Job 23

1 Then Job answered and said,

Then Job replied again,

2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than 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 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even 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 order my cause 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 know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.

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

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

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

7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever 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 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive 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 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:

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

10 But he knows the way that I take: when he has tried me, I shall 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 foot has held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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