Job 23

1 And Job answereth and saith: —

Bvt Iob answered and sayd,

2 Also — to-day [is] my complaint bitter, My hand hath 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 in unto His seat,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up 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 doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired — and He doth [it].

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

14 For He doth complete 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, from His presence I am troubled, 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 hath made my heart soft, And the Mighty hath 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.