איוב 23
| וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ | 1 |
Then Job answered:
| גַּם־הַיּוֹם מְרִי שִׂחִי יָדִי כָּבְדָה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃ | 2 |
“Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.
| מִֽי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבוֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃ | 3 |
If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.
| אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃ | 4 |
I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.
| אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר לִֽי׃ | 5 |
I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say.
| הַבְּרָב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּֽי׃ | 6 |
Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.
| שָׁם יָשָׁר נוֹכָח עִמּוֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃ | 7 |
Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
| הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחוֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִין לֽוֹ׃ | 8 |
If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot find Him.
| שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶֽה׃ | 9 |
When He is at work in the north, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the south, I cannot see Him.
| כִּֽי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵֽא׃ | 10 |
Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
| בַּאֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכּוֹ שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃ | 11 |
My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.
| מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃ | 12 |
I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.
| וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אִוְּתָה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃ | 13 |
But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires.
| כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃ | 14 |
For He carries out His decree against me, and He has many such plans.
| עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבּוֹנֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ | 15 |
Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I fear Him.
| וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃ | 16 |
God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.
| כִּֽי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃ | 17 |
Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.
