Job 23

Job Says He Longs for God

1 Then Job ^{▼▼ Lit answered and said}replied, 2 “Even today my ^bcomplaint is rebellion;
^{▼▼ So with Gr and Syr; M.T. My}His hand is ^dheavy despite my groaning.
3 “Oh that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 “I would ^epresent my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 “I would learn the words which He would ^{▼▼ Lit answer me}answer,
And perceive what He would say to me.
6 “Would He contend with me by ^gthe greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 “There the upright would ^hreason with Him;
And I ^{▼▼ Or bring forth my justice forever}would be ^jdelivered forever from my Judge.

8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I ^kcannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him;
He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.
10 “But He knows the ^{▼▼ Lit way with me}way I take;
When He has ^mtried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 “My foot has ⁿheld fast to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 “I have not departed from the command of His lips;
I have treasured the ^owords of His mouth ^{▼▼ Or with some versions, in my breast}more than my ^{▼▼ Lit prescribed portion}necessary food.
13 “But He is unique and who can turn Him?
And what His soul desires, that He does.
14 “For He performs what is appointed for me,
And many such decrees are with Him.
15 “Therefore, I would be dismayed at His presence;
When I consider, I am terrified of Him.
16 “It is God who has made my ^rheart faint,
And the Almighty who has dismayed me,
17 But I ^sam not silenced by the darkness,
Nor ^tdeep gloom which covers me.