Job 23

1 And Job answereth and saith: —

Then Job answered by saying:

2 Also — to-day [is] my complaint bitter, My hand hath 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 in unto 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 before Him the cause, And my mouth fill [with] arguments.

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

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

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

6 In the abundance of power doth He strive with me? No! surely He putteth [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 doth reason with Him, And I escape for ever from my judge.

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

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

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 see not, He is covered [on] the right, and I behold not.

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

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

11 On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not 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 depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up 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I have not withdrawn from the commands of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hidden in my sinews.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 doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired — and He doth [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 doth complete 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, from His presence I am troubled, 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 hath made my heart soft, And the Mighty hath 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.