איוב 23
| וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ | 1 |
Job replied,
| גַּם־הַיּוֹם מְרִי שִׂחִי יָדִי כָּבְדָה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃ | 2 |
“Just the same, my complaints today remain bitter. In spite of my groaning he is still punishing me.
| מִֽי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבוֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃ | 3 |
If only I knew where I could find him so I could go to where he sits in judgment.
| אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃ | 4 |
There I would lay out my case before him and present all my arguments in full.
| אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר־לִֽי׃ | 5 |
I would discover how he would answer me and learn what he has to say to me.
| הַבְּרׇב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּֽי׃ | 6 |
Would he fight against me using his mighty power? No, he would pay attention to what I have to say.
| שָׁם יָשָׁר נוֹכָח עִמּוֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃ | 7 |
There a good person could reason with him, and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
| הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחוֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִין לֽוֹ׃ | 8 |
If I go to the east, he's not there; if I go the west, I don't find him.
| שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶֽה׃ | 9 |
If he's working in the north, I don't perceive him; if he's moving south, I don't see him.
| כִּֽי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵֽא׃ | 10 |
Yet he always knows where I'm going. When he has proved me, I will come out shining like gold.
| בַּאֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכּוֹ שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃ | 11 |
I have kept in step with him; I have followed his way without turning aside.
| מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃ | 12 |
I have not neglected his commands, for I value what he has told me to do more than the food I eat every day.
| וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אִוְּתָה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃ | 13 |
But God is unchangeable—who can turn him from his purposes? He does whatever he wants to do.
| כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃ | 14 |
So he will finish whatever he has planned for me—and he has many plans for me.
| עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבּוֹנֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ | 15 |
That's why I'm terrified at meeting him; when I think of him I tremble with fear.
| וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃ | 16 |
God has made me faint-hearted; the Almighty has scared me to death.
| כִּֽי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃ | 17 |
Yet I'm still here despite the dark—even though I can't see through the utter darkness.
