Job 23
1 Mgbe ahụ, Job zara sị:
Then Job replied again,
2 “Ọ bụladị taa, mkpesa m dị ilu; aka ya dị arọ megide m nʼagbanyeghị ịsụ ude m.
“Today I am again complaining bitterly/strongly [to God]; I [continue] groaning, but he [SYN] [continues to] (punish me/cause me to suffer).
3 A sịkwa na m maara ebe m ga-achọta ya; a sịkwa na m nwere ike ijeru ebe obibi ya!
I (wish that I knew/want to know) where I could meet/talk with him, so that I could go to the place where he lives.
4 Aga m edozi mkpesa m nʼusoro nʼihu ya were ịrụ ụka mejuo ọnụ m.
If I could do that, I would tell him why [I know that] I am innocent; I would tell [MTY] to him all my (arguments/evidence [to show that I have not done what is evil]).
5 Aga m achọpụta ihe o ga-aza m ma tuleekwa ihe ọ ga-agwa m.
Then I would find out what he would reply to me [DOU].
6 Ọ ga-eji ike dị egwu megide m? Mba, ọ gaghị ebo m ebubo.
Would he use his great power to argue with me? No, he would listen to me carefully.
7 Nʼebe ahụ, onye ziri ezi ga-eme mkpesa nʼihu ya. Nʼebe ahụ, a ga-anapụtakwa m site nʼaka onye ikpe m rụọ mgbe ebighị ebi.
I am (an honest/a righteous) man; so I would be able to discuss things with him [fairly], and then he would declare that I am innocent, [and that decision would endure] forever.
8 “Ma ọ bụrụ na m agaa nʼọwụwa anyanwụ ọ nọghị nʼebe ahụ; ọ bụrụ na m gaa nʼọdịda anyanwụ, agaghị m achọta ya.
“But, I have gone to the east, and he is not there; I have gone to the west, but I have not found him there.
9 Mgbe ọ nọ nʼọrụ nʼugwu anaghị m ahụ ya, mgbe ọ lọghachiri na ndịda anaghị m ahụkwa ya.
I have gone north and I have gone south, but I have not seen him anywhere.
10 Ma ọ maara ụzọ m na-aga, mgbe ọ nwapụtasịrị m, aga m apụta dịka ọlaedo,
But he knows how I have conducted my life; and when he has finished testing me, [he] will [see that] I [am] as pure as [SIM] gold [whose impurities have all been burned out].
11 ụkwụ m abụọ na-agbaso nzọ ụkwụ ya; ana m eso ụzọ ya na-atụgharịghị nʼaka nri maọbụ aka ekpe.
I [SYN] have faithfully walked on the path that he showed me; I have not stopped [obeying] him.
12 Esibeghị m nʼiwu nke si nʼọnụ ya pụta wezuga onwe m; a na m echekwa okwu ọnụ ya karịa nri nke m na-eri kwa ụbọchị.
I have always obeyed what he [SYN] commanded; I have treasured the words that he has spoken.
13 “Ma o guzo naanị ya, onye pụrụ iguzogide ya? Ọ na-eme ihe ọbụla masịrị ya.
“He never changes. There is no one who can [RHQ] stop him [from doing what he desires]. Whatever he wants to do, he does.
14 Ọ na-emezu ụkpụrụ ya niile o zubere megide m, ọ ka nwekwara nzube ndị ọzọ yiri nke a o dobere imegide m.
And he will finish doing for me the things that he has planned for me; [and I am sure that] he has thought about doing many things for me.
15 Nʼihi ya ka obi ji ama m jijiji nʼihu ya; mgbe m chetara banyere ihe ndị a niile, ana m atụ egwu ya.
So I am terrified in his presence; when I think [about what he can do], I am very afraid [DOU].
16 Chineke emeela ka obi m daa mba; Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile emeela ka m maa jijiji.
Almighty God has caused me [SYN] to feel terrified [DOU].
17 Ma ọchịchịrị emeghị ka m mechie ọnụ m, bụ oke ọchịchịrị nke kpuchiri ihu m.
[It is as though] there is only thick darkness in front of me, but it is God that I am afraid of, not the darkness.”
