Job Longs for God

1  וַיַּ֥עַן (And answered) אִיּ֗וֹב (Job) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (and said):

2  גַּם־ (Even) הַ֭יּוֹם (this day) מְרִ֣י (is bitter) שִׂחִ֑י (my complaint).

יָ֝דִ֗י (My hand) כָּבְדָ֥ה (is heavy) עַל־ (upon) אַנְחָתִֽי׃ (my groaning).

3  מִֽי־ (Who) יִתֵּ֣ן (will grant) יָ֭דַעְתִּי (that I might know), וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ (and might find Him)

אָ֝ב֗וֹא (and come) עַד־ (unto) תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ׃ (His seat)!

4  אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה (I would set forth) לְפָנָ֣יו (to his face) מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (my case)

וּ֝פִ֗י (and my mouth) אֲמַלֵּ֥א (I would fill) תוֹכָחֽוֹת׃ (with arguments).

5  אֵ֭דְעָה (I would know) מִלִּ֣ים (the words) יַעֲנֵ֑נִי (He would answer me)

וְ֝אָבִ֗ינָה (and I would understand) מַה־ (what) יֹּ֥אמַר (He would say) לִֽי׃ (to me).

6  הַבְּרָב־ (In the abundance) כֹּ֭חַ (of power) יָרִ֣יב (would He contend) עִמָּדִ֑י (with me)?

לֹ֥א (No), אַךְ־ (surely) ה֝֗וּא (He) יָשִׂ֥ם (would set it) בִּֽי׃ (upon me).

7  שָׁ֗ם (There) יָ֭שָׁר (the upright) נוֹכָ֣ח (could argue) עִמּ֑וֹ (with Him),

וַאֲפַלְּטָ֥ה (and I would escape) לָ֝נֶ֗צַח (forever) מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי׃ (from the One judging me).

8  הֵ֤ן (Behold), קֶ֣דֶם (east) אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ (I go), וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ (and He is not there),

וְ֝אָח֗וֹר (and west), וְֽלֹא־ (and not) אָבִ֥ין (do I perceive) לֽוֹ׃ (Him).

9  שְׂמֹ֣אול (In the north), בַּעֲשֹׂת֣וֹ (in His working), וְלֹא־ (not) אָ֑חַז (do I behold Him);

יַעְטֹ֥ף (He turns) יָ֝מִ֗ין (to the south), וְלֹ֣א (and not) אֶרְאֶֽה׃ (do I see Him).

10  כִּֽי־ (Yet) יָ֭דַע (He knows) דֶּ֣רֶךְ (the way) עִמָּדִ֑י (with me);

בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִי (He has tested me) כַּזָּהָ֥ב (and like the gold)— אֵצֵֽא׃ (I will come forth).

11  בַּ֭אֲשֻׁרוֹ (By His steps) אָחֲזָ֣ה (has held firm) רַגְלִ֑י (my foot);

דַּרְכּ֖וֹ (His way) שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי (I have kept), וְלֹא־ (and not) אָֽט׃ (I have turned aside).

12  מִצְוַ֣ת (From the commandment) שְׂ֭פָתָיו (of His lips) וְלֹ֣א (and not) אָמִ֑ישׁ (I have departed);

מֵ֝חֻקִּ֗י (more than my portion) צָפַ֥נְתִּי (I have treasured) אִמְרֵי־ (the words) פִֽיו׃ (of His mouth).

13  וְה֣וּא (And He) בְ֭אֶחָד (is of one), וּמִ֣י (and who) יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ (can turn Him back)?

וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ (And His soul) אִוְּתָ֣ה (has desired), וַיָּֽעַשׂ׃ (and He has done).

14  כִּ֭י (For) יַשְׁלִ֣ים (He carries out) חֻקִּ֑י (what is appointed for me),

וְכָהֵ֖נָּה (and like these) רַבּ֣וֹת (are many) עִמּֽוֹ׃ (with Him).

15  עַל־ (For) כֵּ֭ן (thus) מִפָּנָ֣יו (before His face) אֶבָּהֵ֑ל (I am terrified);

אֶ֝תְבּוֹנֵ֗ן (I consider this) וְאֶפְחַ֥ד (and I am afraid) מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (of Him);

16  וְ֭אֵל (and God) הֵרַ֣ךְ (has softened) לִבִּ֑י (my heart)

וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י (and Shaddai) הִבְהִילָֽנִי׃ (has terrified me),

17  כִּֽי־ (For) לֹ֣א (not) נִ֭צְמַתִּי (I was cut off) מִפְּנֵי־ (from the face) חֹ֑שֶׁךְ (of darkness)

וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י (and before my face) כִּסָּה־ (He has covered) אֹֽפֶל׃ (the dark gloom).