Job 23

1 Respondens autem Iob, ait:

Then Job answered and said,

2 Nunc quoque in amaritudine est sermo meus, et manus plagae meae aggravata est super gemitum meum.

“Even today my complaint is bitter; my hand is heavy because of my groaning.

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

Oh, that I knew where I might find him! Oh, that I might come to his place!

4 Ponam coram eo iudicium, et os meum replebo increpationibus.

I would lay my case in order before him and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 Ut sciam verba, quae mihi respondeat, et intelligam quid loquatur mihi.

I would learn the words with which he would answer me and would understand what he would say to me.

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

Would he argue against me in the greatness of his power? No, he would pay attention to me.

7 Proponat aequitatem contra me, et perveniet ad victoriam iudicium meum.

There the upright person might argue with him. In this way I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

8 Si ad Orientem iero, non apparet: si ad Occidentem, non intelligam eum.

See, I go eastward, but 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 is at work, but I cannot see him, and to the south, where he hides himself so that I cannot see him.

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

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come out like gold.

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

My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept to his way and turned not aside.

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

I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.

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

But he is one of a kind, who can turn him back? What he desires, he does.

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

For he carries out his decree against me; there are many like them.

15 Et idcirco a facie eius turbatus sum, et considerans eum, timore solicitor.

Therefore, I am terrified in his presence; when I think about him, I am afraid of him.

16 Deus mollivit cor meum, et Omnipotens conturbavit me.

For God has made my heart weak; the Almighty has terrified me.

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

I have not been brought to an end by darkness, because of the thick darkness that covers the gloom of my face.