אִיּוֹב 23

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Job replied,

2 גַּם־הַ֭יֹּום מְרִ֣י שִׂחִ֑י יָ֝דִ֗י כָּבְדָ֥ה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃

“Just the same, my complaints today remain bitter. In spite of my groaning he is still punishing me.

3 מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ אָ֝בֹ֗וא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֹֽו׃

If only I knew where I could find him so I could go to where he sits in judgment.

4 אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה לְפָנָ֣יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝פִ֗י אֲמַלֵּ֥א תֹוכָחֹֽות׃

There I would lay out my case before him and present all my arguments in full.

5 אֵ֭דְעָה מִלִּ֣ים יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְ֝אָבִ֗ינָה מַה־יֹּ֥אמַר לִֽי׃

I would discover how he would answer me and learn what he has to say to me.

6 הַבְּרָב־כֹּ֖חַ יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י לֹ֥א אַךְ־ה֝֗וּא יָשִׂ֥ם בִּֽי׃

Would he fight against me using his mighty power? No, he would pay attention to what I have to say.

7 שָׁ֗ם יָ֭שָׁר נֹוכָ֣ח עִמֹּ֑ו וַאֲפַלְּטָ֥ה לָ֝נֶ֗צַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃

There a good person could reason with him, and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

8 הֵ֤ן קֶ֣דֶם אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וְ֝אָחֹ֗ור וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֹֽו׃

If I go to the east, he's not there; if I go the west, I don't find him.

9 שְׂמֹ֣אול בַּעֲשֹׂתֹ֣ו וְלֹא־אָ֑חַז יַעְטֹ֥ף יָ֝מִ֗ין וְלֹ֣א אֶרְאֶֽה׃

If he's working in the north, I don't perceive him; if he's moving south, I don't see him.

10 כִּֽי־יָ֭דַע דֶּ֣רֶךְ עִמָּדִ֑י בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִי כַּזָּהָ֥ב אֵצֵֽא׃

Yet he always knows where I'm going. When he has proved me, I will come out shining like gold.

11 בַּ֭אֲשֻׁרֹו אָחֲזָ֣ה רַגְלִ֑י דַּרְכֹּ֖ו שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃

I have kept in step with him; I have followed his way without turning aside.

12 מִצְוַ֣ת שְׂ֭פָתָיו וְלֹ֣א אָמִ֑ישׁ מֵ֝חֻקִּ֗י צָפַ֥נְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃

I have not neglected his commands, for I value what he has told me to do more than the food I eat every day.

13 וְה֣וּא בְ֭אֶחָד וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ וְנַפְשֹׁ֖ו אִוְּתָ֣ה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃

But God is unchangeable—who can turn him from his purposes? He does whatever he wants to do.

14 כִּ֭י יַשְׁלִ֣ים חֻקִּ֑י וְכָהֵ֖נָּה רַבֹּ֣ות עִמֹּֽו׃

So he will finish whatever he has planned for me—and he has many plans for me.

15 עַל־כֵּ֭ן מִפָּנָ֣יו אֶבָּהֵ֑ל אֶ֝תְבֹּונֵ֗ן וְאֶפְחַ֥ד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

That's why I'm terrified at meeting him; when I think of him I tremble with fear.

16 וְ֭אֵל הֵרַ֣ךְ לִבִּ֑י וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃

God has made me faint-hearted; the Almighty has scared me to death.

17 כִּֽי־לֹ֣א נִ֭צְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃

Yet I'm still here despite the dark—even though I can't see through the utter darkness.