1 וַיַּעַן אִיֹּוב וַיֹּאמַר | 1 Again Job answered and said: |
2 גַּם־הַיֹּום מְרִי שִׂחִי יָדִי כָּבְדָה עַל־אַנְחָתִי | 2 Though I know my complaint is bitter, his hand is heavy upon me in my groanings. |
3 מִי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבֹוא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֹו | 3 Oh, that today I might find him, that I might come to his judgment seat! |
4 אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תֹוכָחֹות | 4 I would set out my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments; |
5 אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר לִי | 5 I would learn the words with which he would answer, and understand what he would reply to me. |
6 הַבְּרָב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּי | 6 Even should he contend against me with his great power, yet, would that he himself might heed me! |
7 שָׁם יָשָׁר נֹוכָח עִמֹּו וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִי | 7 There the upright man might reason with him, and I should once and for all preserve my rights. |
8 הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחֹור וְלֹא־אָבִין לֹו | 8 But if I go to the east, he is not there; or to the west, I cannot perceive him; |
9 שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתֹו וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶה | 9 Where the north enfolds him, I behold him not; by the south he is veiled, and I see him not. |
10 כִּי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵא | 10 Yet he knows my way; if he proved me, I should come forth as gold. |
11 בַּאֲשֻׁרֹו אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכֹּו שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָט | 11 My foot has always walked in his steps; his way I have kept and have not turned aside. |
12 מִצְוַת פָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִיו | 12 From the commands of his lips I have not departed; the words of his mouth I have treasured in my heart. |
13 וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשֹׁו אִוְּתָה וַיָּעַשׂ | 13 But he had decided, and who can say him nay? What he desires, that he does. |
14 כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבֹּות עִמֹּו | 14 For he will carry out what is appointed for me; and many such things may yet be in his mind. |
15 עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבֹּונֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּנּוּ | 15 Therefore am I dismayed before him; when I take thought, I fear him. |
16 וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָנִי | 16 Indeed God has made my courage fail; the Almighty has put me in dismay. |
17 כִּי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹפֶל | 17 Yes, would that I had vanished in darkness, and that thick gloom were before me to conceal me. |