Job 23
1 Respondens autem Iob, ait:
Then Job answered and said:
2 Nunc quoque in amaritudine est sermo meus, et manus plagæ meæ aggravata est super gemitum meum.
Still is my complaint bitter; But my wound is deeper than my groaning.
3 Quis mihi tribuat ut cognoscam et inveniam illum, et veniam usque ad solium eius?
O that I knew where I might find him! That I might go before his throne!
4 Ponam coram eo iudicium, et os meum replebo increpationibus,
I would order my cause before him, And fill my mouth with arguments;
5 Ut sciam verba, quæ mihi respondeat, et intelligam quid loquatur mihi.
I should know what he would answer me, And understand what he would say to me.
6 Nolo multa fortitudine contendat mecum, nec magnitudinis suæ mole me premat.
Would he contend with me with his mighty power? No! he would have regard to me.
7 Proponat æquitatem contra me, et perveniat ad victoriam iudicium meum.
Then would an upright man contend with him, And I should be fully acquitted by my judge.
8 Si ad Orientem iero, non apparet: si ad Occidentem, non intelligam eum.
But, behold, I go eastward, and he is not there; And westward, but I cannot perceive him;
9 Si ad sinistram, quid agam? non apprehendam eum: si me vertam ad dexteram, non videbo illum.
To the north, where he worketh, but I cannot behold him; He hideth himself on the south, and I cannot see him.
10 Ipse vero scit viam meam, et probavit me quasi aurum, quod per ignem transit:
But he knoweth the way which is in my heart; When he trieth me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 Vestigia eius secutus est pes meus, viam eius custodivi, et non declinavi ex ea.
My feet have trodden in his steps; His way I have kept, and have not turned aside from it.
12 A mandatis labiorum eius non recessi, et in sinu meo abscondi verba oris eius.
I have not neglected the precepts of his lips; Above my own law have I esteemed the words of his mouth.
13 Ipse enim solus est, et nemo avertere potest cogitationem eius: et anima eius quodcumque voluit, hoc fecit.
But he is of one mind, and who can turn him? And what he desireth, that he doeth.
14 Cum expleverit in me voluntatem suam, et alia multa similia præsto sunt ei.
He performeth that which is appointed for me; And many such things are in his mind!
15 Et idcirco a facie eius turbatus sum, et considerans eum, timore sollicitor.
Therefore I am in terror on account of him; When I consider, I am afraid of him.
16 Deus mollivit cor meum, et Omnipotens conturbavit me.
For God maketh my heart faint; Yea, the Almighty terrifieth me;
17 Non enim perii propter imminentes tenebras, nec faciem meam operuit caligo.
Because I was not taken away before darkness came, And he hath not hidden darkness from mine eyes.
