm terrified at meeting him; when I think of him I tremble with fear.
16 Sithaw mah palungthin ang naemsak moe, Thacak Angraeng mah zithaih to ang paek;
God has made me faint-hearted; the Almighty has scared me to death.
17 toe kai hae khoving hmaa ah va sut ai, ka hmaa ih khoving thung hoiah doeh paka ai.
Yet I'm still here despite the dark—even though I can't see through the utter darkness.
