23:1

וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַר׃

Then Job answered and said:

23:2

גַּם־הַיּוֹם מְרִי שִׂחִי יָדִי כָּבְדָה עַל־אַנְחָתִי׃

Even to-day is my complaint bitter; My hand is become heavy because of my groaning.

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23:3

מִי־יִתֵּן יָדַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵהוּ אָבוֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתוֹ׃

Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come even to His seat!

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23:4

אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תוֹכָחוֹת׃

I would order my cause before Him, And fill my mouth with arguments.

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23:5

אֵדְעָה מִלִּים יַעֲנֵנִי וְאָבִינָה מַה־יֹּאמַר לִי׃

I would know the words which He would answer me, And understand what He would say unto me.

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23:6

הַבְּרָב־כֹּחַ יָרִיב עִמָּדִי לֹא אַךְ־הוּא יָשִׂם בִּי׃

Would He contend with me in His great power? Nay; but He would give heed unto me.

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23:7

שָׁם יָשָׁר נוֹכָח עִמּוֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָה לָנֶצַח מִשֹּׁפְטִי׃

There the upright might reason with Him; So should I be delivered for ever from my Judge.

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23:8

הֵן קֶדֶם אֶהֱלֹךְ וְאֵינֶנּוּ וְאָחוֹר וְלֹא־אָבִין לוֹ׃

Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

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23:9

שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְלֹא־אָחַז יַעְטֹף יָמִין וְלֹא אֶרְאֶה׃

On the left hand, when He doth work, but I cannot behold Him, He turneth Himself to the right hand, but I cannot see Him.

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23:10

כִּי־יָדַע דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי בְּחָנַנִי כַּזָּהָב אֵצֵא׃

For He knoweth the way that I take; When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

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23:11

בַּאֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָה רַגְלִי דַּרְכּוֹ שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא־אָט׃

My foot hath held fast to His steps, His way have I kept, and turned not aside.

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23:12

מִצְוַת שְׂפָתָיו וְלֹא אָמִישׁ מֵחֻקִּי צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִיו׃

I have not gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured up the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

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23:13

וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אִוְּתָה וַיָּעַשׂ׃

But He is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desireth, even that He doeth. .

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23:14

כִּי יַשְׁלִים חֻקִּי וְכָהֵנָּה רַבּוֹת עִמּוֹ׃

For He will perform that which is appointed for me; And many such things are with Him.

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23:15

עַל־כֵּן מִפָּנָיו אֶבָּהֵל אֶתְבּוֹנֵן וְאֶפְחַד מִמֶּנּוּ׃

Therefore am I affrighted at His presence; When I consider, I am afraid of Him.

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23:16

וְאֵל הֵרַךְ לִבִּי וְשַׁדַּי הִבְהִילָנִי׃

Yea, God hath made my heart faint, And the Almighty hath affrighted me;

23:17

כִּי־לֹא נִצְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹשֶׁךְ וּמִפָּנַי כִּסָּה־אֹפֶל׃

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, Neither did He cover the thick darkness from my face.

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