Job 23

וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered:

Then Job answered and said,

גַּם־הַ֭יּוֹם מְרִ֣י שִׂחִ֑י יָ֝דִ֗י כָּבְדָ֥ה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃

“Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.

Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ אָ֝ב֗וֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃

If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה לְפָנָ֣יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝פִ֗י אֲמַלֵּ֥א תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃

I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

אֵ֭דְעָה מִלִּ֣ים יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְ֝אָבִ֗ינָה מַה־יֹּ֥אמַר לִֽי׃

I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say.

I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

הַבְּרָב־כֹּ֭חַ יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י לֹ֥א אַךְ־ה֝֗וּא יָשִׂ֥ם בִּֽי׃

Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.

Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

שָׁ֗ם יָ֭שָׁר נוֹכָ֣ח עִמּ֑וֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָ֥ה לָ֝נֶ֗צַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃

Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

הֵ֤ן קֶ֣דֶם אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וְ֝אָח֗וֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֽוֹ׃

If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot find Him.

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

שְׂמֹ֣אול בַּעֲשֹׂת֣וֹ וְלֹא־אָ֑חַז יַעְטֹ֥ף יָ֝מִ֗ין וְלֹ֣א אֶרְאֶֽה׃

When He is at work in the north, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the south, I cannot see Him.

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

כִּֽי־יָ֭דַע דֶּ֣רֶךְ עִמָּדִ֑י בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִי כַּזָּהָ֥ב אֵצֵֽא׃

Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

בַּ֭אֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָ֣ה רַגְלִ֑י דַּרְכּ֖וֹ שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃

My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.

My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

מִצְוַ֣ת שְׂ֭פָתָיו וְלֹ֣א אָמִ֑ישׁ מֵ֝חֻקִּ֗י צָפַ֥נְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃

I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

וְה֣וּא בְ֭אֶחָד וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ אִוְּתָ֣ה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃

But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires.

But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

כִּ֭י יַשְׁלִ֣ים חֻקִּ֑י וְכָהֵ֖נָּה רַבּ֣וֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃

For He carries out His decree against me, and He has many such plans.

For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

עַל־כֵּ֭ן מִפָּנָ֣יו אֶבָּהֵ֑ל אֶ֝תְבּוֹנֵ֗ן וְאֶפְחַ֥ד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I fear Him.

Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

וְ֭אֵל הֵרַ֣ךְ לִבִּ֑י וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃

God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.

For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

כִּֽי־לֹ֣א נִ֭צְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃

Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.