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Round Three: Job’s First Speech

23 Then Job responded:

Even today my complaint is bitter.[a]
His[b] hand weighs heavily on me despite my groaning.[c]
I wish I knew where I could find him,
so that I could come to his place for judgment.
Then I would lay out my case before him,
and I would fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know what words he would use to respond to me,
and I would consider what he would say to me.
Would he use his great power to press charges against me?
No, he will certainly give me a hearing.
There, an upright man could argue with him,
and I would be delivered from my judge forever.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 23:2 The translation bitter follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads rebellious.
  2. Job 23:2 The translation his follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads my.
  3. Job 23:2 Or my hand is weighed down by my groaning

Job’s Eighth Speech: A Response to Eliphaz

23 Then[a] Job answered and said,

“Even today my complaint is bitter;
my hand is heavy in addition to my groaning.
O that[b] I knew and that I might find him;
O that I might come to his dwelling.
I would lay my case before him,[c]
and I would fill my mouth with arguments.
I want to know the words with which he would answer me,
and I want to understand what he would say to me.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his strength?
No, but he himself[d] would give heed to me.
There an upright person could reason with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 23:1 Hebrew “And”
  2. Job 23:3 Literally “Who shall give”
  3. Job 23:4 Literally “to his face”
  4. Job 23:6 Emphatic personal pronoun