איוב 23

1 ויען איוב ויאמר׃

Then Job answered and said,

2 גם היום מרי שחי ידי כבדה על אנחתי׃

Yea, I know that pleading is out of my reach; and his hand has been made heavy upon my groaning.

3 מי יתן ידעתי ואמצאהו אבוא עד תכונתו׃

Who would then know that I might find him, and come to an end [of the matter]?

4 אערכה לפניו משפט ופי אמלא תוכחות׃

And I would plead my own cause, and he would fill my mouth with arguments.

5 אדעה מלים יענני ואבינה מה יאמר לי׃

And I would know the remedies which he would speak to me, and I would perceive what he would tell me.

6 הברב כח יריב עמדי לא אך הוא ישם בי׃

Though he should come on me in [his] great strength, then he would not threaten me;

7 שם ישר נוכח עמו ואפלטה לנצח משפטי׃

for truth and reproof are from him; and he would bring forth my judgment to an end.

8 הן קדם אהלך ואיננו ואחור ולא אבין לו׃

For if I shall go first, and exist no longer, still what do I know [concerning] the latter end?

9 שמאול בעשתו ולא אחז יעטף ימין ולא אראה׃

When he wrought on the left hand, then I observed [it] not: his right hand shall encompass me but I shall not see [it].

10 כי ידע דרך עמדי בחנני כזהב אצא׃

For he knows already my way; and he has tried me as gold.

11 באשרו אחזה רגלי דרכו שמרתי ולא אט׃

And I will go forth according to his commandments, for I have kept his ways; and I shall not turn aside from his commandments,

12 מצות שפתיו ולא אמיש מחקי צפנתי אמרי פיו׃

neither shall I transgress; but I have hid his words in my bosom.

13 והוא באחד ומי ישיבנו ונפשו אותה ויעש׃

And if too he has thus judged, who is he that has contradicted, for he has both willed [a thing] and done it.

14 כי ישלים חקי וכהנה רבות עמו׃

15 על כן מפניו אבהל אתבונן ואפחד ממנו׃

Therefore am I troubled at him; and when I was reproved, I thought of him. Therefore let me take good heed before him: I will consider, and be afraid of him.

16 ואל הרך לבי ושדי הבהילני׃

But the Lord has softened my heart, and the Almighty has troubled me.

17 כי לא נצמתי מפני חשך ומפני כסה אפל׃

For I knew not that darkness would come upon me, and thick darkness has covered [me] before my face.