Job 23

1 Then Job answered:

Then Job replied again,

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

“Today I am again complaining bitterly/strongly [to God]; I [continue] groaning, but he [SYN] [continues to] (punish me/cause me to suffer).

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

I (wish that I knew/want to know) where I could meet/talk with him, so that I could go to the place where he lives.

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

If I could do that, I would tell him why [I know that] I am innocent; I would tell [MTY] to him all my (arguments/evidence [to show that I have not done what is evil]).

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

Then I would find out what he would reply to me [DOU].

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

Would he use his great power to argue with me? No, he would listen to me carefully.

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

I am (an honest/a righteous) man; so I would be able to discuss things with him [fairly], and then he would declare that I am innocent, [and that decision would endure] forever.

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

“But, I have gone to the east, and he is not there; I have gone to the west, but I have not found him there.

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

I have gone north and I have gone south, but I have not seen him anywhere.

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

But he knows how I have conducted my life; and when he has finished testing me, [he] will [see that] I [am] as pure as [SIM] gold [whose impurities have all been burned out].

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

I [SYN] have faithfully walked on the path that he showed me; I have not stopped [obeying] him.

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 always obeyed what he [SYN] commanded; I have treasured the words that he has spoken.

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

“He never changes. There is no one who can [RHQ] stop him [from doing what he desires]. Whatever he wants to do, he does.

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

And he will finish doing for me the things that he has planned for me; [and I am sure that] he has thought about doing many things for me.

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

So I am terrified in his presence; when I think [about what he can do], I am very afraid [DOU].

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

Almighty God has caused me [SYN] to feel terrified [DOU].

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

[It is as though] there is only thick darkness in front of me, but it is God that I am afraid of, not the darkness.”