Job 23

1 And Job answers and says:

Then Job answered by saying:

2 “Also—today my complaint [is] bitter, My hand has been heavy because of my sighing.

Now again my conversation is in bitterness, and the force of my scourging weighs more heavily on me because of my mourning.

3 O that I had known—and I find Him, I come to His seat,

Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and that I may approach even to his throne?

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

I would place judgment before his eye, and my mouth would fill with criticism,

5 I know the words He answers me, And understand what He says to me.

so that I may know the words that he will answer me and understand what he will say to me.

6 Does He strive with me in the abundance of power? No! Surely He puts [it] in me.

I do not want him to contend with me with much strength, nor to overwhelm me with the bulk of his greatness.

7 There the upright reason with Him, And I escape from mine who is judging—forever.

Let him show fairness in response to me, and let my judgment reach to victory.

8 Behold, I go forward—and He is not, And backward—and I do not perceive Him.

If I go to the east, he does not appear; if I go to the west, I will not understand him.

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

If I turn to the left, what can I do? I will not take hold of him. If I turn myself to the right, I will not see him.

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

Truly, he knows my way and has tested me like gold that passes through fire.

11 My foot has laid hold on His step, I have kept His way, and do not turn aside,

My feet have been following his footsteps; I have kept to his way and have not strayed from it.

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

I have not withdrawn from the commands of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hidden in my sinews.

13 And He [is] in one [mind], And who turns Him back? And His soul has desired—and He does [it].

For he is alone, and no one is able to disturb his intention; and whatever his spirit wills, that he accomplishes.

14 For He completes my portion, And many such things [are] with Him.

And when he fulfills his will in me, many other similar ones will also be present with him.

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

And, for this reason, I have been troubled at his presence, and, when I consider him, I am approached by fear.

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

God has weakened my heart, and the Almighty has confused me.

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

Yet I have not perished because of the threatening darkness, nor has gloom covered my face.