Job 23
1 Respondens autem Iob, ait:
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 Nunc quoque in amaritudine est sermo meus, et manus plagae meae aggravata est super gemitum meum.
Also — to-day [is] my complaint bitter, My hand hath been heavy because of my sighing.
3 Quis mihi tribuat ut cognoscam et inveniam illum, et veniam usque ad solium eius?
O that I had known — and I find Him, I come in unto His seat,
4 Ponam coram eo iudicium, et os meum replebo increpationibus.
I arrange before Him the cause, And my mouth fill [with] arguments.
5 Ut sciam verba, quae mihi respondeat, et intelligam quid loquatur mihi.
I know the words He doth answer me, And understand what He saith to me.
6 Nolo multa fortitudine contendat mecum, nec magnitudinis suae mole me premat.
In the abundance of power doth He strive with me? No! surely He putteth [it] in me.
7 Proponat aequitatem contra me, et perveniet ad victoriam iudicium meum.
There the upright doth reason with Him, And I escape for ever from my judge.
8 Si ad Orientem iero, non apparet: si ad Occidentem, non intelligam eum.
Lo, forward I go — and He is not, And backward — and I perceive him not.
9 Si ad sinistram, quid agam? non apprehendam eum: si me vertam ad dexteram, non videbo illum.
[To] the left in His working — and I see not, He is covered [on] the right, and I behold not.
10 Ipse vero scit viam meam, et probavit me quasi aurum, quod per ignem transit:
For He hath known the way with me, He hath tried me — as gold I go forth.
11 Vestigia eius secutus est pes meus, viam eius custodivi, et non declinavi ex ea.
On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside,
12 A mandatis labiorum eius non recessi, et in sinu meo abscondi verba oris eius.
The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.
13 Ipse enim solus est, et nemo avertere potest cogitationem eius: et anima eius quodcumque voluit, hoc fecit.
And He [is] in one [mind], And who doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired — and He doth [it].
14 Cum expleverit in me voluntatem suam, et alia multa similia praesto sunt ei.
For He doth complete my portion, And many such things [are] with Him.
15 Et idcirco a facie eius turbatus sum, et considerans eum, timore solicitor.
Therefore, from His presence I am troubled, I consider, and am afraid of Him.
16 Deus mollivit cor meum, et Omnipotens conturbavit me.
And God hath made my heart soft, And the Mighty hath troubled me.
17 Non enim perii propter imminentes tenebras, nec faciem meam operuit caligo.
For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.
