Job 23 אִיּוֹב

¹וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

vayya'an iyyov vayyomar

1Then Job answered and said:

²גַּם־הַ֭יּוֹם מְרִ֣י שִׂחִ֑י יָ֝דִ֗י כָּבְדָ֥ה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃

gam-hayyom meri sichi yadi kavda al-anchati

2Even to-day is my complaint bitter; My hand is become heavy because of my groaning.

³מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ אָ֝ב֗וֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃

mi-yitten yada'ti ve'emtza'ehu avo ad-tekhunato

3Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come even to His seat!

⁴אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה לְפָנָ֣יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝פִ֗י אֲמַלֵּ֥א תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃

e'erkha lefanav mishpat ufi amalle tokhachot

4I would order my cause before Him, And fill my mouth with arguments.

⁵אֵ֭דְעָה מִלִּ֣ים יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְ֝אָבִ֗ינָה מַה־יֹּ֥אמַר לִֽי׃

ed'a millim ya'aneni ve'avina ma-yomar li

5I would know the words which He would answer me, And understand what He would say unto me.

⁶הַבְּרָב־כֹּ֭חַ יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י לֹ֥א אַךְ־ה֝֗וּא יָשִׂ֥ם בִּֽי׃

habberav-koach yariv immadi lo akh-hu yasim bi

6Would He contend with me in His great power? Nay; but He would give heed unto me.

⁷שָׁ֗ם יָ֭שָׁר נוֹכָ֣ח עִמּ֑וֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָ֥ה לָ֝נֶ֗צַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃

sham yashar nokhach immo va'afalleta lanetzach mishofti

7There the upright might reason with Him; So should I be delivered for ever from my Judge.

⁸הֵ֤ן קֶ֣דֶם אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וְ֝אָח֗וֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֽוֹ׃

hen kedem ehelokh ve'enennu ve'achor velo-avin lo

8Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

⁹שְׂמֹ֣אול בַּעֲשֹׂת֣וֹ וְלֹא־אָ֑חַז יַעְטֹ֥ף יָ֝מִ֗ין וְלֹ֣א אֶרְאֶֽה׃

semovl ba'asoto velo-achaz ya'tof yamin velo er'e

9On the left hand, when He doth work, but I cannot behold Him, He turneth Himself to the right hand, but I cannot see Him.

¹⁰כִּֽי־יָ֭דַע דֶּ֣רֶךְ עִמָּדִ֑י בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִי כַּזָּהָ֥ב אֵצֵֽא׃

ki-yada' derekh immadi bechanani kazzahav etze

10For He knoweth the way that I take; When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

¹¹בַּ֭אֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָ֣ה רַגְלִ֑י דַּרְכּ֖וֹ שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃

ba'ashuro achaza ragli darko shamarti velo-at

11My foot hath held fast to His steps, His way have I kept, and turned not aside.

¹²מִצְוַ֣ת שְׂ֭פָתָיו וְלֹ֣א אָמִ֑ישׁ מֵ֝חֻקִּ֗י צָפַ֥נְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃

mitzvat sefatav velo amish mechukki tzafanti imre-fiv

12I have not gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured up the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

¹³וְה֣וּא בְ֭אֶחָד וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ אִוְּתָ֣ה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃

vehu ve'echad umi yeshivennu venafsho ivveta vayya'as

13But He is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desireth, even that He doeth. .

¹⁴כִּ֭י יַשְׁלִ֣ים חֻקִּ֑י וְכָהֵ֖נָּה רַבּ֣וֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃

ki yashlim chukki vekhahenna rabbot immo

14For He will perform that which is appointed for me; And many such things are with Him.

¹⁵עַל־כֵּ֭ן מִפָּנָ֣יו אֶבָּהֵ֑ל אֶ֝תְבּוֹנֵ֗ן וְאֶפְחַ֥ד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

al-ken mippanav ebbahel etbonen ve'efchad mimmennu

15Therefore am I affrighted at His presence; When I consider, I am afraid of Him.

¹⁶וְ֭אֵל הֵרַ֣ךְ לִבִּ֑י וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃

ve'el herakh libbi veshadday hivhilani

16Yea, God hath made my heart faint, And the Almighty hath affrighted me;

¹⁷כִּֽי־לֹ֣א נִ֭צְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃

ki-lo nitzmatti mippene-choshekh umippanay kissa-ofel

17Because I was not cut off before the darkness, Neither did He cover the thick darkness from my face.