Job 23
1 Alors Job prit la parole et dit:
Then Job answered by saying:
2 Oui, aujourd’hui ma plainte est amère, et pourtant ma main retient mes soupirs.
Now again my conversation is in bitterness, and the force of my scourging weighs more heavily on me because of my mourning.
3 Oh! Qui me donnera de savoir où le trouver, d’arriver jusqu’à son trône!
Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and that I may approach even to his throne?
4 Je plaiderais ma cause devant lui, et je remplirais ma bouche d’arguments.
I would place judgment before his eye, and my mouth would fill with criticism,
5 Je saurais les raisons qu’il peut m’opposer, je verrais ce qu’il peut avoir à me dire.
so that I may know the words that he will answer me and understand what he will say to me.
6 M’opposerait-il la grandeur de sa puissance? Ne jetterait-il pas au moins les yeux sur moi?
I do not want him to contend with me with much strength, nor to overwhelm me with the bulk of his greatness.
7 Alors l’innocent discuterait avec lui, et je m’en irais absous pour toujours par mon juge.
Let him show fairness in response to me, and let my judgment reach to victory.
8 Mais si je vais à l’orient, il n’y est pas; à l’occident, je ne l’aperçois pas.
If I go to the east, he does not appear; if I go to the west, I will not understand him.
9 Est-il occupé au septentrion, je ne le vois pas; se cache-t-il au midi, je ne puis le découvrir.
If I turn to the left, what can I do? I will not take hold of him. If I turn myself to the right, I will not see him.
10 Cependant il connaît les sentiers où je marche; qu’il m’examine, je sortirai pur comme l’or.
Truly, he knows my way and has tested me like gold that passes through fire.
11 Mon pied a toujours foulé ses traces; je me suis tenu dans sa voie sans dévier.
My feet have been following his footsteps; I have kept to his way and have not strayed from it.
12 Je ne me suis pas écarté des préceptes de ses lèvres; j’ai fait plier ma volonté aux paroles de sa bouche.
I have not withdrawn from the commands of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hidden in my sinews.
13 Mais il a une pensée: qui l’en fera revenir? Ce qu’il désire, il l’exécute.
For he is alone, and no one is able to disturb his intention; and whatever his spirit wills, that he accomplishes.
14 Il accomplira donc ce qu’il a décrété à mon sujet, et de pareils desseins, il en a beaucoup.
And when he fulfills his will in me, many other similar ones will also be present with him.
15 Voilà pourquoi je me trouble en sa présence; quand j’y pense, j’ai peur de lui.
And, for this reason, I have been troubled at his presence, and, when I consider him, I am approached by fear.
16 Dieu fait fondre mon cœur; le Tout-Puissant me remplit d’effroi.
God has weakened my heart, and the Almighty has confused me.
17 Car ce ne sont pas les ténèbres qui me consument, ni l’obscurité dont ma face est voilée.
Yet I have not perished because of the threatening darkness, nor has gloom covered my face.
