Job 23

Job gets two chapters for his next speech. The next will follow later, but not too long. I had a look at my last work on this chapter and I think my present 10-year old self should talk more with my 4-year old self. There is a risk that I will simply make different mistakes today when I so-called 'correct' the mistakes of my youth! Let me not be 'too soon made glad'.

Job's longing is matched by God's ache. So I have left a question without a question mark for it is not a question but neither is it unanswerable. Ultimately it is in the teaching about incarnation that we can see something in which we all participate.

There's another book here too. The Mind of Christ, reflections on the character of the teaching of the Hebrew Scriptures. (I have no outline yet but how I would like to reframe that word Christ so it would be usable again and not simply short-circuit the mind to Christendom and Jesus as G-d, much though I love my Lord.)

... Nay, we'll go,
Together down, sir. Notice though, the nod
To the Trinity in Zechariah, (now there's a rarity).

When the critical word in Job is referee, it is difficult to put the word argument into the same root, for who argues with the referee and gets away with it...

O that I had paid more attention to languages, and I could wish for other things too, but precision is not the game, rather a cloud of possibilities, and a choice to seek and hold fast within them and in so doing, gain. The striving is not without reason or reward, and in itself, is not brazen.

With apologies to Browning.

Job 23		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר	1		And Job answered and said,	3e	3f	8
גַּם־הַ֭יּוֹם מְרִ֣י שִׂחִ֑י יָ֝דִ֗י כָּבְדָ֥ה עַל־אַנְחָתִֽי	2		Even today bitter is my pondering, my hand heavy on my sighing.	3e	4B	7 8
מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן יָ֭דַעְתִּי וְאֶמְצָאֵ֑הוּ אָ֝ב֗וֹא עַד־תְּכוּנָתֽוֹ	3		Who will let me know..., and I would find him. I would come to his establishment.	3e	4B	10 7
אֶעֶרְכָ֣ה לְפָנָ֣יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝פִ֗י אֲמַלֵּ֥א תוֹכָחֽוֹת	4		I would arrange judgment in his presence, and my mouth I would fill with arguments.	3e	4B	8 8
אֵ֭דְעָה מִלִּ֣ים יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְ֝אָבִ֗ינָה מַה־יֹּ֥אמַר לִֽי	5	g	I would know the speeches he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.	3e	4B	8 8
הַבְּרָב־כֹּ֭חַ‬ יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י לֹ֥א אַךְ־ה֝֗וּא יָשִׂ֥ם בִּֽי	6		In vast power, will he contend against me? No. Surely he himself would define me.	3e	4B	9 6
שָׁ֗ם יָ֭שָׁר נוֹכָ֣ח עִמּ֑וֹ וַאֲפַלְּטָ֥ה לָ֝נֶ֗צַח מִשֹּׁפְטִֽי	7	~	There the upright could argue with him, and I would be secure in perpetuity from my judge.	3e	4B	7 10
הֵ֤ן קֶ֣דֶם אֶהֱלֹ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וְ֝אָח֗וֹר וְֽלֹא־אָבִ֥ין לֽוֹ	8	C	Lo, advancing I walk and he is not, and rearguard? I do not discern him.	3e	4C	10 7
שְׂמֹ֣אול בַּעֲשֹׂת֣וֹ וְלֹא־אָ֑חַז יַעְטֹ֥ף יָ֝מִ֗ין וְלֹ֣א אֶרְאֶֽה	9		On the left hand in his deeds, and I have no vision. He is disabled on the right hand, and I do not see.	3e	4B	10 8
כִּֽי־יָ֭דַע דֶּ֣רֶךְ עִמָּדִ֑י בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִי כַּזָּהָ֥ב אֵצֵֽא	10		For he knows a way against me. He has tried me. As gold, I will come out.	3e	4B	7 9
בַּ֭אֲשֻׁרוֹ אָחֲזָ֣ה רַגְלִ֑י דַּרְכּ֖וֹ שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי וְלֹא־אָֽט	11	g	In his steps my foot has held fast. His way I have kept and I have not stretched,	3e	4B	9 8
מִצְוַ֣ת שְׂ֭פָתָיו וְלֹ֣א אָמִ֑ישׁ מֵ֝חֻקִּ֗י צָפַ֥נְתִּי אִמְרֵי־פִֽיו	12		the commandment of his lips. And I have not deviated. From my chest, I have treasured the promises of his mouth.	3e	4B	9 9
וְה֣וּא בְ֭אֶחָד וּמִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ אִוְּתָ֣ה וַיָּֽעַשׂ	13	B	And he is at one, so who will turn him back? And his being desires. So he acts.	3e	4B	11 8
כִּ֭י יַשְׁלִ֣ים חֻקִּ֑י וְכָהֵ֖נָּה רַבּ֣וֹת עִמּֽוֹ	14	g	For he repays my decree, and like these, many things are with him.	3e	4B	5 8
עַל־כֵּ֭ן מִפָּנָ֣יו אֶבָּהֵ֑ל אֶ֝תְבּוֹנֵ֗ן וְאֶפְחַ֥ד מִמֶּֽנּוּ	15		So before his face I am vexed. I understand and I am in dread from him.	3e	4B	8 9
וְ֭אֵל הֵרַ֣ךְ לִבִּ֑י וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י הִבְהִילָֽנִי	16	g	For the One tempers my heart, and the Sufficient vexes me.	3e	4B	6 7
כִּֽי־לֹ֣א נִ֭צְמַתִּי מִפְּנֵי־חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י כִּסָּה־אֹֽפֶל	17		For I was not annihilated in the face of darkness, and from my face he blindfolds gloom.	3e	4B	7 8