Job 23

1 And Job answers and says:

Bvt Iob answered and sayd,

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

Though my talke be this day in bitternes, and my plague greater then my groning,

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

Would God yet I knew how to finde him, I would enter vnto his place.

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

I would pleade the cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

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

I would knowe the wordes, that he would answere me, and would vnderstand what he would say vnto me.

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

Would he plead against me with his great power? No, but he would put strength in me.

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

There the righteous might reason with him, so I shoulde be deliuered for euer from my Iudge.

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

Behold, if I go to the East, he is not there: if to the West, yet I can not perceiue 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 to the North where he worketh, yet I cannot see him: he wil hide himselfe in the South, and I cannot beholde him.

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

But he knoweth my way, and trieth mee, and I shall come forth like the gold.

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

My foote hath followed his steps: his way haue I kept, and haue not declined.

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

Neyther haue I departed from the commandement of his lippes, and I haue esteemed the words of his mouth more then mine appointed foode.

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

Yet he is in one minde, and who can turne him? yea, he doeth what his minde desireth.

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

For he will performe that, which is decreed of me, and many such things are with him.

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

Therefore I am troubled at his presence, and in considering it, I am afraid of him.

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

For God hath softened mine heart, and the Almightie hath troubled me.

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

For I am not cut off in darknesse, but he hath hid the darkenesse from my face.