Job 23
Expanded Bible
Job Answers
23 Then Job answered:
2 “My ·complaint [or speech] is still ·bitter [or rebellious] today.
·I groan because God’s heavy hand is on me [or My hand is heavy with groaning].
3 I wish I knew where to find God
so I could go to ·where he lives [L his place].
4 I would present my case before him
and fill my mouth with ·arguments [or reprimands; reproofs].
5 I would learn ·how [L the words by which] he would answer me
and would think about what he would say.
6 Would he not ·argue [present his case] ·strongly [L with great power] against me?
No, he would really listen to me.
7 ·Then [L There] an ·honest [virtuous] person could ·present his case to God [reprimand/reprove him],
and I would ·be saved [escape] forever ·by [or from] my judge.
8 “If I go to the east, God is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not ·see [perceive] him.
9 When he ·is at work [acts] in the north, I catch no ·sight [glimpse] of him;
when he ·turns to [L wraps himself up in] the south, I cannot see him.
10 But God knows the way that I take,
and when he has tested me, I will come out like gold [Ps. 139:23–24].
11 My feet have ·closely followed [L held fast to] his steps;
I have stayed in his ·way [path; Prov. 4:10–11];
I did not turn aside.
12 I have never ·left [departed from] the commands ·he has spoken [L of his lips];
I have ·treasured his words more than my own [L stored up in my bosom the speeches of his mouth].
13 “But he is ·the only God [unique].
Who can ·come against him [L turn him back]?
He does anything he wants.
14 He will do to me what he ·said he would do [has designated for me],
and he ·has [or may have] many plans like this.
15 That is why I am ·frightened [terrified] of ·him [L his presence];
when I ·think of [reflect on] this, I am ·afraid [in dread] of him.
16 God has made ·me afraid [L my heart timid];
·the Almighty [L Shaddai] terrifies me.
17 But I am not ·hidden [silenced] by the darkness,
by the thick darkness that covers my face [C though afraid, Job still seeks to set God straight].
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 Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
