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Job 23:1-9
New International Version
Job 23:1-9
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)
Job 23:1-9
Good News Translation
Job 23:1-9
Good News Translation
23 1-2 I still rebel and complain against God;
I cannot keep from groaning.
3 How I wish I knew where to find him,
and knew how to go where he is.
4 I would state my case before him
and present all the arguments in my favor.
5 I want to know what he would say
and how he would answer me.
6 Would God use all his strength against me?
No, he would listen as I spoke.
7 I am honest; I could reason with God;
he would declare me innocent[a] once and for all.
8 I have searched in the East, but God is not there;
I have not found him when I searched in the West.
9 God has been at work in the North and the South,
but still I have not seen him.
Footnotes
- Job 23:7 he would declare me innocent; or then my rights would be safe.
Job 23:1-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Job 23:1-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Job Replies: My Complaint Is Bitter
23 Then Job answered:
2 “Today also my complaint is bitter;[a]
his[b] hand is heavy despite my groaning.(A)
3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his dwelling!(B)
4 I would lay my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.(C)
5 I would learn what he would answer me
and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No, but he would give heed to me.
7 There the upright could reason with him,
and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.(D)
8 “If I go forward, he is not there;
or backward, I cannot perceive him;(E)
9 on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;
I turn[c] to the right, but I cannot see him.
Job 23:1-9
Common English Bible
Job 23:1-9
Common English Bible
Grant me a trial
23 Job answered:
2 Today my complaint is again bitter;[a]
my strength is weighed down because of my groaning.
3 Oh, that I could know how to find him—
come to his dwelling place;
4 I would lay out my case before him,
fill my mouth with arguments,
5 know the words with which he would answer,
understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me through brute force?
No, he would surely listen to me.
7 There those who do the right thing can argue with him;
I could escape from my judge forever.
God’s hiddenness
8 Look, I go east; he’s not there,
west, and don’t discover him;
9 north in his activity, and I don’t grasp him;
he turns south, and I don’t see.
Footnotes
- Job 23:2 Vulg, Syr, Tg; MT my complaint is rebellious.
Job 23:16-17
New International Version
Job 23:16-17
New International Version
Job 23:16-17
Good News Translation
Job 23:16-17
Good News Translation
16-17 Almighty God has destroyed my courage.
It is God, not the dark, that makes me afraid—
even though the darkness has made me blind.
Job 23:16-17
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Job 23:16-17
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
16 God has made my heart faint;
the Almighty[a] has terrified me.(A)
17 If only I could vanish in darkness,
and thick darkness would cover my face
Job 23:16-17
Common English Bible
Job 23:16-17
Common English Bible
16 God has weakened my mind;
the Almighty has frightened me.
17 Still I’m not annihilated by darkness;
he has hidden deep darkness from me.
New International Version (NIV) 
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.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible