איוב 23

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered by saying:

2 גַּם־הַיּוֹם מְרִי שִׂחִי יָדִי כָּבְדָה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃

Now again my conversation is in bitterness, and the force of my scourging weighs more heavily on me because of my mourning.

3 מִֽי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבוֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃

Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and that I may approach even to his throne?

4 אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃

I would place judgment before his eye, and my mouth would fill with criticism,

5 אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר־לִֽי׃

so that I may know the words that he will answer me and understand what he will say to me.

6 הַבְּרׇב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּֽי׃

I do not want him to contend with me with much strength, nor to overwhelm me with the bulk of his greatness.

7 שָׁם יָשָׁר נוֹכָח עִמּוֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃

Let him show fairness in response to me, and let my judgment reach to victory.

8 הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחוֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִין לֽוֹ׃

If I go to the east, he does not appear; if I go to the west, I will not understand him.

9 שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶֽה׃

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 כִּֽי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵֽא׃

Truly, he knows my way and has tested me like gold that passes through fire.

11 בַּאֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכּוֹ שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃

My feet have been following his footsteps; I have kept to his way and have not strayed from it.

12 מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃

I have not withdrawn from the commands of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hidden in my sinews.

13 וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אִוְּתָה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃

For he is alone, and no one is able to disturb his intention; and whatever his spirit wills, that he accomplishes.

14 כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃

And when he fulfills his will in me, many other similar ones will also be present with him.

15 עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבּוֹנֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

And, for this reason, I have been troubled at his presence, and, when I consider him, I am approached by fear.

16 וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃

God has weakened my heart, and the Almighty has confused me.

17 כִּֽי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃

Yet I have not perished because of the threatening darkness, nor has gloom covered my face.