1 And Job answereth and saith: --

1 וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Also -- to-day `is' my complaint bitter, My hand hath been heavy because of my sighing.

2 גַּם־הַ֭יֹּום מְרִ֣י שִׂחִ֑י יָ֝דִ֗י כָּבְדָ֥ה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי׃

3 O that I had known -- and I find Him, I come in unto His seat,

3 מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ אָ֝בֹ֗וא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֹֽו׃

4 I arrange before Him the cause, And my mouth fill `with' arguments.

4 אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה לְפָנָ֣יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝פִ֗י אֲמַלֵּ֥א תֹוכָחֹֽות׃

5 I know the words He doth answer me, And understand what He saith to me.

5 אֵ֭דְעָה מִלִּ֣ים יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְ֝אָבִ֗ינָה מַה־יֹּ֥אמַר לִֽי׃

6 In the abundance of power doth He strive with me? No! surely He putteth `it' in me.

6 הַבְּרָב־כֹּ֖חַ יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י לֹ֥א אַךְ־ה֝֗וּא יָשִׂ֥ם בִּֽי׃

7 There the upright doth reason with Him, And I escape for ever from my judge.

7 שָׁ֗ם יָ֭שָׁר נֹוכָ֣ח עִמֹּ֑ו וַאֲפַלְּטָ֥ה לָ֝נֶ֗צַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃

8 Lo, forward I go -- and He is not, And backward -- and I perceive him not.

8 הֵ֤ן קֶ֣דֶם אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וְ֝אָחֹ֗ור וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֹֽו׃

9 `To' the left in His working -- and I see not, He is covered `on' the right, and I behold not.

9 שְׂמֹ֣אול בַּעֲשֹׂתֹ֣ו וְלֹא־אָ֑חַז יַעְטֹ֥ף יָ֝מִ֗ין וְלֹ֣א אֶרְאֶֽה׃

10 For He hath known the way with me, He hath tried me -- as gold I go forth.

10 כִּֽי־יָ֭דַע דֶּ֣רֶךְ עִמָּדִ֑י בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִי כַּזָּהָ֥ב אֵצֵֽא׃

11 On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside,

11 בַּ֭אֲשֻׁרֹו אָחֲזָ֣ה רַגְלִ֑י דַּרְכֹּ֖ו שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט׃

12 The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.

12 מִצְוַ֣ת פָתָיו וְלֹ֣א אָמִ֑ישׁ מֵ֝חֻקִּ֗י צָפַ֥נְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו׃

13 And He `is' in one `mind', And who doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired -- and He doth `it'.

13 וְה֣וּא בְ֭אֶחָד וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ וְנַפְשֹׁ֖ו אִוְּתָ֣ה וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃

14 For He doth complete my portion, And many such things `are' with Him.

14 כִּ֭י יַשְׁלִ֣ים חֻקִּ֑י וְכָהֵ֖נָּה רַבֹּ֣ות עִמֹּֽו׃

15 Therefore, from His presence I am troubled, I consider, and am afraid of Him.

15 עַל־כֵּ֭ן מִפָּנָ֣יו אֶבָּהֵ֑ל אֶ֝תְבֹּונֵ֗ן וְאֶפְחַ֥ד מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

16 And God hath made my heart soft, And the Mighty hath troubled me.

16 וְ֭אֵל הֵרַ֣ךְ לִבִּ֑י וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃

17 For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.

17 כִּֽי־לֹ֣א נִ֭צְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל׃