Job 23

1 And Job answereth and saith: —

Then Job answered and said:

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

Still is my complaint bitter; But my wound is deeper than my groaning.

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

O that I knew where I might find him! That I might go before his throne!

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

I would order my 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 should know what he would answer me, And understand what he would say to me.

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

Would he contend with me with his mighty power? No! he would have regard to me.

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

Then would an upright man contend with him, And I should be fully acquitted by my judge.

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

But, behold, I go eastward, and he is not there; And westward, but I cannot perceive him;

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

To the north, where he worketh, but I cannot behold him; He hideth himself on the south, and I cannot see him.

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

But he knoweth the way which is in my heart; When he trieth me, I shall 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 trodden in his steps; His way I have kept, and have not turned aside 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 neglected the precepts of his lips; Above my own law have I esteemed the words of his mouth.

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 of one mind, and who can turn him? And what he desireth, that he doeth.

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

He performeth that which is appointed for me; And many such things are in his mind!

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

Therefore I am in terror on account of him; When I consider, I am afraid of him.

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

For God maketh my heart faint; Yea, the Almighty terrifieth me;

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

Because I was not taken away before darkness came, And he hath not hidden darkness from mine eyes.