Job 23:1-12 ▼

1 Then Job answered and said,

2 “Even today my complaint is contentious; His hand is heavy despite my groaning.

3 “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might [even] come to His seat!

4 “I would present my cause before Him And fill my mouth with arguments.

5 “I would learn the words which He would answer, And understand what He would say to me.

6 “Would He contend against me with His great power? No, surely He would give attention to me.

7 “There the righteous and upright could reason with Him; So I would be acquitted forever by my Judge.

8 “Behold, I go forward (to the east), but He is not there; I go backward (to the west), but I cannot perceive Him;

9 To the left (north) He turns, but I cannot behold Him; He turns to the right hand (south), but I cannot see Him.

10 “But He knows the way that I take [and He pays attention to it]. When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous].

11 “My feet have carefully followed His steps; I have kept His ways and not turned aside.

12 “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have kept the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.