Job 23

1 Then answered Job, and said,

Then Job answered and said,

2 Even now is my complaint bitter: my suffering is heavier than my groans.

“Even today my complaint is bitter; my hand is heavy because of my groaning.

3 Oh who would grant that I knew where I might find him! that I might attain to his Judgment throne!

Oh, that I knew where I might find him! Oh, that I might come to his place!

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

I would lay my case in order before him and fill my mouth with arguments.

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

I would learn the words with which he would answer me and would understand what he would say to me.

6 Would he with his power contend against me? he would truly not lay such doings to my charge.

Would he argue against me in the greatness of his power? No, he would pay attention to me.

7 There would an upright one argue with him; and I should be allowed to escape for ever by my judge.

There the upright person might argue with him. In this way I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

8 But, lo, I go eastward—and he is not there; and to the west— and I cannot perceive him;

See, I go eastward, but he is not there, and westward, but I cannot perceive him.

9 When he doth great things at the north, I behold him not; he hideth himself in the south—and I see him not.

To the north, where he is at work, but I cannot see him, and to the south, where he hides himself so that I cannot see him.

10 But he knoweth the way that I take: were he to probe me, I should come forth as gold.

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come out like gold.

11 On his steps my foot hath held fast: his way have I kept, and swerved not.

My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept to his way and turned not aside.

12 From the commandment of his lips have I also not moved away: as a fixed statute for me have I treasured up the sayings of his mouth.

I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.

13 But he is unchangeably one, and who can turn him? And what his will desireth, even that he doth.

But he is one of a kind, who can turn him back? What he desires, he does.

14 For he will bring to completion what hath been destined for me: and like these hath he many other things with him.

For he carries out his decree against me; there are many like them.

15 Therefore am I terrified at his presence: I will reflect, and be in dread of him.

Therefore, I am terrified in his presence; when I think about him, I am afraid of him.

16 Still God hath made timid my heart, and the Almighty hath terrified me;

For God has made my heart weak; the Almighty has terrified me.

17 Because I was not destroyed before this darkness, and because he hath not hidden from my face [this] gloom.

I have not been brought to an end by darkness, because of the thick darkness that covers the gloom of my face.