20 “Only grant me these two things, God,
    and then I will not hide from you:
21 Withdraw your hand(A) far from me,
    and stop frightening me with your terrors.(B)
22 Then summon me and I will answer,(C)
    or let me speak, and you reply to me.(D)
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?(E)
    Show me my offense and my sin.(F)
24 Why do you hide your face(G)
    and consider me your enemy?(H)
25 Will you torment(I) a windblown leaf?(J)
    Will you chase(K) after dry chaff?(L)
26 For you write down bitter things against me
    and make me reap the sins of my youth.(M)
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;(N)
    you keep close watch on all my paths(O)
    by putting marks on the soles of my feet.

Read full chapter

then know that God has wronged me(A)
    and drawn his net(B) around me.(C)

“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(D)
    though I call for help,(E) there is no justice.(F)
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(G)
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(H)
He has stripped(I) me of my honor(J)
    and removed the crown from my head.(K)
10 He tears me down(L) on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope(M) like a tree.(N)
11 His anger(O) burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.(P)
12 His troops advance in force;(Q)
    they build a siege ramp(R) against me
    and encamp around my tent.(S)

Read full chapter

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.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

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

Job’s Final Word to His Friends

27 And Job continued his discourse:(A)

“As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,(B)
    the Almighty,(C) who has made my life bitter,(D)
as long as I have life within me,
    the breath of God(E) in my nostrils,
my lips will not say anything wicked,
    and my tongue will not utter lies.(F)
I will never admit you are in the right;
    till I die, I will not deny my integrity.(G)
I will maintain my innocence(H) and never let go of it;
    my conscience(I) will not reproach me as long as I live.(J)

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends