< איוב 23 >
וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ | 1 |
Then Job answered and said,
גַּם־הַיּוֹם מְרִי שִׂחִי יָדִי כָּבְדָה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃ | 2 |
Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
מִֽי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבוֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃ | 3 |
Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃ | 4 |
I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר לִֽי׃ | 5 |
I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
הַבְּרָב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּֽי׃ | 6 |
Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
שָׁם יָשָׁר נוֹכָח עִמּוֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃ | 7 |
There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחוֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִין לֽוֹ׃ | 8 |
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶֽה׃ | 9 |
On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
כִּֽי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵֽא׃ | 10 |
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
בַּאֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכּוֹ שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃ | 11 |
My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃ | 12 |
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אִוְּתָה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃ | 13 |
But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃ | 14 |
For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.
עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבּוֹנֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ | 15 |
Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃ | 16 |
For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
כִּֽי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃ | 17 |
Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.