Job 23
Living Bible
23 The reply of Job:
2 “My complaint today is still a bitter one, and my punishment far more severe than my fault deserves. 3 Oh, that I knew where to find God—that I could go to his throne and talk with him there. 4-5 I would tell him all about my side of this argument, and listen to his reply, and understand what he wants. 6 Would he merely overpower me with his greatness? No, he would listen with sympathy. 7 Fair and honest men could reason with him and be acquitted by my Judge.
8 “But I search in vain. I seek him here, I seek him there and cannot find him. 9 I seek him in his workshop in the north but cannot find him there; nor can I find him in the south; there, too, he hides himself. 10 But he knows every detail of what is happening to me; and when he has examined me, he will pronounce me completely innocent—as pure as solid gold!
11 “I have stayed in God’s paths, following his steps. I have not turned aside. 12 I have not refused his commandments but have enjoyed them more than my daily food. 13 Nevertheless, his mind concerning me remains unchanged, and who can turn him from his purposes? Whatever he wants to do, he does. 14 So he will do to me all he has planned, and there is more ahead.[a]
15 “No wonder I am so terrified in his presence. When I think of it, terror grips me. 16-17 God has given me a fainting heart; he, the Almighty, has terrified me with darkness all around me, thick, impenetrable darkness everywhere.
Footnotes
- Job 23:14 and there is more ahead, literally, “and many such things are with him.”
Job 23
New International Version
Job
23 Then Job replied:
2 “Even today my complaint(A) is bitter;(B)
his hand[a] is heavy in spite of[b] my groaning.(C)
3 If only I knew where to find him;
if only I could go to his dwelling!(D)
4 I would state my case(E) before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.(F)
5 I would find out what he would answer me,(G)
and consider what he would say to me.
6 Would he vigorously oppose me?(H)
No, he would not press charges against me.(I)
7 There the upright(J) can establish their innocence before him,(K)
and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.(L)
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.(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.
约伯记 23
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
約伯自言尋不見 神
23 約伯回答說:
2 “直到今日我還有苦情要申訴,
我雖然歎息,他的手仍然沉重。
3 但願我知道怎樣能尋見 神,
能到他的臺前來。
4 好讓我在他面前呈上我的案件,
滿口辯論向他申訴;
5 知道他要回答我的話,
明白他對我說甚麼。
6 他會以大能與我相爭嗎?
必不會這樣,他必關懷我。
7 在他那裡正直人可以與他彼此辯論,
這樣,我就必永遠擺脫那審判我的。
8 可是我往前走,他不在那裡;
我若往後退,我也不能見他。
9 他在左邊行事,我卻見不到;
他在右邊隱藏,我卻看不見。
10 可是他知道我所行的道路,
他試煉我以後,我必像精金出現。
自言未曾背道
11 我的腳緊隨他的腳步,
我謹守他的道,並不偏離。
12 他嘴唇的命令我沒有離棄,
我珍藏他口中的言語,
勝過我需用的飲食(“勝過我需用的飲食”或可參照《七十士譯本》等古譯本翻譯為“在我的心胸”)。
13 但是他既已定意,誰能使他轉意呢?
他心裡所願的,就行出來。
14 他為我所定的,他必成全,
這類的事情,他還有許多。
15 因此我在他面前驚惶,
一想到這事,我就懼怕他。
16 神使我心裡膽怯,
全能者使我驚惶,
17 因為我在黑暗面前並沒有被消滅,
也不怕幽暗遮蓋著我的臉。”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.

