Job 23

1 Then Job answered and said,

And Job answereth and saith: —

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

Also — to-day [is] my complaint bitter, My hand hath been heavy because of my sighing.

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

O that I had known — and I find Him, I come in unto His seat,

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

I arrange before Him the cause, And my mouth fill [with] arguments.

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

I know the words He doth answer me, And understand what He saith to me.

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

In the abundance of power doth He strive with me? No! surely He putteth [it] in me.

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

There the upright doth reason with Him, And I escape for ever from my judge.

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

Lo, forward I go — and He is not, And backward — and I perceive him not.

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:

[To] the left in His working — and I see not, He is covered [on] the right, and I behold not.

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

For He hath known the way with me, He hath tried me — as gold I go forth.

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

On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside,

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.

The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.

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

And He [is] in one [mind], And who doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired — and He doth [it].

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

For He doth complete my portion, And many such things [are] with Him.

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

Therefore, from His presence I am troubled, I consider, and am afraid of Him.

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

And God hath made my heart soft, And the Mighty hath troubled me.

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

For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.