Job 23

1 Then Job answered:

Then Job answered by saying:

2 “Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.

Now again my conversation is in bitterness, and the force of my scourging weighs more heavily on me because of my mourning.

3 If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.

Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and that I may approach even to his throne?

4 I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would place judgment before his eye, and my mouth would fill with criticism,

5 I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say.

so that I may know the words that he will answer me and understand what he will say to me.

6 Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.

I do not want him to contend with me with much strength, nor to overwhelm me with the bulk of his greatness.

7 Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

Let him show fairness in response to me, and let my judgment reach to victory.

8 If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot find Him.

If I go to the east, he does not appear; if I go to the west, I will not understand him.

9 When He is at work in the north, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the south, I cannot see Him.

If I turn to the left, what can I do? I will not take hold of him. If I turn myself to the right, I will not see him.

10 Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Truly, he knows my way and has tested me like gold that passes through fire.

11 My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.

My feet have been following his footsteps; I have kept to his way and have not strayed from it.

12 I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.

I have not withdrawn from the commands of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hidden in my sinews.

13 But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires.

For he is alone, and no one is able to disturb his intention; and whatever his spirit wills, that he accomplishes.

14 For He carries out His decree against me, and He has many such plans.

And when he fulfills his will in me, many other similar ones will also be present with him.

15 Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I fear Him.

And, for this reason, I have been troubled at his presence, and, when I consider him, I am approached by fear.

16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.

God has weakened my heart, and the Almighty has confused me.

17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

Yet I have not perished because of the threatening darkness, nor has gloom covered my face.