Ἰώβ 23
1 ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ιωβ λέγει
Then Job answered and said:
2 καὶ δὴ οἶδα ὅτι ἐκ χειρός μου ἡ ἔλεγξίς ἐστιν καὶ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ βαρεῖα γέγονεν ἐπ’ ἐμῷ στεναγμῷ
Even to-day is my complaint bitter; my hand is become heavy because of my groaning.
3 τίς δ’ ἄρα γνοίη ὅτι εὕροιμι αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλθοιμι εἰς τέλος
Oh that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat!
4 εἴποιμι δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ κρίμα τὸ δὲ στόμα μου ἐμπλήσαιμι ἐλέγχων
I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 γνῴην δὲ ῥήματα ἅ μοι ἐρεῖ αἰσθοίμην δὲ τίνα μοι ἀπαγγελεῖ
I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say unto me.
6 καὶ εἰ ἐν πολλῇ ἰσχύι ἐπελεύσεταί μοι εἶτα ἐν ἀπειλῇ μοι οὐ χρήσεται
Would He contend with me in His great power? Nay; but He would give heed unto me.
7 ἀλήθεια γὰρ καὶ ἔλεγχος παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἐξαγάγοι δὲ εἰς τέλος τὸ κρίμα μου
There the upright might reason with Him; so should I be delivered for ever from my Judge.
8 εἰς γὰρ πρῶτα πορεύσομαι καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμί τὰ δὲ ἐπ’ ἐσχάτοις τί οἶδα
Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
9 ἀριστερὰ ποιήσαντος αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ κατέσχον περιβαλεῖ δεξιά καὶ οὐκ ὄψομαι
On the left hand, when He doth work, but I cannot behold Him, He turneth Himself to the right hand, but I cannot see Him.
10 οἶδεν γὰρ ἤδη ὁδόν μου διέκρινεν δέ με ὥσπερ τὸ χρυσίον
For He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 ἐξελεύσομαι δὲ ἐν ἐντάλμασιν αὐτοῦ ὁδοὺς γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐφύλαξα καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκκλίνω
My foot hath held fast to His steps, His way have I kept, and turned not aside.
12 ἀπὸ ἐνταλμάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ παρέλθω ἐν δὲ κόλπῳ μου ἔκρυψα ῥήματα αὐτοῦ
I have not gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured up the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
13 εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔκρινεν οὕτως τίς ἐστιν ὁ ἀντειπὼν αὐτῷ ὃ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἠθέλησεν καὶ ἐποίησεν
But He is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desireth, even that He doeth.
For He will perform that which is appointed for me; and many such things are with Him.
15 διὰ τοῦτο ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἐσπούδακα νουθετούμενος δὲ ἐφρόντισα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ κατασπουδασθῶ κατανοήσω καὶ πτοηθήσομαι ἐξ αὐτοῦ
Therefore am I affrighted at His presence; when I consider, I am afraid of Him.
16 κύριος δὲ ἐμαλάκυνεν τὴν καρδίαν μου ὁ δὲ παντοκράτωρ ἐσπούδασέν με
Yea, God hath made my heart faint, and the Almighty hath affrighted me;
17 οὐ γὰρ ᾔδειν ὅτι ἐπελεύσεταί μοι σκότος πρὸ προσώπου δέ μου ἐκάλυψεν γνόφος
Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither did He cover the thick darkness from my face.
