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23 And Job answered, and said,

Now also my word is in bitterness, and the hand of my wound is aggrieved on my wailing. (Now my word is bitter, and the hand causing my pain is heavy upon me in my wailing.)

Who giveth to me, that I know, and find him, and come unto his throne? (Who giveth to me, that I might know where to find him, and come unto his throne?)

I shall set doom before him (I shall state my case before him), and I shall fill my mouth with arguments;

that I know the words, which he shall answer to me, and that I understand, what he shall speak to me. (then I shall know the words, which he shall answer to me, and I shall understand, what he shall say to me.)

I will not, that he strive with me by great strength, neither that he oppress me with the heaviness of his greatness. (I do not desire, that he fight me with his great strength, nor oppress me with his great might, or his great power.)

Set he forth equity against me, and my doom come perfectly to victory. (Yea, I shall be righteous before him, and my judge shall find me altogether innocent.)

If I go to the east, God appeareth not there; if I go to the west, I shall not understand him;

if I go to the left side, what shall I do? I shall not take (hold of) him (I shall not catch him); if I turn me to the right side, I shall not see him.

10 But he knoweth my way, and he shall prove me as gold (and he shall assay me like gold), that passeth through the fire.

11 My foot followed his steps; I kept (to) his way, and I bowed not away from it.

12 I went not away from the commandments of his lips; and I hid in my bosom the words of his mouth.

13 For he is alone, and no man may turn away his thoughts; and whatever thing he would, his will did this thing. (For he alone decideth, and no one can turn away his thoughts; and whatever he desired to do, his did it.)

14 When he hath [ful]filled his will in me, also many other like things be ready to him. (For he hath fulfilled his will for me, and many other plans like these be ready with him.)

15 And therefore I am troubled of his face, and I beholding him am anguished for dread. (And so I am troubled before him, and I beholding him am anguished with fear.)

16 God hath made nesh mine heart (God hath made my heart weak, or faint), and Almighty God hath troubled me.

17 Certainly I perished not for darknesses nighing to me; neither mist covered my face. (For I did not perish because the darkness nighed to me, nor because the mist covered 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

23 Then Job answered and said,

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

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

I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

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

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

There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

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 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 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 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

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

15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

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