Job 23
1 Then Job answered and said,
| וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ |
2 Even to-day [is] my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than 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 to me.
| אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר לִֽי׃ |
6 Would he plead against me with [his] great power? No; but he would put [strength] in me.
| הַבְּרָב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּֽי׃ |
7 There the righteous might dispute 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, where he doth work, but I cannot behold [him]: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see [him]:
| שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶֽה׃ |
10 But 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 his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
| בַּאֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכּוֹ שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃ |
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary [food].
| מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃ |
13 But he [is] in one [mind], and who can turn him? and [what] his soul desireth, even [that] he doeth.
| וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אִוְּתָה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃ |
14 For he performeth [the thing that is] appointed for me: and many such [things are] with him.
| כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃ |
15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
| עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבּוֹנֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ |
16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
| וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃ |
17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, [neither] hath he covered the darkness from my face.
| כִּֽי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃ |
