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Job Says He Longs for God

23 Then Job answered and said,


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

“Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might [even] come to His seat!

“I would present my cause before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.

“I would learn the words which He would answer,
And understand what He would say to me.

“Would He contend against me with His great power?
No, surely He would give attention to me.(A)

“There the righteous and upright could reason with Him;
So I would be acquitted forever by my Judge.


“Behold, I go forward (to the east), but He is not there;
I go backward (to the west), but I cannot perceive Him;

To the left (north) He turns, but I cannot behold Him;
He turns to the right hand (south), but I cannot see Him.
10 
“But He knows the way that I take [and He pays attention to it].
When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous].(B)
11 
“My feet have carefully followed His steps;
I have kept His ways and not turned aside.
12 
“I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have kept the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
13 
“But He is unique and unchangeable, and who can turn Him?
And what His soul desires, that He does.
14 
“For He performs what is planned (appointed) for me,
And He is mindful of many such things.
15 
“Therefore I would be terrified at His presence;
When I consider [all of this], I tremble in dread of Him.
16 
“For God has made my heart faint,
And the Almighty has terrified me,
17 
But I am not silenced by the darkness [of these woes that fell on me],
Nor by the thick darkness which covers my face.

Job

23 Then Job replied:

“Even today my complaint(A) is bitter;(B)
    his hand[a] is heavy in spite of[b] my groaning.(C)
If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!(D)
I would state my case(E) before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.(F)
I would find out what he would answer me,(G)
    and consider what he would say to me.
Would he vigorously oppose me?(H)
    No, he would not press charges against me.(I)
There the upright(J) can establish their innocence before him,(K)
    and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.(L)

“But if I go to the east, he is not there;
    if I go to the west, I do not find him.
When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
    when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.(M)
10 But he knows the way that I take;(N)
    when he has tested me,(O) I will come forth as gold.(P)
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;(Q)
    I have kept to his way without turning aside.(R)
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;(S)
    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.(T)

13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?(U)
    He does whatever he pleases.(V)
14 He carries out his decree against me,
    and many such plans he still has in store.(W)
15 That is why I am terrified before him;(X)
    when I think of all this, I fear him.(Y)
16 God has made my heart faint;(Z)
    the Almighty(AA) has terrified me.(AB)
17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,(AC)
    by the thick darkness that covers my face.

Footnotes

  1. Job 23:2 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew / the hand on me
  2. Job 23:2 Or heavy on me in