Job 23

1 And Job answereth and saith: —

Then Job answered:

2 Also — to-day [is] my complaint bitter, My hand hath been heavy because of my sighing.

“Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.

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

If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.

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

I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 I know the words He doth answer me, And understand what He saith to me.

I would learn how He would answer, and consider what He would say.

6 In the abundance of power doth He strive with me? No! surely He putteth [it] in me.

Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.

7 There the upright doth reason with Him, And I escape for ever from my judge.

Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

8 Lo, forward I go — and He is not, And backward — and I perceive him not.

If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot find Him.

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

When He is at work in the north, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the south, I cannot see Him.

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

Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

11 On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside,

My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.

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

I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.

13 And He [is] in one [mind], And who doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired — and He doth [it].

But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires.

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

For He carries out His decree against me, and He has many such plans.

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

Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I fear Him.

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

God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.

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

Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.