Job 23

Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments

23Then Job answered and said:

²“Even today my ^acomplaint is bitter;

¹My hand is listless because of my groaning.

^3bOh, that I knew where I might find Him,

That I might come to His seat!

⁴I would present my case before Him,

And fill my mouth with arguments.

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

And understand what He would say to me.

^6cWould He contend with me in His great power?

No! But He would take note of me.

⁷There 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;

⁹When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;

When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.

¹⁰But ^eHe knows the way that I take;

When ^fHe has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

^11gMy foot has held fast to His steps;

I have kept His way and not turned aside.

¹²I have not departed from the ^hcommandment of His lips;

ⁱI have treasured the words of His mouth

More than my ²necessary food.

¹³“But He is unique, and who can make Him change?

And whatever ^jHis soul desires, that He does.

¹⁴For He performs what is ^kappointed for me,

And many such things are with Him.

¹⁵Therefore I am terrified at His presence;

When I consider this, I am afraid of Him.

¹⁶For God ^lmade my heart weak,

And the Almighty terrifies me;

¹⁷Because I was not ^mcut off ³from the presence of darkness,

And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.