Joba 23

1 Hoe ty natoi’ Iobe:

Then Job answered and said,

2 Mafaitse ty toreoko henaneo, taña-miletraletra ty amy hatreontreoko.

Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

3 Ehe te napotako ty hahatreavako Aze, hiheovako mb’am-piambesa’e mb’eo.

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

4 Halahako aolo’e eo ty amako, vaho hatsafeko veroke ty vavako.

I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 Ho azoko ty entañe havale’e ahy, vaho ho rendreko ty hitsara’e.

I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

6 Hatreatré’e ami’ty hara’elahin-kaozara’e hao? Aiy, f’ie ho haoñe’e.

Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

7 Mete hilahatse ama’e ty vañoñe, hamotsorañe ahy nainai’e amy Mpizakakoy.

There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

8 Hehe te mionjon-draho, f’ie tsy eo, midisa-voly, fa tsy isako,

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

9 ie mitoloñ’an-kavia, tsy treako, ie mitolike mb’àn-kavana, tsy rendreko.

On the left hand, where he does work, but I cannot behold him: he hides himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

10 Fe arofoana’e ty lala fombàko, ie fa nitsoeha’e le hiboake hoe volamena.

But he knows the way that I take: when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 Nahafitinoñe i lia’ey ty tomboko, nifaharako i lala’ey vaho tsy nitsile.

My foot has held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 Tsy nisitahako o nafèm-pivimbi’eo; nahajako o tsaram-palie’eo mandikoatse ty anjara rimako.

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

13 F’ie tsy roe tsy telo, ia ty hampitolik’ aze? anoe’e iaby ze satrin’arofo’e.

But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desires, even that he does.

14 Ie ro mañeneke o atolots’ ahikoo: maro ty fanoe’e hoe zay.

For he performs the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

15 Aa le hirevendreven-draho añ’atrefa’e eo; zaho mitsakore, le añeveñako.

Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

16 Ampianifan’ Añahare ty troko, ampangebahebae’ i El-Sadai,

For God makes my heart soft, and the Almighty troubles me:

17 Toe tsy naitoañ’ añatrefa’ i ieñey raho, naho nisaroña’e an-tareheko i fimoromoroñañey.

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither has he covered the darkness from my face.