Job 23
1 Then Job answered and said,
Alors Job prit la parole et dit:
2 Yes, I know that pleading is out of my reach; and his hand has been made heavy upon my groaning.
Oui, aujourd’hui ma plainte est amère, et pourtant ma main retient mes soupirs.
3 Who would then know that I might find him, and come to an end [of the matter]?
Oh! Qui me donnera de savoir où le trouver, d’arriver jusqu’à son trône!
4 And I would plead my own cause, and he would fill my mouth with arguments.
Je plaiderais ma cause devant lui, et je remplirais ma bouche d’arguments.
5 And I would know the remedies which he would speak to me, and I would perceive what he would tell me.
Je saurais les raisons qu’il peut m’opposer, je verrais ce qu’il peut avoir à me dire.
6 Though he should come on me in [his] great strength, then he would not threaten me;
M’opposerait-il la grandeur de sa puissance? Ne jetterait-il pas au moins les yeux sur moi?
7 for truth and reproof are from him; and he would bring forth my judgement to an end.
Alors l’innocent discuterait avec lui, et je m’en irais absous pour toujours par mon juge.
8 For if I shall go first, and exist no longer, still what do I know [concerning] the latter end?
Mais si je vais à l’orient, il n’y est pas; à l’occident, je ne l’aperçois pas.
9 When he wrought on the left hand, then I observed [it] not: his right hand shall encompass me but I shall not see [it].
Est-il occupé au septentrion, je ne le vois pas; se cache-t-il au midi, je ne puis le découvrir.
10 For he knows already my way; and he has tried me as gold.
Cependant il connaît les sentiers où je marche; qu’il m’examine, je sortirai pur comme l’or.
11 And I will go forth according to his commandments, for I have kept his ways; and I shall not turn aside from his commandments,
Mon pied a toujours foulé ses traces; je me suis tenu dans sa voie sans dévier.
12 neither shall I transgress; but I have hid his words in my bosom.
Je ne me suis pas écarté des préceptes de ses lèvres; j’ai fait plier ma volonté aux paroles de sa bouche.
13 And if too he has thus judged, who is he that has contradicted, for he has both willed [a thing] and done it.
Mais il a une pensée: qui l’en fera revenir? Ce qu’il désire, il l’exécute.
Il accomplira donc ce qu’il a décrété à mon sujet, et de pareils desseins, il en a beaucoup.
15 Therefore am I troubled at him; and when I was reproved, I thought of him. Therefore let me take good heed before him: I will consider, and be afraid of him.
Voilà pourquoi je me trouble en sa présence; quand j’y pense, j’ai peur de lui.
16 But the Lord has softened my heart, and the Almighty has troubled me.
Dieu fait fondre mon cœur; le Tout-Puissant me remplit d’effroi.
17 For I knew not that darkness would come upon me, and thick darkness has covered [me] before my face.
Car ce ne sont pas les ténèbres qui me consument, ni l’obscurité dont ma face est voilée.
