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.

Even to day [is] my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

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

Oh that I knew where I might find him! [that] I might come [even] to his seat!

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 would know the words [which] he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

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

Will 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 dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

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

Behold, I go forward, but he [is] not [there; ] and backward, 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.

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold [him: ] he hideth himself on the right hand, that 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 that I take: [when] he hath tried 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 foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and 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.

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary [food].

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] in one [mind], and who can turn him? and [what] his soul desireth, even [that] he doeth.

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

For he performeth [the thing that is] appointed for me: and many such [things are] with him.

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

Therefore am I troubled at his presence: 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 soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

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

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, [neither] hath he covered the darkness from my face.