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Where Is God?

23 Then Job answered and said,

“Even today my (A)musing is rebellion;
[a]His hand is (B)heavy despite my groaning.
Oh that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
I would (C)arrange my case for justice before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know the words which He would [b]answer,
And discern what He would say to me.
Would He contend with me by (D)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
There the upright would (E)argue with Him;
And I [c]would have (F)escaped forever from my Judge.

“Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I (G)cannot discern Him;
When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him;
He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.
10 But He knows the [d]way I take;
When He has (H)tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot has (I)held 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 (J)words of His mouth [e]more than my [f]portion of 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 apportioned for me,
And many such decrees are with Him.
15 Therefore, I would be dismayed at His presence;
I carefully consider, and I am in dread of Him.
16 It is God who has made my (K)heart faint,
And the Almighty who has dismayed me,
17 But I (L)am not silenced by the darkness,
Nor (M)thick darkness which covers me.

Footnotes

  1. Job 23:2 As in Gr and Syr; M.T. My
  2. Job 23:5 Lit answer me
  3. Job 23:7 Or bring forth my justice forever
  4. Job 23:10 Lit way with me
  5. Job 23:12 Some versions in my breast
  6. Job 23:12 Lit statute

Job

23 Then Job replied:

“Even today my complaint(A) is bitter;(B)
    his hand[a] is heavy in spite of[b] my groaning.(C)
If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!(D)
I would state my case(E) before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.(F)
I would find out what he would answer me,(G)
    and consider what he would say to me.
Would he vigorously oppose me?(H)
    No, he would not press charges against me.(I)
There the upright(J) can establish their innocence before him,(K)
    and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.(L)

“But if I go to the east, he is not there;
    if I go to the west, I do not find him.
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.(M)
10 But he knows the way that I take;(N)
    when he has tested me,(O) I will come forth as gold.(P)
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;(Q)
    I have kept to his way without turning aside.(R)
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;(S)
    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.(T)

13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?(U)
    He does whatever he pleases.(V)
14 He carries out his decree against me,
    and many such plans he still has in store.(W)
15 That is why I am terrified before him;(X)
    when I think of all this, I fear him.(Y)
16 God has made my heart faint;(Z)
    the Almighty(AA) has terrified me.(AB)
17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,(AC)
    by the thick darkness that covers my face.

Footnotes

  1. Job 23:2 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew / the hand on me
  2. Job 23:2 Or heavy on me in