Job 23

Job Says He Longs for God

1 Then Job responded,

2 “Even today my ^acomplaint is rebellion;
▼

▼As in LXX and Syriac; MT My

His hand is ^cheavy despite my groaning.
3 “Oh that I knew how to find Him,
That I might come to His home!
4 “I would ^dpresent 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 tell me.
6 “Would He contend with me by ^fthe greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 “There the upright would ^gargue with Him;
And I ▼

▼Or bring forth my justice forever

would be ⁱfree of my Judge forever.

8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I ^jcannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him;
He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him.
10 “But He knows the ▼

▼Lit way with me

way I take;
When He has ^lput me to the test, I will come out as gold.
11 “My foot has ^mheld on to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 “I have not ▼

▼Lit ceased from

failed the command of His lips;
I have treasured the ^owords of His mouth ▼

▼Or with some ancient versions, in my breast

more than my ▼

▼Lit prescribed portion

necessary food.
13 “But He is unique, and who can ▼

▼Or deprive Him of anything

make Him turn?
Whatever His soul desires, He does it.
14 “For He carries out what is destined for me,
And many such destinies are with Him.
15 “Therefore, I would be terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am frightened of Him.
16 “It is God who has made my ^sheart faint,
And the Almighty who has terrified me,
17 But I ^tam not destroyed by darkness,
Nor by ^udeep gloom which covers me.