Job 23

1 Respondens autem Job, ait:

And Job made answer and said,

2 [Nunc quoque in amaritudine est sermo meus, et manus plagæ meæ aggravata est super gemitum meum.

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

3 Quis mihi tribuat ut cognoscam et inveniam illum, et veniam usque ad solium ejus?

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

4 Ponam coram eo judicium, et os meum replebo increpationibus:

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

5 ut sciam verba quæ mihi respondeat, et intelligam quid loquatur mihi.

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

6 Nolo multa fortitudine contendat mecum, nec magnitudinis suæ mole me premat.

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

7 Proponat æquitatem contra me, et perveniat ad victoriam judicium meum.

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

8 Si ad orientem iero, non apparet; si ad occidentem, non intelligam eum.

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

9 Si ad sinistram, quid agam? non apprehendam eum; si me vertam ad dexteram, non videbo illum.

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 Ipse vero scit viam meam, et probavit me quasi aurum quod per ignem transit.

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

11 Vestigia ejus secutus est pes meus: viam ejus custodivi, et non declinavi ex ea.

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

12 A mandatis labiorum ejus non recessi, et in sinu meo abscondi verba oris ejus.

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

13 Ipse enim solus est, et nemo avertere potest cogitationem ejus: et anima ejus quodcumque voluit, hoc fecit.

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

14 Cum expleverit in me voluntatem suam, et alia multa similia præsto sunt ei.

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 Et idcirco a facie ejus turbatus sum, et considerans eum, timore sollicitor.

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

16 Deus mollivit cor meum, et Omnipotens conturbavit me.

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

17 Non enim perii propter imminentes tenebras, nec faciem meam operuit caligo.]

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