Job 23

23Then Job answered and said,

^2aEven to day is my ^bcomplaint bitter:

^†My stroke is heavier than my groaning.

^3cOh that I knew where I might find him!

That I might come even to his ^dseat!

⁴I would ^eorder my cause before him,

And fill my mouth with ^farguments.

⁵I would know the words which he would answer me,

And understand what he would say unto me.

⁶Will he plead against me ^gwith his great power?

No; but he would put strength in me.

⁷There the righteous might dispute with him;

So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

^8hBehold, I go ⁱforward, but he is not there;

And ⁱbackward, ^hbut I cannot perceive him:

⁹On ^kthe left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him:

He hideth himself on ^lthe right hand, that I ^hcannot see him:

¹⁰But he ^mknoweth ^†the way that I take:

When ⁿhe hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

^11oMy foot hath held his steps,

His way have I kept, and not ^pdeclined.

¹²Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips;

^†I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than ^||my necessary food.

¹³But he is in one mind, and ^qwho can turn him?

And what ^rhis soul desireth, even that he doeth.

¹⁴For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me:

And many such things are ^swith him.

¹⁵Therefore am I troubled at his ^tpresence:

When I consider, I am afraid of him.

¹⁶For God ^umaketh my heart soft,

And the Almighty troubleth me:

¹⁷Because I was not cut off ^xbefore the darkness,

Neither hath he covered the ^ydarkness from ^zmy face.