1 וַיַּעַן אִיֹּוב וַיֹּאמַר | 1 Then Job answered, and said: |
2 גַּם־הַיֹּום מְרִי שִׂחִי יָדִי כָּבְדָה עַל־אַנְחָתִי | 2 Now also my words are in bitterness, and the hand of my scourge is more grievous than my mourning. |
3 מִי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבֹוא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֹו | 3 Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and come even to his throne? |
4 אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תֹוכָחֹות | 4 I would set judgment before him, and would fill my mouth with complaints. |
5 אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר לִי | 5 That I might know the words that he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me. |
6 הַבְּרָב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּי | 6 I would not that he should contend with me with much strength, nor overwhelm me with the weight of his greatness. |
7 שָׁם יָשָׁר נֹוכָח עִמֹּו וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִי | 7 Let him propose equity against me, and let my judgment come to victory. |
8 הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחֹור וְלֹא־אָבִין לֹו | 8 But if I go to the east, he appeareth not; if to the west, I shall not understand him. |
9 שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתֹו וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶה | 9 If to the left hand, what shall I do? I shall not take hold on him: if I turn myself to the right hand, I shall not see him. |
10 כִּי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵא | 10 But he knoweth my way, and has tried me as gold that passeth through the fire: |
11 בַּאֲשֻׁרֹו אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכֹּו שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָט | 11 My foot hath followed his steps, I have kept his way, and have not declined from it. |
12 מִצְוַת פָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִיו | 12 I have not departed from the commandments of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hid in my bosom. |
13 וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשֹׁו אִוְּתָה וַיָּעַשׂ | 13 For he is alone, and no man can turn away his thought: and whatsoever is soul hath desired, that hath he done. |
14 כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבֹּות עִמֹּו | 14 And when he shall have fulfilled his will in me, many other like things are also at hand with him. |
15 עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבֹּונֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּנּוּ | 15 And therefore I am troubled at his presence, and when I consider him I am made pensive with fear. |
16 וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָנִי | 16 God hath softened my heart, and the Almighty hath troubled me. |
17 כִּי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹפֶל | 17 For I have not perished because of the darkness that hangs over me, neither hath the mist covered my face. |