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Job Replies: My Complaint Is Grievous

23 Then Job answered:

“Today also my complaint is bitter;
    my hand is heavy because of my groaning.
Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
    that I might come even to His seat!
I would present my case before Him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know the words that He would answer me
    and understand what He would say to me.
Will He plead against me with His great power?
    No! But He would take note of me.
There the righteous might dispute with Him;
    so would I be delivered forever from my Judge.

“Look, I go forward, but He is not there,
    and backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
when He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
    He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
10 But He knows the way that I take;
    when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
11 My foot has held fast to His steps;
    I have kept His way and have not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
    I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

13 “But He is resolute, and who can turn Him?
    And whatever His soul desires, that He does.
14 For He performs what is appointed for me,
    and many such things are with Him.
15 Therefore I am troubled at His presence;
    when I consider, I am afraid of Him.
16 For God makes my heart soft,
    and the Almighty troubles me;
17 because I was not cut off from the presence of darkness,
    nor has He covered the darkness from 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