Job 23
1 Then Job replied again,
| וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ |
2 “Today I am again complaining bitterly/strongly [to God]; I [continue] groaning, but he [SYN] [continues to] (punish me/cause me to suffer).
| גַּם־הַ֭יֹּום מְרִ֣י שִׂחִ֑י יָ֝דִ֗י כָּבְדָ֥ה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃ |
3 I (wish that I knew/want to know) where I could meet/talk with him, so that I could go to the place where he lives.
| מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ אָ֝בֹ֗וא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֹֽו׃ |
4 If I could do that, I would tell him why [I know that] I am innocent; I would tell [MTY] to him all my (arguments/evidence [to show that I have not done what is evil]).
| אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה לְפָנָ֣יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝פִ֗י אֲמַלֵּ֥א תֹוכָחֹֽות׃ |
5 Then I would find out what he would reply to me [DOU].
| אֵ֭דְעָה מִלִּ֣ים יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְ֝אָבִ֗ינָה מַה־יֹּ֥אמַר לִֽי׃ |
6 Would he use his great power to argue with me? No, he would listen to me carefully.
| הַבְּרָב־כֹּ֖חַ יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י לֹ֥א אַךְ־ה֝֗וּא יָשִׂ֥ם בִּֽי׃ |
7 I am (an honest/a righteous) man; so I would be able to discuss things with him [fairly], and then he would declare that I am innocent, [and that decision would endure] forever.
| שָׁ֗ם יָ֭שָׁר נֹוכָ֣ח עִמֹּ֑ו וַאֲפַלְּטָ֥ה לָ֝נֶ֗צַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃ |
8 “But, I have gone to the east, and he is not there; I have gone to the west, but I have not found him there.
| הֵ֤ן קֶ֣דֶם אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וְ֝אָחֹ֗ור וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֹֽו׃ |
9 I have gone north and I have gone south, but I have not seen him anywhere.
| שְׂמֹ֣אול בַּעֲשֹׂתֹ֣ו וְלֹא־אָ֑חַז יַעְטֹ֥ף יָ֝מִ֗ין וְלֹ֣א אֶרְאֶֽה׃ |
10 But he knows how I have conducted my life; and when he has finished testing me, [he] will [see that] I [am] as pure as [SIM] gold [whose impurities have all been burned out].
| כִּֽי־יָ֭דַע דֶּ֣רֶךְ עִמָּדִ֑י בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִי כַּזָּהָ֥ב אֵצֵֽא׃ |
11 I [SYN] have faithfully walked on the path that he showed me; I have not stopped [obeying] him.
| בַּ֭אֲשֻׁרֹו אָחֲזָ֣ה רַגְלִ֑י דַּרְכֹּ֖ו שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃ |
12 I have always obeyed what he [SYN] commanded; I have treasured the words that he has spoken.
| מִצְוַ֣ת שְׂ֭פָתָיו וְלֹ֣א אָמִ֑ישׁ מֵ֝חֻקִּ֗י צָפַ֥נְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃ |
13 “He never changes. There is no one who can [RHQ] stop him [from doing what he desires]. Whatever he wants to do, he does.
| וְה֣וּא בְ֭אֶחָד וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ וְנַפְשֹׁ֖ו אִוְּתָ֣ה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃ |
14 And he will finish doing for me the things that he has planned for me; [and I am sure that] he has thought about doing many things for me.
| כִּ֭י יַשְׁלִ֣ים חֻקִּ֑י וְכָהֵ֖נָּה רַבֹּ֣ות עִמֹּֽו׃ |
15 So I am terrified in his presence; when I think [about what he can do], I am very afraid [DOU].
| עַל־כֵּ֭ן מִפָּנָ֣יו אֶבָּהֵ֑ל אֶ֝תְבֹּונֵ֗ן וְאֶפְחַ֥ד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ |
16 Almighty God has caused me [SYN] to feel terrified [DOU].
| וְ֭אֵל הֵרַ֣ךְ לִבִּ֑י וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃ |
17 [It is as though] there is only thick darkness in front of me, but it is God that I am afraid of, not the darkness.”
| כִּֽי־לֹ֣א נִ֭צְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃ |
