Job 23
1 Job reprit la parole et dit:
Then Job replied again,
2 Aujourd’hui encore ma plainte est traitée de révolte; pourtant ma main se fatigue à comprimer mes soupirs.
“Today I am again complaining bitterly/strongly [to God]; I [continue] groaning, but he [SYN] [continues to] (punish me/cause me to suffer).
3 Que ne m’est-il donné de savoir où le trouver! Je voudrais pénétrer jusqu’à son siège.
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.
4 J’Exposerais ma cause devant lui, ayant la bouche pleine d’arguments.
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]).
5 Je connaîtrais les réponses qu’il m’opposerait et me rendrais compte de ce qu’il me dirait.
Then I would find out what he would reply to me [DOU].
6 Jetterait-il le poids de sa force dans sa discussion avec moi? Non, mais il me prêterait quelque attention.
Would he use his great power to argue with me? No, he would listen to me carefully.
7 C’Est un homme droit qui se trouverait alors en face de lui, et pour toujours je serais quitte envers mon juge.
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.
8 Mais quoi! Je me dirige vers l’Orient: il n’y est pas! vers l’Occident, je ne le remarque point!
“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.
9 Exerce-t-il son action au Nord? Je ne le vois pas; se retire-t-il au Sud? Je ne l’aperçois pas.
I have gone north and I have gone south, but I have not seen him anywhere.
10 Car il connaît la conduite que je mène: s’il me jetait au creuset, j’en sortirais pur comme l’or.
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].
11 Mon pied s’est attaché fidèlement à ses traces; j’ai suivi ses voies sans dévier.
I [SYN] have faithfully walked on the path that he showed me; I have not stopped [obeying] him.
12 Des préceptes de ses lèvres je ne me suis pas écarté; plus qu’à mes propres inspirations, j’ai obéi aux paroles de sa bouche.
I have always obeyed what he [SYN] commanded; I have treasured the words that he has spoken.
13 Mais lui, il demeure immuable: qui pourrait le faire changer d’avis? Ce qui lui plaît, il l’accomplit.
“He never changes. There is no one who can [RHQ] stop him [from doing what he desires]. Whatever he wants to do, he does.
14 Assurément, il exécutera jusqu’au bout ce qu’il a décrété contre moi: il nourrit encore beaucoup de desseins semblables.
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.
15 C’Est pourquoi je me sens troublé devant sa face; en y réfléchissant, j’ai peur de lui.
So I am terrified in his presence; when I think [about what he can do], I am very afraid [DOU].
16 Dieu a découragé mon cœur, le Tout-Puissant m’a rempli d’épouvante,
Almighty God has caused me [SYN] to feel terrified [DOU].
17 puisque d’une part, il ne m’a pas anéanti par les ténèbres qui m’accablent, et que d’autre part il n’a pas voulu me mettre à l’abri de cette sombre nuit.
[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.”
