< Ἰώβ 23 >
Then responded Job, 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 rebellion? His hand, is heavier than my groaning.
3 τίς δ’ ἄρα γνοίη ὅτι εὕροιμι αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλθοιμι εἰς τέλος
Oh that I knew where I might find him! I would come even unto his dwelling-place;
4 εἴποιμι δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ κρίμα τὸ δὲ στόμα μου ἐμπλήσαιμι ἐλέγχων
I would set out, before him, a plea, and, my mouth, would I fill with arguments;
5 γνῴην δὲ ῥήματα ἅ μοι ἐρεῖ αἰσθοίμην δὲ τίνα μοι ἀπαγγελεῖ
I would note the words wherewith he would respond to me, and would mark what he would say to me.
6 καὶ εἰ ἐν πολλῇ ἰσχύι ἐπελεύσεταί μοι εἶτα ἐν ἀπειλῇ μοι οὐ χρήσεται
Would he, with fulness of might, contend with me? Nay, surely, he, would give heed to me!
7 ἀλήθεια γὰρ καὶ ἔλεγχος παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἐξαγάγοι δὲ εἰς τέλος τὸ κρίμα μου
There an upright man, might reason with him, so should I deliver myself completely from my judge.
8 εἰς γὰρ πρῶτα πορεύσομαι καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμί τὰ δὲ ἐπ’ ἐσχάτοις τί οἶδα
Behold! eastward, I go, but he is not there, and, westward, but I perceive him not;
9 ἀριστερὰ ποιήσαντος αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ κατέσχον περιβαλεῖ δεξιά καὶ οὐκ ὄψομαι
On the north, where he worketh, but I get no vision, He hideth himself on the south that I cannot see him.
10 οἶδεν γὰρ ἤδη ὁδόν μου διέκρινεν δέ με ὥσπερ τὸ χρυσίον
But, he, knoweth the way that I choose, Having tried me, as gold, I shall come forth.
11 ἐξελεύσομαι δὲ ἐν ἐντάλμασιν αὐτοῦ ὁδοὺς γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐφύλαξα καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκκλίνω
Of his steps, my foot taketh hold, His way, have I kept, and not swerved;
12 ἀπὸ ἐνταλμάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ παρέλθω ἐν δὲ κόλπῳ μου ἔκρυψα ῥήματα αὐτοῦ
The command of his lips, and would not go back, and, in my bosom, have I treasured the words of his lips.
13 εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔκρινεν οὕτως τίς ἐστιν ὁ ἀντειπὼν αὐτῷ ὃ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἠθέλησεν καὶ ἐποίησεν
But, he, is one, and who can turn him? What his soul desired, he hath done.
Surely he will accomplish what is decreed for me, and, many such things, hath he in store.
15 διὰ τοῦτο ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἐσπούδακα νουθετούμενος δὲ ἐφρόντισα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ κατασπουδασθῶ κατανοήσω καὶ πτοηθήσομαι ἐξ αὐτοῦ
For this cause, from his presence, am I driven in fear, I diligently consider and am kept back from him in dread:
16 κύριος δὲ ἐμαλάκυνεν τὴν καρδίαν μου ὁ δὲ παντοκράτωρ ἐσπούδασέν με
Yea, GOD, hath made timid my heart, and, the Almighty, hath put me in terror.
17 οὐ γὰρ ᾔδειν ὅτι ἐπελεύσεταί μοι σκότος πρὸ προσώπου δέ μου ἐκάλυψεν γνόφος
Because I was not cut off before the darkness, nor, before my face, did the gloom form a shroud.