< Job 23 >

1 And Job answers and says:
Respondens autem Iob, ait:
2 “Also—today my complaint [is] bitter, My hand has been heavy because of my sighing.
Nunc quoque in amaritudine est sermo meus, et manus plagae meae aggravata est super gemitum meum.
3 O that I had known—and I find Him, I come to His seat,
Quis mihi tribuat ut cognoscam et inveniam illum, et veniam usque ad solium eius?
4 I arrange the cause before Him, And fill my mouth [with] arguments.
Ponam coram eo iudicium, et os meum replebo increpationibus.
5 I know the words He answers me, And understand what He says to me.
Ut sciam verba, quae mihi respondeat, et intelligam quid loquatur mihi.
6 Does He strive with me in the abundance of power? No! Surely He puts [it] in me.
Nolo multa fortitudine contendat mecum, nec magnitudinis suae mole me premat.
7 There the upright reason with Him, And I escape from mine who is judging—forever.
Proponat aequitatem contra me, et perveniet ad victoriam iudicium meum.
8 Behold, I go forward—and He is not, And backward—and I do not perceive Him.
Si ad Orientem iero, non apparet: si ad Occidentem, non intelligam eum.
9 [To] the left in His working—and I do not see, He is covered [on] the right, and I do not behold.
Si ad sinistram, quid agam? non apprehendam eum: si me vertam ad dexteram, non videbo illum.
10 For He has known the way with me, He has tried me—I go forth as gold.
Ipse vero scit viam meam, et probavit me quasi aurum, quod per ignem transit:
11 My foot has laid hold on His step, I have kept His way, and do not turn aside,
Vestigia eius secutus est pes meus, viam eius custodivi, et non declinavi ex ea.
12 The command of His lips, and I do not depart. I have laid up above my allotted portion The sayings of His mouth.
A mandatis labiorum eius non recessi, et in sinu meo abscondi verba oris eius.
13 And He [is] in one [mind], And who turns Him back? And His soul has desired—and He does [it].
Ipse enim solus est, et nemo avertere potest cogitationem eius: et anima eius quodcumque voluit, hoc fecit.
14 For He completes my portion, And many such things [are] with Him.
Cum expleverit in me voluntatem suam, et alia multa similia praesto sunt ei.
15 Therefore, I am troubled at His presence, I consider, and am afraid of Him.
Et idcirco a facie eius turbatus sum, et considerans eum, timore solicitor.
16 And God has made my heart soft, And the Mighty has troubled me.
Deus mollivit cor meum, et Omnipotens conturbavit me.
17 For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.”
Non enim perii propter imminentes tenebras, nec faciem meam operuit caligo.

< Job 23 >