Job 23

1 And Job answers and says:

Then Job answered and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 Therefore, I am troubled at His presence, I consider, and 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 And God has made my heart soft, And the Mighty has troubled me.

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

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

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