Job 23
1 Then Job answered and said:
| וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ |
2 Even to-day is my complaint bitter; my hand is become heavy because of my groaning.
| גַּם־הַיּוֹם מְרִי שִׂחִי יָדִי כָּבְדָה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃ |
3 Oh that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat!
| מִֽי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבוֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃ |
4 I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
| אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃ |
5 I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say unto me.
| אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר לִֽי׃ |
6 Would He contend with me in His great power? Nay; but He would give heed unto me.
| הַבְּרָב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּֽי׃ |
7 There the upright might reason with Him; so should I be delivered for ever from my Judge.
| שָׁם יָשָׁר נוֹכָח עִמּוֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃ |
8 Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
| הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחוֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִין לֽוֹ׃ |
9 On the left hand, when He doth work, but I cannot behold Him, He turneth Himself to the right hand, but I cannot see Him.
| שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶֽה׃ |
10 For He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
| כִּֽי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵֽא׃ |
11 My foot hath held fast to His steps, His way have I kept, and turned not aside.
| בַּאֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכּוֹ שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃ |
12 I have not gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured up the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
| מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃ |
13 But He is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desireth, even that He doeth.
| וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אִוְּתָה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃ |
14 For He will perform that which is appointed for me; and many such things are with Him.
| כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃ |
15 Therefore am I affrighted at His presence; when I consider, I am afraid of Him.
| עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבּוֹנֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ |
16 Yea, God hath made my heart faint, and the Almighty hath affrighted me;
| וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃ |
17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither did He cover the thick darkness from my face.
| כִּֽי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃ |
