Job 23

1 Then Job answered and said:

ויען איוב ויאמר׃

2 Still is my complaint bitter; But my wound is deeper than my groaning.

גם היום מרי שחי ידי כבדה על אנחתי׃

3 O that I knew where I might find him! That I might go before his throne!

מי יתן ידעתי ואמצאהו אבוא עד תכונתו׃

4 I would order my cause before him, And fill my mouth with arguments;

אערכה לפניו משפט ופי אמלא תוכחות׃

5 I should know what he would answer me, And understand what he would say to me.

אדעה מלים יענני ואבינה מה יאמר לי׃

6 Would he contend with me with his mighty power? No! he would have regard to me.

הברב כח יריב עמדי לא אך הוא ישם בי׃

7 Then would an upright man contend with him, And I should be fully acquitted by my judge.

שם ישר נוכח עמו ואפלטה לנצח משפטי׃

8 But, behold, I go eastward, and he is not there; And westward, but I cannot perceive him;

הן קדם אהלך ואיננו ואחור ולא אבין לו׃

9 To the north, where he worketh, but I cannot behold him; He hideth himself on the south, and I cannot see him.

שמאול בעשתו ולא אחז יעטף ימין ולא אראה׃

10 But he knoweth the way which is in my heart; When he trieth me, I shall come forth as gold.

כי ידע דרך עמדי בחנני כזהב אצא׃

11 My feet have trodden in his steps; His way I have kept, and have not turned aside from it.

באשרו אחזה רגלי דרכו שמרתי ולא אט׃

12 I have not neglected the precepts of his lips; Above my own law have I esteemed the words of his mouth.

מצות שפתיו ולא אמיש מחקי צפנתי אמרי פיו׃

13 But he is of one mind, and who can turn him? And what he desireth, that he doeth.

והוא באחד ומי ישיבנו ונפשו אותה ויעש׃

14 He performeth that which is appointed for me; And many such things are in his mind!

כי ישלים חקי וכהנה רבות עמו׃

15 Therefore I am in terror on account of him; When I consider, I am afraid of him.

על כן מפניו אבהל אתבונן ואפחד ממנו׃

16 For God maketh my heart faint; Yea, the Almighty terrifieth me;

ואל הרך לבי ושדי הבהילני׃

17 Because I was not taken away before darkness came, And he hath not hidden darkness from mine eyes.

כי לא נצמתי מפני חשך ומפני כסה אפל׃