Job 23:1–10
Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments
23 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Even today my acomplaint is bitter;
1My hand is listless because of my groaning.
3 bOh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 I would present my case before Him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
6 cWould He contend with me in His great power?
No! But He would take note of me.
7 There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8 “Look, dI go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
9 When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
10 But eHe knows the way that I take;
When fHe has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job 23:1–10 — The New International Version (NIV)
1 Then Job replied:
2 “Even today my complaint is bitter;
his hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.
3 If only I knew where to find him;
if only I could go to his dwelling!
4 I would state my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would find out what he would answer me,
and consider what he would say to me.
6 Would he vigorously oppose me?
No, he would not press charges against me.
7 There the upright can establish their innocence before him,
and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.
8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not find him.
9 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.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
Job 23:1–10 — English Standard Version (ESV)
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Today also my complaint is bitter;
my hand is heavy on account of my groaning.
3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his seat!
4 I would lay my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know what he would answer me
and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; he would pay attention to me.
7 There an upright man could argue with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
8 “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,
and backward, but I do not perceive him;
9 on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;
he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
Job 23:1–10 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 Even to day is my complaint bitter:
My stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him!
That I might come even to his seat!
4 I would order my cause before him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which he would answer me,
And understand what he would say unto me.
6 Will he plead against me with his great power?
No; but he would put strength in me.
7 There the righteous might dispute with him;
So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
And backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 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.
Job 23:1–10 — New Living Translation (NLT)
1 Then Job spoke again:
2 “My complaint today is still a bitter one,
and I try hard not to groan aloud.
3 If only I knew where to find God,
I would go to his court.
4 I would lay out my case
and present my arguments.
5 Then I would listen to his reply
and understand what he says to me.
6 Would he use his great power to argue with me?
No, he would give me a fair hearing.
7 Honest people can reason with him,
so I would be forever acquitted by my judge.
8 I go east, but he is not there.
I go west, but I cannot find him.
9 I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden.
I look to the south, but he is concealed.
10 “But he knows where I am going.
And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
Job 23:1–10 — New Century Version (NCV)
1 Then Job answered:
2 “My complaint is still bitter today.
I groan because God’s heavy hand is on me.
3 I wish I knew where to find God
so I could go to where he lives.
4 I would present my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn how he would answer me
and would think about what he would say.
6 Would he not argue strongly against me?
No, he would really listen to me.
7 Then an honest person could present his case to God,
and I would be saved forever by my judge.
8 “If I go to the east, God is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not see him.
9 When he is at work in the north, I catch no sight of him;
when he turns to the south, I cannot see him.
10 But God knows the way that I take,
and when he has tested me, I will come out like gold.
Job 23:1–10 — American Standard Version (ASV)
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 Even to-day is my complaint rebellious:
My stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him!
That I might come even to his seat!
4 I would set my cause in order before him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which he would answer me,
And understand what he would say unto me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
Nay; but he would give heed unto me.
7 There the upright might reason with him;
So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
And backward, but I cannot perceive him;
9 On the left hand, when 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.
Job 23:1–10 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
1 And Job answered and said, 2 Even to-day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. 3 Oh that I knew where I might find him, that I might come to his seat! 4 I would order the cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments; 5 I would know the words he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. 6 Would he plead against me with his great power? Nay; but he would give heed unto me. 7 There would an upright man reason with him; and I should be delivered for ever from my judge.
8 Lo, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I do not perceive him; 9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I behold him not; he hideth himself on the right hand, and I see him not. 10 But he knoweth the way that I take; he trieth me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job 23:1–10 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
1 Then Job replied ⸤to his friends⸥,
2 “My complaint is bitter again today.
I try hard to control my sighing.
3 “If only I knew where I could find God!
I would go where he lives.
4 I would present ⸤my⸥ case to him.
I would have a mouthful of arguments.
5 I want to know the words he would use to answer me.
I want to understand the things he would say to me.
6 Would he sue me and hide behind great legal maneuvers?
No, he certainly would press charges against me.
7 Then decent people could argue with him,
and I would escape my judgment forever.
8 However, if I go east, he isn’t there.
If I go west, I can’t find him.
9 If I go northward, where he is at work, I can’t observe him.
If I turn southward, I can’t see him.
10 ⸤I can’t find him⸥ because he knows the road I take.
When he tests me,
I’ll come out as pure as gold.
Job 23:1–10 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 Then Job answered:
2 Today also my complaint is bitter.
His hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3 If only I knew how to find Him,
so that I could go to His throne.
4 I would plead my case before Him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn how He would answer me;
and understand what He would say to me.
6 Would He prosecute me forcefully?
No, He will certainly pay attention to me.
7 Then an upright man could reason with Him,
and I would escape from my Judge forever.
8 If I go east, He is not there,
and if I go west, I cannot perceive Him.
9 When He is at work to the north, I cannot see Him;
when He turns south, I cannot find Him.
10 Yet He knows the way I have taken;
when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.
Job 23:1–10 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1 Then Job answered:
2 “Today also my complaint is bitter;
his hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his dwelling!
4 I would lay my case before him,
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn what he would answer me,
and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; but he would give heed to me.
7 There an upright person could reason with him,
and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.
8 “If I go forward, he is not there;
or backward, I cannot perceive him;
9 on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;
I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold.
Job 23:1–10 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 “Even today my complaint is bitter;
my hand is heavy in addition to my groaning.
3 O that I knew and that I might find him;
O that I might come to his dwelling.
4 I would lay my case before him,
and I would fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I want to know the words with which he would answer me,
and I want to understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his strength?
No, but he himself would give heed to me.
7 There an upright person could reason with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
8 “When I go forward, he is not there,
or backward, I cannot see him.
9 When he works on the left, I cannot perceive him;
he turns to the right, but I cannot see him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
he tests me—I shall come out like gold.
Job 23:1–10 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
1 Job replied,
2 “Even today my problems are more than I can handle.
In spite of my groans, God’s hand is heavy on me.
3 I wish I knew where I could find him!
I wish I could go to the place where he lives!
4 I would state my case to him.
I’d give him all of my arguments.
5 I’d find out what his answers would be.
I’d think about what he would say.
6 Would he oppose me with his great power?
No. He wouldn’t bring charges against me.
7 I’m an honest person. I could state my case to him.
Then my Judge would tell me once and for all that I’m not guilty.
8 “But if I go to the east, God isn’t there.
If I go to the west, I don’t find him.
9 When he’s working in the north, I don’t see him there.
When he turns to the south, I don’t see him there either.
10 But he knows every step I take.
When he has put me to the test,
I’ll come out as pure as gold.
Job 23:1–10 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
1 Then Job replied,
2 “Even today my complaint is rebellion;
His hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3 “Oh that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 “I would present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 “I would learn the words which He would answer,
And perceive what He would say to me.
6 “Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 “There the upright would reason with Him;
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot 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 way I take;
When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.