איוב 23

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And Job made answer and said,

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

Even today my outcry is bitter; his hand is hard on my sorrow.

3 מִֽי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבוֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃

If only I had knowledge of where he might be seen, so that I might come even to his seat!

4 אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃

I would put my cause in order before him, and my mouth would be full of arguments.

5 אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר לִֽי׃

I would see what his answers would be, and have knowledge of what he would say to me.

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

Would he make use of his great power to overcome me? No, but he would give attention to me.

7 שָׁם יָשָׁר נוֹכָח עִמּוֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃

There an upright man might put his cause before him; and I would be free for ever from my judge.

8 הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחוֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִין לֽוֹ׃

See, I go forward, but he is not there; and back, but I do not see him;

9 שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶֽה׃

I am looking for him on the left hand, but there is no sign of him; and turning to the right, I am not able to see him.

10 כִּֽי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵֽא׃

For he has knowledge of the way I take; after I have been tested I will come out like gold.

11 בַּאֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכּוֹ שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃

My feet have gone in his steps; I have kept in his way, without turning to one side or to the other.

12 מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃

I have never gone against the orders of his lips; the words of his mouth have been stored up in my heart.

13 וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אִוְּתָה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃

But his purpose is fixed and there is no changing it; and he gives effect to the desire of his soul.

14 כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃

For what has been ordered for me by him will be gone through to the end: and his mind is full of such designs.

15 עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבּוֹנֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

For this cause I am in fear before him, my thoughts of him overcome me.

16 וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃

For God has made my heart feeble, and my mind is troubled before the Ruler of all.

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

For I am overcome by the dark, and by the black night which is covering my face.