Job 23

1 Then Job answered and said,

Then Job replied again,

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

“Today I am again complaining bitterly/strongly [to God]; I [continue] groaning, but he [SYN] [continues to] (punish me/cause me to suffer).

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

I (wish that I knew/want to know) where I could meet/talk with him, so that I could go to the place where he lives.

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

If I could do that, I would tell him why [I know that] I am innocent; I would tell [MTY] to him all my (arguments/evidence [to show that I have not done what is evil]).

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

Then I would find out what he would reply to me [DOU].

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

Would he use his great power to argue with me? No, he would listen to me carefully.

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

I am (an honest/a righteous) man; so I would be able to discuss things with him [fairly], and then he would declare that I am innocent, [and that decision would endure] forever.

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

“But, I have gone to the east, and he is not there; I have gone to the west, but I have not found him there.

9 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.

I have gone north and I have gone south, but I have not seen him anywhere.

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

But he knows how I have conducted my life; and when he has finished testing me, [he] will [see that] I [am] as pure as [SIM] gold [whose impurities have all been burned out].

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

I [SYN] have faithfully walked on the path that he showed me; I have not stopped [obeying] him.

12 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.

I have always obeyed what he [SYN] commanded; I have treasured the words that he has spoken.

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

“He never changes. There is no one who can [RHQ] stop him [from doing what he desires]. Whatever he wants to do, he does.

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

And he will finish doing for me the things that he has planned for me; [and I am sure that] he has thought about doing many things for me.

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

So I am terrified in his presence; when I think [about what he can do], I am very afraid [DOU].

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

Almighty God has caused me [SYN] to feel terrified [DOU].

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

[It is as though] there is only thick darkness in front of me, but it is God that I am afraid of, not the darkness.”