Job 23

1 Then Job answered and said,

Then Job answered and said,

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

Yes, I know that pleading is out of my reach; and his hand has been made heavy upon my groaning.

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

Who would then know that I might find him, and come to an end [of the matter]?

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

And I would plead my own cause, and he would fill my mouth with arguments.

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

And I would know the remedies which he would speak to me, and I would perceive what he would tell me.

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

Though he should come on me in [his] great strength, then he would not threaten me;

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

for truth and reproof are from him; and he would bring forth my judgement to an end.

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

For if I shall go first, and exist no longer, still what do I know [concerning] the latter end?

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:

When he wrought on the left hand, then I observed [it] not: his right hand shall encompass me but I shall not see [it].

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

For he knows already my way; and he has tried me as gold.

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

And I will go forth according to his commandments, for I have kept his ways; and I shall not turn aside from his commandments,

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.

neither shall I transgress; but I have hid his words in my bosom.

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

And if too he has thus judged, who is he that has contradicted, for he has both willed [a thing] and done it.

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

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

Therefore am I troubled at him; and when I was reproved, I thought of him. Therefore let me take good heed before him: I will consider, and be afraid of him.

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

But the Lord has softened my heart, and the Almighty has troubled me.

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

For I knew not that darkness would come upon me, and thick darkness has covered [me] before my face.