איוב 23

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered and said,

2 גַּם־הַיּוֹם מְרִי שִׂחִי יָדִי כָּבְדָה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃

“Even today my complaint is bitter; my hand is heavy because of my groaning.

3 מִֽי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבוֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃

Oh, that I knew where I might find him! Oh, that I might come to his place!

4 אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃

I would lay my case in order before him and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר לִֽי׃

I would learn the words with which he would answer me and would understand what he would say to me.

6 הַבְּרָב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּֽי׃

Would he argue against me in the greatness of his power? No, he would pay attention to me.

7 שָׁם יָשָׁר נוֹכָח עִמּוֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃

There the upright person might argue with him. In this way I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

8 הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחוֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִין לֽוֹ׃

See, I go eastward, but he is not there, and westward, but I cannot perceive him.

9 שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶֽה׃

To the north, where he is at work, but I cannot see him, and to the south, where he hides himself so that I cannot see him.

10 כִּֽי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵֽא׃

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come out like gold.

11 בַּאֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכּוֹ שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃

My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept to his way and turned not aside.

12 מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃

I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.

13 וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אִוְּתָה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃

But he is one of a kind, who can turn him back? What he desires, he does.

14 כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃

For he carries out his decree against me; there are many like them.

15 עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבּוֹנֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Therefore, I am terrified in his presence; when I think about him, I am afraid of him.

16 וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃

For God has made my heart weak; the Almighty has terrified me.

17 כִּֽי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃

I have not been brought to an end by darkness, because of the thick darkness that covers the gloom of my face.