1ויען איוב ויאמר׃
1And Job answered and said,
2גם היום מרי שחי ידי כבדה על אנחתי׃
2Even to-day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3מי יתן ידעתי ואמצאהו אבוא עד תכונתו׃
3Oh that I knew where I might find him, that I might come to his seat!
4אערכה לפניו משפט ופי אמלא תוכחות׃
4I would order the cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments;
5אדעה מלים יענני ואבינה מה יאמר לי׃
5I would know the words he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
6הברב כח יריב עמדי לא אך הוא ישם בי׃
6Would he plead against me with [his] great power? Nay; but he would give heed unto me.
7שם ישר נוכח עמו ואפלטה לנצח משפטי׃
7There would an upright man reason with him; and I should be delivered for ever from my judge.
8הן קדם אהלך ואיננו ואחור ולא אבין לו׃
8Lo, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I do not perceive him;
9שמאול בעשתו ולא אחז יעטף ימין ולא אראה׃
9On the left hand, where he doth work, but I behold [him] not; he hideth himself on the right hand, and I see [him] not.
10כי ידע דרך עמדי בחנני כזהב אצא׃
10But he knoweth the way that I take; he trieth me, I shall come forth as gold.
11באשרו אחזה רגלי דרכו שמרתי ולא אט׃
11My foot hath held to his steps; his way have I kept, and not turned aside.
12מצות שפתיו ולא אמיש מחקי צפנתי אמרי פיו׃
12Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have laid up the words of his mouth more than the purpose of my own heart.
13והוא באחד ומי ישיבנו ונפשו אותה ויעש׃
13But he is in one [mind], and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, that will he do.
14כי ישלים חקי וכהנה רבות עמו׃
14For he will perform [what] is appointed for me; and many such things are with him.
15על כן מפניו אבהל אתבונן ואפחד ממנו׃
15Therefore am I troubled at his presence; I consider, and I am afraid of him.
16ואל הרך לבי ושדי הבהילני׃
16For ùGod hath made my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me;
17כי לא נצמתי מפני חשך ומפני כסה אפל׃
17Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he hidden the gloom from me.