Job 23
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Job’s Reply to Eliphaz
23 Then Job answered:
2 Today also my complaint is bitter.[a](A)
His[b] hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3 If only I knew how to find Him,
so that I could go to His throne.
4 I would plead my case before Him(B)
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn how[c] He would answer me;
and understand what He would say to me.
6 Would He prosecute(C) me forcefully?
No, He will certainly pay attention to me.
7 Then an upright man could reason(D) with Him,
and I would escape from my Judge(E) forever.
8 If I go east, He is not there,
and if I go west, I cannot perceive Him.(F)
9 When He is at work to the north, I cannot see Him;
when He turns south, I cannot find Him.
10 Yet He knows the way I have taken;[d]
when He has tested me,(G) I will emerge as pure gold.
11 My feet have followed in His tracks;
I have kept to His way(H) and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands of His lips;
I have treasured[e] the words(I) of His mouth
more than my daily food.
13 But He is unchangeable; who can oppose Him?
He does what He desires.(J)
14 He will certainly accomplish what He has decreed for me,
and He has many more things like these in mind.[f]
15 Therefore I am terrified(K) in His presence;
when I consider this, I am afraid of Him.
16 God has made my heart faint;(L)
the Almighty has terrified me.
17 Yet I am not destroyed[g] by the darkness,(M)
by the thick darkness that covers my face.
Job 23
International Children’s Bible
Job Answers
23 Then Job answered:
2 “My complaint is still strong today.
God’s hand is heavy against me even though I am groaning.
3 I wish I knew where to find God.
I wish I could go to where he lives.
4 I would present my case before him.
I would fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words of his answer.
And I would think about what he would say.
6 He would not come against me with great power.
He would really listen to me.
7 Then an honest person could present his case to God.
And I would be saved forever from my judge.
8 “If I go to the east, God is not there.
And if I go to the west, I do not see him there.
9 When he is at work in the north, I catch no sight of him.
And when he turns to the south, I cannot see him.
10 But God knows the way that I take.
When he has tested me, I will come out pure as gold.
11 My feet have closely followed his steps.
I have stayed in his way without turning aside.
12 I have never left the commands he has spoken.
I have treasured his words more than my food.
13 “But he is the only God.
No one can come against him.
He does anything he wants.
14 He will do to me what he said he would do.
And he has many plans like this.
15 That is why I am so afraid before him.
When I think of all this, I am afraid of him.
16 God has made me afraid.
God All-Powerful has made me terribly afraid.
17 But I am not cut off by the darkness,
by the thick darkness that covers my face.
Job 23
King James Version
23 Then Job answered and said,
2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.
15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.
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The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
