Job 23
New American Standard Bible 1995
Job Says He Longs for God
23 Then Job [a]replied,
2 “Even today my (A)complaint is rebellion;
[b]His hand is (B)heavy despite my groaning.
3 “Oh that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 “I would (C)present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 “I would learn the words which He would [c]answer,
And perceive what He would say to me.
6 “Would He contend with me by (D)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 “There the upright would (E)reason with Him;
And I [d]would be (F)delivered forever from my Judge.
8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I (G)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 [e]way I take;
When He has (H)tried 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 [f]more than my [g]necessary 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 appointed for me,
And many such decrees are with Him.
15 “Therefore, I would be dismayed at His presence;
When I consider, I am terrified 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)deep gloom which covers me.
Job 23
Legacy Standard Bible
Where Is God?
23 Then Job answered and said,
2 “Even today my (A)musing is rebellion;
[a]His hand is (B)heavy despite my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4 I would (C)arrange my case for justice before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which He would [b]answer,
And discern what He would say to me.
6 Would He contend with me by (D)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 There the upright would (E)argue with Him;
And I [c]would have (F)escaped forever from my Judge.
8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I (G)cannot discern 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 [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.
Job 23
New American Standard Bible
Job Says He Longs for God
23 Then Job responded,
2 “Even today my (A)complaint is rebellion;
[a]His hand is (B)heavy despite my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew how to find Him,
That I might come to His home!
4 I would (C)present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn the words which He would [b]answer,
And perceive what He would tell me.
6 Would He contend with me by (D)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 There the upright would (E)argue with Him;
And I [c]would be (F)free of my Judge forever.
8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I (G)cannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him;
He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him.
10 But He knows the [d]way I take;
When He has (H)put me to the test, I will come out as gold.
11 My foot has (I)held on to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not [e]failed the command of His lips;
I have treasured the (J)words of His mouth [f]more than my [g]necessary food.
13 But He is unique, and who can [h]make Him turn?
Whatever His soul desires, He does it.
14 For He carries out what is destined for me,
And many such destinies are with Him.
15 Therefore, I would be terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am frightened of Him.
16 It is God who has made my (K)heart faint,
And the Almighty who has terrified me,
17 But I (L)am not destroyed by darkness,
Nor by (M)deep gloom which covers me.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.