Job 23

1 Then Job answered:

Then Job answered and said,

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

Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

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

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

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

I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

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

I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

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

Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

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

There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

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

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

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

On the left hand, where he does work, but I cannot behold him: he hides himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

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

But he knows the way that I take: when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

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

My foot has held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

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

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

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

But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desires, even that he does.

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

For he performs the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

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

Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

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

For God makes my heart soft, and the Almighty troubles me:

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

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither has he covered the darkness from my face.